Here's Our Plan

Dear friends and family,

The last twenty-four hours have been consuming. Our hearts and minds are spent after weighing different scenarios and talking them over with others. We’ve made plans and then changed them. We’ve been sure, and then we’ve doubted. It’s been a long day, but we’ve finally come to a decision that we feel at peace with.

The Plan

On Monday, Lord willing, we will drive seven hours west to Lviv, a city very close to the Polish border. We’ll watch the Russian developments while I continue my work with the institute and teach my classes online. None of the plausible scenarios include a Russian invasion moving west, but in the event that even that should start to look like a real possibility, we will get in our car and make our way across the border.

Map from this New York Times story

Staying in western Ukraine for a time brings us the most peace right now. It’s a geographical and emotional compromise—for us and for others. Lviv keeps us out of the potential hot zones but close enough to easily get back home if things seem to be calming down.

We don’t pretend that things are not getting worse—we’re watching the same news as everyone. But we’re also hearing other news, and we’re hearing other interpretations and predictions based on the current events. This situation is not as clear as it’s being made out to be.

We understand that for many of you the solution for us seems simple: Leave! But it’s not that simple. Life is complex, and Ukraine is our life. We are deeply rooted here. It’s not about being heroes. It’s not even about being martyrs. It’s a calling. It’s a family. It’s a life. It’s a home.

We thank you for your continued trust and constant prayers. We’ll keep you updated as our plans progress or change.

With love,

Brandon and Katie