I don’t have any friends among Preparedness fans and I know that none of my own friends are even remotely interested in reading this post. However, that said, I sincerely hope that the message I want to share will help validate and reinforce the belief among those who understand the need to be prepared, and maybe even inspire or spur into action those who have yet to make up their mind on this issue. As I have learned from my own experience with harsh reality of life how things can go very wrong very quickly and how the same situation can be mitigated when you’re prepared. So if you’re interested – read on! *grin*
I grew up in a family of 4 (my mom & dad and my 10-minute-younger twin sister) in what was a former Soviet Union and is now western part of Ukraine, in a small town close to the Carpathian Mountains. For all intents and purposes my mother was a single parent as my dad chose alcohol over work and did not contribute much of anything to the welfare of our family. My mother was incredibly self-sufficient in all areas of life, and she tried her best to impart the importance of being self-sufficient to my sister and me. We had a small piece of land she rented from government and we grew most of the vegetables a family might consume. We canned and pickled/salted our own produce, but in limited quantities as it were more of a hobby than a necessity.
One particular year turned out really disastrous for our town and for us. A harsh long winter delayed the planting season. Then just as everything started to sprout the rains set in and it rained almost non-stop for nearly 2 months. What wasn’t washed out by heavy floods had rotted in the still waters. As soon as the waters receded we tried to replant what few things we could and hoped that the season would last long enough for the crops to ripen and for potatoes to form.
Alas, in place of rains came a severe drought. Until late October of that year we didn’t have any rainfall. Rivers receded to almost nothing, wells were drying out. Water supply to the town was limited to only 2 hrs of running water a day. You had 2 hrs to do all washing, bathing, cooking etc, and if you didn’t store water – you had to wait till next allotment. All crops withered and died and we knew we were looking at a really hard winter ahead of us. We tried to remain optimistic, hoping that we could buy supplies such as potatoes, flour, rice, etc., through the winter and get by this way. We were resigned that there wouldn’t be much fresh produce (cabbage, onions, etc) and we wouldn’t have much of pickled/canned produce, but we thought we’d be able to get by.
Then Nature interfered again and hit us with yet another super-harsh winter. Snow blizzards cut off any communication from other towns; severe cold snapped pipes and froze engines so cars couldn’t run even when the snow wasn’t blowing. The town was slowly starving to death. As a family of 4 we were allowed to buy a 9” loaf of bread that was supposed to last us a week and even that was considered lucky. Store shelves were completely empty, NOTHING was on them. People were so hungry and angry at the same time that the rage often translated into open attacks as tempers flared. If you were seen outside with any kind of food in your hand you were likely to be attack by any number of both kids and adults.
I’ll never forget the feel of hunger when I went to bed knowing that there would be only a single slice of bread with grease and salt for my meal the next day, then wake up in the middle of the night to hear my sister crying from hunger. I'd go to the kitchen and make my “sandwich” and feed her so she could fall asleep.
On my way to and from school I’d break an icicle and pretend that it was ice-cream. At other times I’d strip a bit of bark and resin off the trees (usually cherry trees) and chew on those just to fill up my stomach so that it wouldn’t hurt quite as bad. When the snows began to melt we couldn’t wait long enough for us to get to the woods and forage for last-years beech nuts (great meats can be ground to produce fabulous oil that’s great for cooking), pick newly-grown wild garlic that thankfully grew in abundance so we could make salads and get some vitamins into our bodies. We survived--but just barely.
That winter taught us that we cannot simply rely on government to take care of us (they won’t!) and it taught us all the importance of being prepared. My mother did everything in her power to keep us alive, and after that year she made sure we’d always can as much as we could get our hands on and prepare our own. We learned how to make bread and pasta from scratch; we stored gallons of water, salt, sugar and other basic necessities. We still foraged in the forest for berries, nuts and mushrooms, and those were a great source of protein when meat was scarce or income was tight. She taught us how to recognize different types of herbs and grasses, their different medicinal properties and what to use for what ailment.
About 2 yrs later similar conditions struck and people in town were again stranded and slowly starving to death. Only this time we were much better prepared with our pantry filled to the top from previous years’ bounty that didn’t get used up. Not only were we fairly comfortable that year but we were able to help out a few families and friends around us who didn’t have anything. We were able to buoy those whose spirits and bodies were failing and help them get through the worst of that nightmare.
These days I’m hardly destitute and here in America we take for granted the bounty that we have around us. But that experience taught me different. I KNOW what it’s like to have lived and survived through disasters and you can bet that I will be ready if and when I have deal with something again. I hope for your sake that you will be ready as well. May the Lord bless and protect you and your families.
