Bethlehem resident Phil Gentile is surrogate father to two strong-willed young women. It doesn’t help that they are in a war zone. Daniela in Latvia and Nalya in the Ukraine. Gentile has maintained contact with both ladies.

As we previously reported both young women continue to be safe in their respective countries but are feeling the impact of the war. In March, Daniela was making plans to drive from Latvia to the Poland border to rendezvous with Nalya, who was planning to leave the Ukraine and join her. Nalya, at the very last moment changed her mind and decided to stay in Kiev.

“During this time, our prices for food, fuel, electricity, gas, wood, and much more have grown a lot,” reports Daniela, still in Latvia. “Before the war, sunflower oil cost about 2 euros per liter; now this price is about 5-6. Before the war, diesel cost about 1.20 euros per liter; now the last time I refueled for 1.94 euros per liter.

“For a month, I fill in about two full tanks. It takes me 200 euros to go to work on the other side of the city. They predict that heating a one-room apartment in winter will cost 250 euros, now it is 70-80 euros per month.

“Before the war, gas heating was the cheapest in Latvia; now it is very expensive. Firewood has risen in price from 60 percent, somewhere up to 100 percent.

“A lot of products were missing from the store – these are Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian. Latvian vegetables and fruits have always been more expensive by a couple of euros than Polish ones. Now Latvian vegetables have become even more expensive than they used to be.

“For example, the price of Latvian tomatoes was about 2.50 euros per kilogram. Polish ones were cheaper; they were 1.20-1.50 euros. Now our local tomatoes already cost 4-5 euros per kilogram.

“Prices are rising for everything, but our salaries remain unchanged, and many people simply remain without money for food after paying all the bills.”

Gentile clarified that the price increases and food shortages, in Latvia, is a direct result of the sanctions placed on Russia. Daniela currently works in a warehouse but with nothing being imported or exported, the warehouse is empty. It’s only a matter of time until she, too, is unemployed.

Nalya, stubborn and determined, believes the Ukraine will continue to fend off Russia. She, too, worries about food and money – having neither is a constant problem. Gentile reports that she is no longer working and spends a good portion of her day trying to find stores that can provide food. Undaunted, she pledges to stay in the Ukraine.