Chris and Jessie Harrison Family Is Sponsoring A Home For Abelentsev Family

Maria (33 years old), Anton (30 years old) – military, Kirill (son-12 years old), amd Maryana (daughter-5 years old). Svetlana (55 years old) is Anton’s mother.

Anton is in the military and was on duty when the war broke out the morning of February 24, 2022. Maria’s sister called and said that the war had started, at the same time Kirill ran to his mother because he saw that something was thundering and sparkling outside the window. They thought it was a thunderstorm. When they realized that the war had started they wanted to leave by train, but the train was canceled. They had to stay in Prudyanka. The children were afraid to go outside and they sat in the basement. Little Maryana had a toy gun she slept with to keep her safe. Maria put headphones on Maryana so that she could not hear the explosions as much. Kirill also remembers that it was scary. Between shelling he would try to communicate with other children outside. Maria and her children left Prudyanka at the end of March. They got on the evacuation train but didn’t know where they were going. After wandering for a time, they ended up in Bratislava, where they lived for almost a year.

Svetlana, her husband and mother-in-law stayed at home. Svetlana’s husband was very sick and it was difficult to transport him. They didn’t believe the occupation by the Russians would last long. They hid in the neighbor’s cellar. There was no light, no heat, nowhere to wash. They slept in their clothes. On April 15, 2022 Svetlana left with her husband because he became very ill. Miraculously, an ambulance was able to get them to the hospital in Kharkiv. The husband dreamed of returning to his home. But he did not live to see the Russian de-occupation of the Kharkiv region –he died in the hospital. Svetlana’s mother-in-law went abroad and died there. Maria returned with her children in the fall of 2022, and they started renting an apartment. Svetlana works at a plastic factory. Maria cares for the children. The only source of income is her husband’s salary, which is not enough to rebuild a home. But they dream of returning to their village and homeland anyway.