Respectfully and sincerely,
-M.V. I. CA
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Comments
This was a very touching story, and reminds us all that nature can be a harsh teacher. Let's learn from this story, so we don't have to repeat the hard times. Great lesson here!
This just confirms to me that anything can happen, anytime and I will try harder to make sure my family and neighbors have food. Thank you for the burst of energy to do so! Now I just have to find the money as I can't have a garden!
Great lesson. AS you pointed out, we here in the States, we take everything for granted and quite wasteful with food the natural gives us. Reading your story made me feel bit ashamed that I would not know the first thing to survive if I were ever be in your situation. It is very touching lesson. Thank you!
In times of disaster, emergency, or extended unemployment, personal preparedness can make a huge difference, as illustrated in this article. I hope people will become more aware of the importance of being self-sufficient in order to be able to meet their needs in crisis.
Per request from a friend of who actually did take the time to read this (a huge surprise to me!) I should clarify something. Even though I focused mostly on the lack of food as that was probably the biggest priority, I should have made clear that EVERYTHING was necessary and yet was not available.. Basics like soap, toilet paper, shampoo, clothing, school supplies --- everything was rationed by the local authorities, so you could only get what you were rationed by coupon. So as I mentioned our family was "allowed" a loaf of bread -- and even for that you had to get up at 2am and drag yourself to the store through bitter cold and snow and stay there until the store was open because unless you were one of the first 100 people or so -- you wouldn't get anything, even if you did have the rationed coupon to receive anything. Can you get by on a single bar of soap if you're allowed to get it once a month for your entire family?
And a huge Thank You to all of those who chose to vote. I'm truly humbled and really amazed but glad I decided to post this :)
MVI, what a great post. Experiences like yours make people so much more appreciative of their safety, security, and comfort.
Excellent piece. I had no idea this was part of your background.
Great post! Please note that MVI had a mother who still had the old world skills that many of us are lacking. These skills have to be worked on year to year. Still
remember too few things that my grandmother and great grandmother knew to do to keep their families fed during WWI and WWII in the Austrian countryside. A different way of thinking and also evaluating one's labor, time, and resources. The government at that time was the last thing you trusted to see you through.
Awesome reality check regarding weather and potential inability to successfully garden. You've really got me thinking about canning. Thank you.
This story is not only about preparedness but about kindness.
Baking bread is a wonderful skill, both for being able to feed oneself and others and for the joy of creating something.
I learn a little more about you every day. You're a survivor! Thank you for sharing.
Preparedness not only takes care of ourselves and our families, but allows us to love others around us in practical ways.
It is frightening to realize how few of us are familiar with the essential skills required for self-sufficiency. So many people turn to others for help, be that family, churches, or government. We really need to emphasize personal preparedness and skills in order to be ready to provide for our needs and those of our dependents.
LJ -- this is why I love this blog so much! Kellene is doing a fantastic job not only advocating the importance of being prepared but (more importantly in my view) of giving precise practical step-by-step instructions how to achieve self-sufficiency!
This article is so good because it reminds us that we don't just need to be prepared for the types of disasters people often think of, such as hurricanes or earthquakes or wartime, but others that come gradually, a season at a time -- the weather, or unemployment (or underemployment) that drags on for a long period of time. Those situations don't receive the sort of attention that crisis disasters do, but they create equally necessary conditions.
MVI, thank you so much for telling your story. Hopefully, many unprepared people will read it and begin thinking about steps they need to take to avoid being in such a situation themselves. It can be hard to imagine what kind of perils we might face in the future, and how to prepare for them. First-hand accounts like yours give us all a lot to think about...and it also makes me feel that much better about the steps I've taken to ensure that I and my family can make it through any hardships that might come our way.
What a wake-up call for the rest of us. We would be foolish to think it couldn't happen to us. Thank you for sharing, M.V.I.
Reading the comments here, I am reminded that our personal preparedness not only has the potential to help us and our own families, but also our neighbors. We can share our abundance with others. Why do we have to rely on the government to help others? We have the opportunity to directly assist those in need by taking greater advantage of times of plenty to store food and other necessities!
Thank you for the reminder of what real hardship can be like. Stored food isn't enough. Being prepared in the long run means being able to grow, gather or hunt for your own food. And then be able to put it up. Being prepared isn't a pantry full of store bought items, that's only a band-aid. Being prepared is knowing how to fill that pantry on your own. Thanks again!
T.T. - Yes, indeed preparation is much more than just buying stuff. In the winter I described we had the money but there wasn't anything available to buy. That is why I also mentioned foraging, growing and gathering, and canning on your own. Ultimately the ability to cope with just about anything that might happen is so much more important than ability to buy things. It's just as important to stress mental/psychological preparation and hone your skills since one day that just might save your life or that of your family! :)
Figured there must be some reason you're so tough.
