Thread by @lewis_goodall

Lots of small, hopeful stories of solidarity from the border. Ran into a group of German paramedics from Frankfurt. They’ve travelled 11 hours in their ambulance bus to help, a vehicle they’ve had for 30 years. At the end of the day they’re handing over the bus to the Ukrainians.

They’re not even sure what’s happening to it or where it’s going: “i just know they need it far more than we do”, the paramedics’ team leader tells me.

This is their weekend, they’re back at work in Frankfurt at 6am Monday morning.

Not before they’ve spent today providing medical care to anyone who needs it at one of the crossings, especially the kids. They’ve brought a bus load of jackets, baby formula, medicines and other provisions.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1500109881038282755

The German paramedic team are providing medical care first but also giving out chocolate and a teddy bear each for the kids.

The German ambulancebus is now taking a coachload of women and children to the nearest town.

Some faces from the bus.

This is Nasia, Gelb and Ira. They’ve been travelling for two days. Gelb (the boy in the middle) is by all accounts a cracking little Traditional Ukrainian folk dancer. They’ve saw shelling at Kharkiv. They’ve no idea when they’ll see their Dad again.

Another family on the bus-this time three generations. Irina, Alina and little Lev. He’s only three weeks old.

They told us their journey to the border was hell; it was freezing, there was fighting en route. Hard enough for adults, imagine it with a newborn.

He struggled at first as the journey began but has battled through it and is doing well, all things considered. His name means “lion”, which clearly couldn’t be more appropriate.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1500182600798937090

This lady has one foot. The journey, as you can imagine, has been difficult. She also desperately needed insulin as she’d run out, en route. It was provided by the ambulance bus.

We arrive at our destination. Everyone on the bus has to carry on their journeys.

Wherever the big crossing points are there’s more generosity on display. Offerings of transport as far as Scandinavia. People offering free packs of socks. Free sweets and hot dogs for kids.

But there’s also that other theme which permeates everything here, alongside the generosity: the exhaustion. This little boy was so tired that even though he was being trundled along the pavement by his Mum on top of a suitcase, he barely moved a muscle.

It’s the little moments which strike you. On the bus one of the grandmothers was helping with the baby. She then sat down. She closed her eyes and started breathing through her mouth. She was trying to centre herself. You could see the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Lots responding that stories like the German paramedics restore their faith in humanity. I know what you mean and the wider generosity here is something to behold. What is unsettling about it though is that it’s only necessary because of the evil which brought everyone here.

Ie they coexist with each other, one flows from the other. It’s both comforting and dispiriting at the same time.

Enough for one day- to those asking, will let you know how little Lev gets on. We have his family’s contact details.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1500243616282910731

Oh and btw the German ambulancebus was handed over to the Ukrainians at the border late this evening. It’s off to be of use to the 🇺🇦 injured as you read this.

Some people asking what the bus was used for in Germany- domestic emergencies, mainly but among other things had been used at Frankfurt Christmas market every year for decades.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1500246066024927236?s=20&t=HkcPWMMkU4JtqAEys4LUbQ