35 pilgrims went to Dnepropetrovsk, where the kids were hosted by the local church “Good News” pastor Vladimir Ivanov. The little refugees were given space right in the sanctuary; it was made comfortable for temporary staying there. In 2 weeks when the management of the fund “Pilgrim” found the place to resettle the pilgrims departed to the Carpathians, the Vorokhta village.
Tatyana Karpukhina, the principle of the “Republic Pilgrim”: “It is an amazing picturesque corner, so the trip there was a wonderful gift, if not for the reason that caused the kids to find themselves there. In Vorokhta we were hosted by the landlord Roman Tyminsky in his 2- storied place where even though it is quite tight but we still could house all the kids there somehow. Due to the local bodies of power the kids could get the status of temporary refugees and we could enroll them in the local school. I will be honest, our kids showed themselves here from the best side. They are praised for the diligence in study and for good behavior. The guys could actively learn Ukrainian and to get to know the traditions of their people. Beside the studies the kids had many trips to the local forests, picking up berries and learning herbs and flora and fauna in general. To get to school one needs to take a path through the forest that made it so exciting”.
It is worth mentioning that on their arrival to the Carpathian Mountains the children conquered the Goverla Mount once again. On the mountaintop they raised the banners of Ukraine and of the Republic Pilgrim and prayed for the peace in their city and in their country.
Tatyana Karpukhina: “I would like to express my gratitude to all those people who rendered us the help in the evacuation of the kids. It would be impossible to organize this complicated plan of evacuation without your support. It is so amazing that in the midst of this tough time so many churches, charities, officials and ordinary people responded to our need and provided us with all the necessities for evacuation, transportation and living of the kids out of the military zone. Because of you these kids were not witnessing the war”.
Special thanks to the Father Vasilii – the Catholic priest and to the Father Vladimir from the Charity Fund “Caritas” at the Ukrainian Greek – Catholic church, to Yuri Veremii – the bishop of the Church of Christ of the Evangelical Faith of Ukraine, to Lyudmila Borysenko – the representative of the Charity “Parent’s care”, Kyiv, Lesya aronets, the coordinator of the head- quarter of the refugees in Ivano- Frankivsk area.