I knew there was a reason I am always in awe of you...... You are very lucky to have a Mom like yours...... She is very proud of you~~
MVI, my heart goes out to you and your family for experiencing such a hardship. I am glad that things have turned out for the better, and am very grateful for the opportunity to read this post. I would be very frightened to go through what you did; your mother's strength is an amazing thing to consider during that difficult year. Not that you weren't a strong child as well! This was eye-opening and encouraging at the same time. Thank you.
This is amazing and inspiring!
Great article!
Good job
This makes me really appreciate what I have.
Better get to work on my preparedness!
Heawon -- yes, my mom was really a remarkable woman. I know she watches over me from up above and is proud, but I wish she'd rather had stayed here. Still, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her efforts and for all that she taught me! :)
Christi -- YEAY!!!! I am truly happy and touched knowing that I was able to influence at least one person this way!!! THANK YOU!!! :)
Sorry it took so long for me to read this!
I know you are amazing and inspiring in ALL things. So it's no surprise that you wrote, in such a beautiful way, of the hardships you grew up in. As I also know a little background too -- it just instills all of your strength and courage to endure through the end of each trial you are faced with!
You are a true inspiration. Tears fell when I read this. Thank you so much for your story. I was born in Germany in 51, but remember stories of my mother and her family, during that awful time in the 40's. You make me "ponder" of how lucky and blessed I truly am. THANK YOU dear one.
This is a good story anyone should read and ponder.
Thank you so much for sharing! It really makes me realize how blessed I am, and how much I take for granted. It made me think of that saying, "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday." Your faithfulness and strength are a light to others!
Your story echoes the one told by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her book "The Long Winter." Deep harsh winter, the train couldn't get through to their tiny frontier town, and the family stayed alive by the good graces of the Wilder brothers who gave them some wheat to keep them from starving. I read that series as a little girl (several times) and that book out of all of hers imprinted the most upon my young mind. They may not have been expecting government help, but they sure were woken up to the fact that technology (the train in this case) could spectacularly fail when needed the most. Even now I think about the many preppers I see who rely on their #10 cans and their buckets of store-bought wheat. What happens when that runs out? If you don't have a wheat field and a way to harvest it, what will you do when those buckets run out? I believe the answers lie in our own history of how people used to live: not so much wheat and corn and sugar; far more meat and veggies. Gardens, chickens, rabbits, goats, hunting, mixed-use land, and a water source.
An amazing story. Thank you.
My vote here
Wow. You've come a long way, thank you for sharing such a touching and personal experience. Great article!
The Preparedness Pro gives one of her 5 votes to THIS one! it was fabulous, heart wrenching, and so very, very real. I loved it! Thanks for entering!
WOW.. THANK YOU Kellene!!! Thank you so very much for casting your vote for me! I realize I already have posted my 5 coments in reply to some of the readers, so please feel free to block or remove this one. I only wanted you to read it and know that I appreciate your vote, not to have it here :)
Great story!
Wow, what an incredibly inspiring story. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Great post! It is a wake-up call to all of us.
I hope you win, too...
Thank you for posting this...
Oh, did I forget to thank you for reminding
E to check my food storage? Thank you!
And thanks for reminding us to store WATER! We often overlook or ignore the importance of that resource.
An amazing experience. Hopefully being prepared will mean others can avoid going through the same.
It is stories like yours that urge me to get my rear in gear. I once had a patient who raised 7 kids during the Depression. Her stories/instruction of how to preserve food, make things last have stayed with me even though she's been gone 13 years. Apparently you couldn't get flannel during WWII for any amount of money. You are right, it's not just about food, but other commodities. Your reality check has motivated me to double check my lists and rethink priorities. Thank you!
Vote #5 God Bless You.
Vote#1 !
THIS is the reason I want to prep. Thank you for writing it out so well.
You have conveyed very well what you went through. It is quite a story! You are a survivor and more than that, you have a big heart.
Although I've known you for so long, and I knew there were hardships your family went through in your early years in Ukraine, this was the first time I'd ever heard details of your experiences. It is good for those of us who grew up with so much abundance to hear these stories, painful as it may be for you. We need more appreciation in our lives for all that we have, and we need to be more aware and prepared for the possibility of lean times.
This is a fantastic account of what hardships can happen to innocent people. You have inspired me greatly. May God bless you and your family !
This was an extrodinary and compelling essay. I give you a vote! I can hardly imagine the conditions you lived through as a child and I have never in my life felt that I was on the verge of starvation that you have experienced. Thank you for sharing your story with your friends on this site.
Experience is a great teacher! And I think that being an example to others is the best way to demonstrate to others. thanks for sharing your story