Kseniia, a Ukrainian exchange student in Lamar, and the story of Okhtyrka (March 18, 2022)

March 23, 2022
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By KHRYSTYNA DMYTRYSHYN with KSENIIA PONOMAROVA

(Editor's note: Kseniia is a girl from Ukraine who is currently staying in Lamar (she isalso a FLEX exchange student). Her town is located right on the border with Russia and is being terribly bombed.)

Please, tell us a little information about yourself. Where do you come from Ukraine?

My name is Kseniia and I am from the small town of Okhtyrka, located in the Sumy region. I am playing guitar there in a band called "Okhtyrka Music Band." Our goal is to bring back Ukrainian culture in music. We find a lot of old songs in Ukrainian and try to bring them back to life. We also translate songs in Russian and sing them in Ukrainian, so people become inspired by Ukrainian culture. I found Jesus in my life with this band because my band teacher is a Christian who became my pastor. Thus, we also translate some worship songs and sing them in Ukrainian.

Now I am in the US as an exchange student from the FLEX program. Because of the war in Ukraine, I can't go back to my family. I have to stay here longer until the war ends and towns and cities get rebuilt.

My town is getting famous even though its population is only 45,000 people. Okhtyrka is getting bombed a lot. For instance, Russians attacked our heating plant and people no longer have water and heating at homes. Many people who lived in apartments moved from the town because almost all tall buildings hadbeen destroyed and people no longer had their homes.

Now I live in Lamar, Missouri, with a fantastic host family, Chris & Becci Jones. They help and support me a lot.

How do you like being an exchange student in Lamar? What are your greatest memories so far?

I understood that I liked the people here right after coming to Lamar. Everyone is so friendly! Even if people don't know each other, they wave at each other and talk for a while.

I've already done a lot of volunteer hours here, including helping at Lamar Plaza Theater, Lamar library, daycare, CHIP (Church for Imperfect People), working at the concession stands for football, volleyball and basketball games at the high and middle schools, etc. I am also participating in two different youth groups and a high school archery team which I like. Archery became my new hobby. Recently, I started playing guitar for the praise and worship band at my church every Sunday.

Every day here has good memories for me, but I would say my favorite one is when we went to Joplin with my friends to eat and bowling, but after we got to a place where we could go bowling it was so busy that we just couldn't make it. After that we tried several other options to go instead and every place was closed that day. We were so unlucky thatday and it was funny for no reason. And after all, we just went back to Lamar and stayed in my friend's house watching movies there. And as a real fan of just watching movies with friends and talking, I enjoyed it.

Has your experience changed since Russiahad launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine?

My experience changed a lot after Russia invaded my country and my hometown. I realized that I have fantastic friends in America. They made a surprise for me at school with a poster and some small gifts. Students, teachers and other people tell me that they pray for my family and country every day. They help me stay strong even when I am not with my family, who is in danger every day.

Here in Lamar, I fundraise to help rebuild my hometown. I am selling shirts,which I'll send to an organization in my town and several others in Eastern Ukraine.

How far is your hometown from the Russian border? Is your family safe?

My hometown is 20 miles from the Russian border and that's why they are bombing us. If theRussian army controls us, it will be able to go further and closer to the center of our country. But we keep defending our town and will never surrender to them. My dad and my brother are both in the Army, defending my hometown. My dad is in territorial defense; my brother is in the infantry. My mom moved to Western Ukraine because it is safer there. Maybe she'll have to leave the country later.

How can people from Lamar and Barton County help you?

As I mentioned earlier, I am doing a fundraiser where I sell T-shirts with words "I stand with Ukraine" and the money will go to rebuild my hometown. If you want more information to know where exactly that money will go, message me on Facebook (Kseniia Ponomarova) and I'll be happy to answer your questions. It would be helpful if people spread this information on Social Media with their friends and families.

What are your future plans?

I will stay here for longer and go to college here. I want to study languages because I love learning about other cultures. After graduation from college, I plan to be an interpreter for some businesses.

What is the message you want to send to the world now?

Don't be scared to help others! When you start, others will help you with what you are doing and together you can do even more than you think. Remember: when life gives you lemons - make lemonade. Try to see good things even when you think you can do nothing. And please, Stand With Ukraine!

Kseniia Ponomarova from Ukraine is currently staying in Lamar as a FLEX exchange student. Her host parents are Chris and Becci Jones.

Photos from Instagram (@dari_volodina)

City Hall of Okhtyrka, before and after the full-scale invasion of Russia.

One of the business buildings in Kseniia's hometown before and after the full-scale invasion of Russia.

The town's theater before and after the full-scale invasion of Russia.

The museumin Kseniia'stown about the history of Okhtyrka during WW2,before and after the full-scale invasion of Russia.