Page 9 - Graypvine August 2022

and traveling back and forth to Ukraine, we finalized At the beginning of the war, “the invaders started
the adoption in November 2020.” moving in and the women and children started
Gray team members Abdul El Baba and Todd moving out,” said Paul. “The defenders started
Barkley had waited for almost four months to organizing civilians and arming them and training
interview Paul in 2020, because they knew he was them, some who have never even shot a gun. My
in Ukraine trying to finalize the adoption. friends are on the front lines fighting against the
“Abdul and Todd understood the urgency to second most powerful military in the world. As I
complete the adoption because our daughter had watched on social media, and from videos and
just turned 16, and in Ukraine at 16 years old you photos sent to us from our friends, I wanted to do
age out of the orphanage,” said Paul. “The day after something; I had to do something to help. I called
I got home from Ukraine, I interviewed with Gray, on my friends in Ukraine to find out their needs and
and two days later started training. Todd has also we put together an Amazon list and sent it out to
been great about keeping me on projects close to friends and family everywhere and had the items
home so I can help with the kids. delivered to my house. We ended up with 24 bags 9
“Our children still have family and friends in Ukraine full of military supplies and first aid supplies.”
and they communicate with them as often as they Paul decided to travel to Poland to deliver the
can. Our family has had a love for Ukraine for many supplies to Ukraine. He wanted to thank his fellow
years and some of our best friends still live there. It team members Jaime Patterson, Anna Zhang,
is so unbelievable what is happening in this beautiful Hector Chavez, Jason Loyola, and Ward Webster for
country and to our beautiful friends. Our friends’ being supportive and encouraging, and allowing him
church in Kyiv is helping to feed, shelter and love to take time off to go to Poland.
on hundreds of people that have been displaced by “Ukraine is very near and dear to my family's
this war.” heart,” said Paul.

Clockwise, from left: Paul met friends from Ukraine at the airport in Poland who immediately took the supplies into Ukraine
to distribute them at the front lines of the war; 24 bags of supplies Paul collected being transported through the LAX airport;
Paul's friends Anatoly and Nadia from Kiev and his travel buddy and in-law, Paul Chaput.