May 2022 | Vol. 09 Iss. 05
FREE
factory seconds blowout!
only $
DRIVE BY PICK UP AVAILABLE
SOUTH JORDAN FAMILY HELPING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES FLEE WAR
20
50 count box!
or 3
American Heritage School 11100 S. Redwood Rd., S. Jordan
for
50
$
Saturday, May 14th • 9am -2pm
By Collin Leonard | c.leonard@mycityjournals.com
M
edyka shrank in the rearview mirror of the rented passenger van, along with crowds of displaced families and aid tents. Bonnie and Brett Hilton were transporting as many families as they could fit to Krakow, two and a half hours away from the Poland-Ukraine border. Most were fast asleep in the back, and no wonder. The journey was long and exhausting; each was able to bring with them only what could fit in their arms. Their destinations (if they had any) were spread across Europe; Dusseldorf, Berlin, Vienna, even Paris. At first, the bus reminded the Hiltons of one they rented years ago on a past trip to a very different Ukraine. Bonnie and Brett flew to Ukraine for the first time in December 2003, at the tail end of a lengthy international adoption process. The Hiltons had been approved as viable adoptive parents and invited to visit various orphanages, but they had no idea who they were going to meet. At the end of their stay, if all went well, they would be taking two children home with them to Pennsylvania - and they did. After staying through Christmas and New Year’s, they were able to bring back two little girls, biological sisters, 2 and 4 years old. During that process, they connected with families through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and remained in contact through the years. In 2015, the Hiltons began planning a return to Ukraine in search of the girls’ biological family. Their close friend, a Ukrainian who had married and moved to Idaho, happened to be visiting family during the same period, and agreed to act as translator. All they had to work with was an address found on the adoption paperwork. The team rented a Matryoshka (a small bus) and drove to a village in the middle of nowhere. It was a town where every- The Hilton family has gone to Ukraine on different occasions to help at-risk children, they have done so again looking to save the 65,000 orone knew each other, so even though they were disappointed to phans in the country. (Photos courtesy Hilton family) Continued page 35
15 SAUCES OVER 50 FRESH INGREDIENTS NAAN PIZZA DOUGH MADE FRESH DAILY Craft Your Own Pizza
Indian Food, Pizza, & Wings
Indian Food, Pizza & Curry Wings
2927 S 5600 W West Valley
125 N SR 24 Bicknell, UT
1086 W South Jordan Pkwy South Jordan
801-890-0415
Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.
435-425-2500
w w w. C u r r y P i z z a U t a h . c o m
801-302-0777
$5 OFF a purchase of $30
Valid Monday-Thursday. Cannot be combined with other offers.
Expires May 31, 2022
Thank You to our Community Sponsors for supporting City Journals
Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Ogden, UT Permit #190