Sendetska is from Kramatorsk in the jap aspect of Ukraine. She’s been attending Fremont Substantial College as a international exchange student set to graduate in Could.

Previously this calendar year, Sendetska understood an invasion of her nation was doable.

“I was involved, but no person considered it would essentially come about,” she reported. “It appeared mad for a country to invade yet another region without having a reason.”

But on the early morning of Feb. 24, the Russians began bombing Ukrainian houses where by civilians had been sleeping.

Sendetska was on her cellular phone at about 9 that evening, when she figured out of the invasion.

“I started off panicking, for the reason that I could not get to my spouse and children. They didn’t choose up the cellular phone,” she mentioned.

Two months later, Sendetska was sharing her ordeals at Fremont Church of the Nazarene, along with two other Ukrainian international trade learners, Oksana Yaremenko and Davyd Samoilenko.

The college students have been element of the Interfaith Prayer for Ukraine service on Sunday night. Just about 90 persons attended the occasion all through which $1,000 was raised for Conserve the Little ones, a humanitarian business providing lifesaving meals and supplies in Ukraine.

Sendetska claimed she was ready to access her dad and mom about 30 minutes just after she started off calling them.

Her mom is glad she’s in the United States, but Sendetska specials with the emotions of becoming absent from her war-torn country.

“Sometimes, I feel responsible for obtaining a great time here and staying so warm and harmless and getting meals,” she instructed the Tribune. “I realize that it’s not my fault, but I simply cannot aid it.”

Sendetska was intended to go away Nebraska on May perhaps 11, but now it’s unattainable, she explained. It could be June before she’s able to leave.

Though some might want her to continue to be in Nebraska, Sendetska would like to go back again to her relatives associates, who are now in Poland.

Sendetska also said her dwelling in Ukraine is intact, but her town is in hazard of staying seriously bombed.

“I really do not know if it’s likely to stand or what is heading to take place following,” she reported.

The hardest portion has been not realizing what will come about to her spouse and children and good friends.

“I’m fearful each and every working day, since you are not able to really do something about it,” she said.

Sendetska stated she’s shed some pals from Russia, who did not arrive at out to her or guidance Ukraine.

“But at the exact same time, I can see so lots of individuals below in The usa who assist me and make me truly feel superior,” she reported.

Some of these Americans collected at the Nazarene church for the ecumenical prayer function arranged by 1st Lutheran, 1st United Methodist and the Nazarene church buildings.

In this article, folks prayed alongside one another as a significant group, then independently or in tiny groups.

The three Ukrainian overseas exchange pupils shared section of their story at the function.

Later, the 3 had been requested to stand in the middle aisle, the place they had been surrounded by attendees, who held lighted candles. Through the party, attendees sang, “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”

After the prayer service, attendees were invited to remain and listen to the pupils give a presentation about Ukraine’s history, traditions and culture, which incorporates lots of poets, writers and artists.

Attendees also experienced the possibility to taste a variety of Ukrainian food items, these as Honey Cake, which the college students experienced manufactured.

Throughout the prayer assistance, Sendetska expressed gratitude for herself, Yaremenko and Samoilenko, to individuals attending the function.

“All of us are really appreciative of you coming currently and we are all thankful that we can see so lots of faces of men and women who are not indifferent about what’s taking place in Ukraine suitable now,” Sendetska said.

Sendetska asked attendees to go on considering about Ukraine and speaking out about the horror that is happening there.

Yaremenko, a junior at Cedar Bluffs Large University, advised the Tribune about how significantly she appreciated the party.

“It’s pretty vital for me to experience the support from people in from this group,” Yaremenko reported. “Seeing so numerous individuals in this article, it usually means a lot to me, since I see people today even now care and they want to support.”

Sunday was the Orthodox Easter in Ukraine.

Sendetska mentioned Russia didn’t concur to quit the violence on that holiday break.

Yaremenko claimed she’d hoped there could have been a truce equivalent to what happened for the duration of Planet War I, when the Germans and the British stopped battling on Christmas Eve.

“I considered maybe this miracle would take place this Easter in Ukraine, but unfortunately, no,” she mentioned.

Yaremenko’s relatives lives in Obukhiv, south of Kyiv, the money town. They are safe right now as the key part of the combating has been taking place in the country’s eastern area.

“But it is tricky to say if anybody in Ukraine is secure correct now,” Yaremenko instructed the Tribune. “I still have fears that anything may possibly happen.”

Yaremenko remembered in May 2021 when her mom was associated in education in regard to how she’d get to a bomb shelter from her place of work.

“It’s not like we under no circumstances knew this could materialize. Individually, I did not want to feel this would materialize,” Yaremenko reported.

Samoilenko, who is from Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, is a senior at Parkview Christian School in Lincoln. His mother and father, 5-12 months-aged brother, and grandparents reside in Ukraine.

When the conflict commenced, Samoilenko’s mother took his brother and went to Poland as refugees.

His father couldn’t go with them, mainly because of a regulation stipulating that no man between the ages of 18 and 60 is allowed the leave the region in get to be drafted if wanted for military services assistance.

Samoilenko’s grandparents wouldn’t leave both.

His mother and brother have been in Poland for about two weeks, but returned to Ukraine.

Samoilenko reported he gains confidence from his father, who is a serene particular person.

The youthful Ukrainian is looking for an additional yr of large college or university in the United States or Europe.

All through the presentation about their state, Sendetska shared that Ukraine is called the “Breadbasket of Europe,” for the reason that of all the wheat it exports. She talked about holiday seasons, which include the country’s Independence Day on Aug. 24.

Quite a few prayer guests waited in line just after the presentation to try Ukrainian meals.

Samoilenko smiled when he stated he accidentally burned a deal with, which in English would be identified as crunches.

An more mature gentleman tasted an additional handle.

“This is genuinely superior,” he instructed Sendetska.

The pupils laughed, ate and talked with good friends and other friends immediately after the application.

It was a time when they could be teenagers taken off — at minimum for a minor although — from views of war and uncertainty.