A large crowd gathered in the Knox Performance Centre this afternoon (Sunday) for a screening of “Life to the Limit,” marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Almost three years ago, Anna Bliezmesova came to Prince George with her daughter from the Kharkiv region.
“I feel like it was so hard at the beginning, but still it’s continuing, it’s worse and worse, a lot of people died, a lot of my friends lost their husband, their relatives, it’s so hard, people are used to live in such environments, but still it’s so hard, and everybody, all of us pray that this will stop as soon as possible,” she said.
She said they are blessed to have the community that supports each other.
“It helps us, all of us to settle here, especially for the kids, the teenagers, they have their own friends, and support, I think the most important things here,” Bliezmesova said.
“It helped us to feel safe and to feel comfortable and to feel support, we can get together, we can share our thoughts we can share any situation, any problem we have and we can help each other and just feel like a family here.”
Since moving to Canada, Bliezmesova said her life has changed incredibly.
“I feel very welcome and very friendly here in Prince George,” she said.
“It’s a small community but I think it’s a great thing to start from the beginning, from scratch, it’s not a big city, but it’s so friendly.”
Bliezmesova said her hope for the future is for Ukraine to be safe, and people can go back when it’s safe.
“I know lot of people would like to stay here and settle here, but a lot of people still feel they’re heart is there and they would like to come back and feel safe,” she said.
“My hope for sure is that all this dangerous stuff stops as soon as possible.”
Larysa Koops has been in Prince George for 16 years, but her son’s family is still in Ukraine.
“I’m glad to live here and be accepted in Canada, I enjoy my life here, but at the same time, I have my son’s family there, back in Ukraine,” she said.
“They are suffering there, not only them, many Ukrainians, and my heart is broken for them.”
Koops added she has seen the situation from Ukraine after spending some time there.
“Of course I watch news and information, but I know, I communicate with my son through Skype and I know what’s going on there, so I have deep compassion,” she said.
“If I could do anything, I would, donation, it’s kind of my little, little contribution, and I would like peace for Ukraine, I pray, I’m a believer, I pray and believe God will do something for Ukrainians because they’re brave, their people deserve to have peace and live in a prosperous country. I’m waiting for the situation to be worked out by God, because I see what Trump is doing, I’m disappointed about his attitude towards Ukraine, so I have only one to whom I can appeal, to God.”
According to Share Hope, a volunteer group that has been assisting Ukrainians who have come to Canada, 271 are currently registered with them in Prince George, and 309 across the north.
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