Ah, the tender age of 22. Nearing the age of graduating from college or starting out in life. Carefree. A little unsure.

But if you are Ukrainian at the tender age of 22 and stuck in the United States of America right now, life is not carefree.

Diana Babii, a 22-year-old woman who traveled to Arizona last November to visit her host family in Florence and spend an extended period in the States, has found herself thousands of miles from her home, her family, her friends, all she has known her whole life.

When asked how she was doing, she answered quietly, “Safe.”

Babii is not a typical 22-year-old, whatever that would mean. But the depth of empathy, the strength of her love for her country, her family, humanity, is humbling. Her mission in life to spend time in the States, enjoying her youth and learning more about the country while making new friends, changed drastically only weeks ago.

“I am in a state I’ve never felt in my life,” she said. “I want to spread the word that this war in Ukraine is not something anyone should forget. And the consequences of this war are far more than gas prices going up.”

Babii sounds angry when she talks about people worrying over the price of gas rather than people’s lives.

“Innocent people are dying,” she said. “Babies, pregnant mothers, children. And the media are blaming this war for the price of gas going up.”

A wise young woman indeed.

“We should always choose human kindness over greediness,” she said. “The economy can’t take care of this injustice occurring in the world now. This is not an economic issue. It is a humanitarian issue.”

Diana’s family – her mother, father and seven-year-old sister – remain in Ukraine. Fortunately, living in the western part of the country enables them to communicate by email.

“I know they are safe right now,” she says quietly. “But I still have friends there in other parts of the country, and when I email someone and I don’t hear back for hours, your head goes to bad places.”

Diana expressed her deep concern about what will happen in Ukraine – and beyond.

“If Ukraine falls, does that mean evil wins? I think it does,” she said.

She wants other countries, and particularly the United States, to be more involved in helping Ukrainians and stopping Vladimir Putin’s war.

“Now we can’t afford to disagree with each other,” she said. “I don’t know how much longer we (Ukrainians) can stand. How much longer can we stand strong?”

She said it is time for people around the world to take part in the war.

“We can’t let evil win,” she said. “And we need help to stop it.”

A 22-year-old woman stranded with a loving family in Florence, Ariz., shouldn’t have to plead with a reporter to help spread the word about the world’s inhumanity. She does have friends and support in the States, but she wants to be home, back to where she studied politics, international relations, had fun with her little sister and was encouraged by her parents to be curious, to read, to learn.

Her mother is a teacher. All four of her grandparents were teachers. Education was an important part of her growing up, and it has served her well. She speaks perfect English and has moments of seeming like a typical 22-year-old, but the sadness in her voice is palpable.

It was difficult not to try and reach through the phone to hold her. I am a mother. I have a daughter not much older than Babii. But neither of us can comprehend what this precious young woman is enduring. When can she go home? Will she be able to see her family? The harsh reality is part of her lexicon now. She isn’t carefree. She may never be carefree again.

But she is on a mission to spread the word, to get people to understand the need for humanity, for empathy, for caring for one another. It’s a huge mission, but Babii is determined.

“I am so grateful to my parents for bringing me up the way they did,” Babii says. “They taught me to choose kindness over profit. To be curious, to ask questions.”

When asked how she became so wise at such a young age, Babii paused a moment and answered.

“Age is just a number,” she said. “No matter what age you are, you should feel and see the injustice in the world and act on it. That’s what I am doing. I am acting on it. I am spreading my story.”

Babii was guest speaker at the recent annual meeting of Fountain Hills Sister Cities. The organization is raising money now to send to Ukraine.

Lisa Ristuccia, one of the FHSC board members, commented that sending money doesn’t seem like much, “But we all want to do something.”

The organization’s website, fountainhillssistercities.org, has a place to make donations. Checks also may be sent to C. Colley Sister Cities, 16033-109 E. Primrose Drive, Fountain Hills 85268.