Odessa

UAid Direct, a fantastic London-based group we network with, had been trying for months to get a large load of hospital equipment to a children's hospital in Odessa.  With our donated funds running low, we jumped at the chance to make the delivery for them.  It's about a 6 hour ride from the warehouse in Kyiv to Odessa, but it was so worth it.  We packed every square inch of that replacement van (see the photos entitled "Van Issues" for more on that...) with 4 heavy duty kids' hospital beds, equipment trolleys, baby scales, and many dozens of boxes of instruments, medicines and other supplies.

After we did that drop, we went out and bought a large load for an organization that helps senior citizen refugees.  They especially needed adult diapers, some kids diapers, wipes, and other goods.

When that was wrapped up, it was finally time to dip our toes in the Black Sea for the first time.  We naturally couldn't resist recreating the Ukrainan postage stamp commemorating the bravery of the soldier on Snake Island who, when threatened with annihilation by a Russian warship, replied with the famous defiant words "Russian warship, go f*#^ yourself!"

By the way, despite the Ukrainians initially thinking he was killed when the island was taken over, he did survive and was returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap. He is a Ukrainian Border Guard named Roman Hrybov.