The mission was essentially to deliver first hand, much needed humanitarian aid to homeless migrant families stranded in the west of Ukraine (clothing, bedding, medicines, food, even two new petrol generators, one to a local hospital, the other to a local medical centre).
The plan; two teams, two large vans and a trailer, fully loaded, destination Sokal - Humanitarian Depot, a round trip of eight days.
The journey started in Portland at 2am on the Sunday morning, then across the south of England to Dover.
Alas, whilst in the queue at Dover, Harry Barnes and Trevor Barrett recieved a call from Maidstone to say that the other team were having to return to base due to engine failure. Strategically, this was very serious, as the other team had made 12 prior visits. They were the experts, they had all of the contacts for the other end, they knew the way well and they also had all of the customs and declaration papers with them!
After some serious consideration, they decided that if they went on regardless and failed for whatever reason, they could live with that more easily than abandoning the mission and thereafter wondering, “what if?”.
So, ferry to Calais, then onwards through France, Belgium, Holland and as far into Germany as possible one day, and then an early start and continuing the journey through Germany and Poland, eventually reaching the Ukrainian border on day two.
Once across the border, and with the help of a much-needed Ukrainian escort, the pair arrived in Sokal, the principal drop-off depot.
Whilst unloading the van, an air raid siren suddenly echoed all around, the locals just carried on. Despite their nerves, Harry and Trevor decided that they simply couldn't go for cover whilst the locals refused to be intimidated.
Unless you have recently experienced life in western Ukraine for yourself, you cannot even begin to imagine the life of fear, deprivation, hunger and sense of absolute loss, that pervades the western Ukrainian landscape. It is so easy to think that Ukraine is all about a raging battle in the east, in reality, the effects are all around, even into Poland and Germany with homeless migrant families everywhere.
Sokal, the principal depot is about 90 minutes across the border from Poland, and is comparable in size and population to the village of Preston in Dorset. Despite this, Sokal has lost more lives on the front than Preston lost throughout the two great wars and the Falklands combined, in just three months.
As Harry and Trevore made their way through Sokal, they saw the true effect of the War on the eastern side of Ukraine. Cemeteries at the roadsides awash with the colours of Ukrainian flags that each marked the burial place of one of the local young men or women that had died in defence of their freedom. Well-dressed adults with children at their sides, scavenging through rubbish bins in the open streets.
Most of the humanitarian aid that they dropped off had been taken up by refugees within just a few days, queuing early morning in the cold, hand in hand with their children. With so many displaced families on the streets, 1,800 in the town of Sokal alone, there is a desperate need for this aid by people who, just a few months ago, were living out an ordinary existence and have now lost everything.
Whilst there, Harry and Trevor were able to make contact with the Freemasons in Lviv, Ukraine’s second largest city. The Grand Secretary of Ukraine was quick to respond and provided details such that they were able to arrange a meeting. To commemorate the occaision, Alan Wolsey cut and engrave a perfect ashlar from Portland Stone as a gift to the Ukrainian Freemasons (see picture below).
With a few words of explanation duly translated into Ukrainian by the Worship Master, the ashlar was presented to their great delight. Trevor Barrett presented a traditional ‘Cable Tow’ as made by Brian Barton, again with a suitable explanation.
The lodge meeting and ceremony was held in a basement under a church, hence the low level of lighting, and one of the Brethren was attired in combat clothing, as he was on call - welcome to the real world of Ukrainian Freemasonry!
Speaking of the trip afterwards, Harry said;
'I have nothing but admiration and respect for those like Trevor Barrett who has now completed three of these gruelling trips, and the other team who have now completed thirteen trips in as many months! I also now know what motivates them, and what images they now carry around with them in their minds, as they go about their everyday lives at home, and why they feel drawn back to effect a difference. All in all, a highly successful mission, but also an unanticipated personal opportunity to pause, freeze frame the world around me, take stock, get to know myself, and fully appreciate the blessings of normality, the ordinary, and the freedom to choose!'
Perfect Ashlar Presentation to Svitlo Lodge No 5, Grand Lodge of Ukraine
Copy of script:
'I bring you fraternal best wishes from your Brethren in England. My name is Right Worshipful Brother Harry Barnes, and this is WBro Trevor Barrett.
We are here in Ukraine for a few days to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, food, clothing and medical supplies.
We were at your side in February last year, we are at your side now, and our hands of brotherly love will forever reach out to you in your time of need.
Evil may have its day, but in the end, truth and justice always wins over evil.
We pray for the day when your skies will no longer be full of anger, but filled with the bright light of freedom, and that your children will run free.
We bring with us two gifts from your brethren in England.
The first is “cable tow”, made by WBro Brian Barton, which WBro Trevor will explain.
The second is a stone, a perfect cube, it represents the perfect Mason, and it is how we see our Brothers in Ukraine. It has been carved by one of our brothers who is an operative stone mason, WBro lan Wolsey.
The stone is taken from a large stone quarry very close to our lodge building, so it is part of our land, the ground on which our Masonic lodge stands.
Carved into the stone are the words from our Masonic ritual “Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth”.
Brotherly love: we will always be at your side.
Relief: we will support your every need.
Truth: we pray that justice, mercy and peace, will soon return to the people of Ukraine.Also, carved into the stone, is the Ukrainian coat of arms, the emblem of the Royal State of Volodymyr the Great, Prince of Kiev in the 10th century, it is a very powerful Ukrainian symbol of freedom, freedom which we your brothers, pray will soon be restored to your people.'
