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A warm word and a hug

Kharkiv, Kharkiv region

The ominous sounds of sirens often interrupted by explosions, fear that tears apart all other emotions,  firm and perhaps the last hug from her daughter and one single thought – to survive.

Neither the once warm home, nor the memories of the happiest moments…

A child’s first cry, a crib, still unblown birthday balloons, laughter and tears of joy cannot stop our line in the refugee column.

We travel with a suitcase full of tears. It’s cold. We don’t know how will we get there, when will we get there and if we will get there. A thousand unspoken questions, and there are no answers. We talk about the sea, about the nice warm climate, about friends who will be waiting for us there. We are also talking about the fact that we will soon return to our country, that we will continue to build memories…

We are only talking to hold back the tears.

In the Red Cross of Budva, rows of refugees, our compatriots. Children, elderly people, crying mothers. We are registering, looking for information on legal status… Someone needs a blanket, jacket, medicine; someone needs food, shoes and clothes. A five-year-old girl underwent an urgent medical examination.

And for someone, just a warm word and a hug. In that place, with those people who welcomed us, and who still take care of us, we regained our faith in humankind.

Natalia and Karina from Kharkiv.

 

* Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, the Red Cross of Montenegro has been providing support to Ukrainian refugees in the form of information, psychosocial and psychological support, organized language classes, medical assistance, collection and distribution of humanitarian aid.