FoundationAnnualReport2022

They first bought tickets to Mexico, where they were hoping to cross the border into the United States. Before they could leave Warsaw, the Mexican border was closed to Ukrainian refugees. They had spent $5,000 on the tickets, but fortunately, Ihar had insured them and received reimbursement. Their next step was to enlist the help of Uniting for Ukraine, a program established in April 2022 by the U.S. federal government that provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members to come to the United States and stay temporarily for two years of parole. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a sponsor in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay. A friend of Ihar’s mother who lived in Long Island, New York agreed to sponsor them and offered them a place to live. Unfortunately, the situation became a nightmare for Ihar, Valeriia, and Mark. The living conditions were extremely tight, and the sponsoring couple did not treat the family well. Finding the circumstances intolerable, Ihar and Valeriia searched desperately for another sponsor. Their quest led them to NOVA Ukraine, a non-profit organization that helps Ukrainian refugees relocate to the United States. This is how they met their true benefactors, the men and women of Grace United Methodist Church in Vermilion, Ohio. In October, the church’s pastor, Allison LeBrun, and congregation member John Hill were approached She remained in Spain for about a month until Ihar reached Warsaw. “The journey was very difficult. I tried to take a train out of Kyiv, but the Russians bombed the station. I got to Poland by car, driving from Kyiv to Dnipro to Lviv, dodging bullets, shelling, bombs, and Russian soldiers. There were dead bodies everywhere, buildings destroyed and burning. We were just trying to survive,” he says. Once he reached the Polish border, Ihar boarded a bus to Warsaw, where he was reunited with Valeriia and Mark. Ihar’s desperation to flee Ukraine can be traced to his Belarusian roots. Belarus was part of the Soviet Union until 1991. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Belarus became an independent nation but maintained close economic and political ties with Russia. The two countries share 700 miles of border, and Belarus allowed Putin’s army to stage and launch forces from the north into Ukraine. Ihar grew up during the leadership of Belarusian authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “Belarus is like Russia. The people do not have any freedom. You are not allowed to say or do certain things, especially regarding Lukashenko. They put people in prison for no reason and threatened their families. I left Belarus for political reasons. I don’t like anything about the country.” The young family stayed with Ihar’s brother for three months while searching for a way to enter the United States. They discussed remaining in Poland, but it was teeming with Ukrainian refugees and very crowded. 22