Taking Refuge Amidst the Storm
Irina decided to leave Ukraine once the shelling got closer and closer. She is waiting for the war to end soon so she can go back to her husband and her life back in Ukraine.
As the Russian invasion in Ukraine come up on one month, we continue to see new refugees in Gdansk. Our family has been hosting a Ukrainian woman named Irina for over a week. Her husband, Artur, is back in Ukraine and they are both believers.
Irina decided to leave Ukraine once the shelling got closer and closer, but she is not looking to relocate permanently. She is waiting for the war to end soon so she can go back to her husband and her life back in Ukraine. She hopes that she will not be in Poland for very long, but at the same time she doesn’t know when she will get to go home. She continues to work remotely for a graphic design company located in Ukraine, and she monitors the news closely.
Her church back in Ukraine has become more like a refugee camp, with people coming there for shelter or escaping from other Ukrainian cities. Her sister and parents have decided to stay in Ukraine for now, but the situation is very fluid.
Irina speaks English fluently and enjoys biking. Someone from our church lent her a bike so over the weekend she explored the local area, although she said it would have been much sweeter if her husband could have seen it with her.
And she has been a blessing to our family. She helped our family a lot by preparing meals, doing laundry, playing chess with our son and doing our daughter’s hair before preschool. We didn’t ask or expect her to do any of those things, but she really blessed our family during a tough week for us.
Sometimes when we think about refugees fleeing a dangerous situation, we can imagine them wanting to resettle in a new land and start over. Certainly, there are some people leaving Ukraine today who are in that boat. But there are also refugees who are simply waiting for things to calm down so that they can go back home, and try to restart the life they once knew, like Irina. In the meantime, people from Ukraine are simply looking for some refuge. A place to stay until things blow over.
It’s been a joy to host Irina, and it’s been amazing to watch others from the church here host refugees. And when there is no one to host, thanks to your giving we have been able to pay for temporary places for them to sleep. We have been able to buy food and clothing for those in need, and mattresses for people to sleep on.
In the end, the Lord is our refuge and strength. He is our shelter and hiding place. He welcomed us into His family, and He lavishly blesses us with the riches of His grace. He is our hope in a sinful and broken world. And He is the light in the darkness.
Irina decided to leave Ukraine once the shelling got closer and closer, but she is not looking to relocate permanently. She is waiting for the war to end soon so she can go back to her husband and her life back in Ukraine. She hopes that she will not be in Poland for very long, but at the same time she doesn’t know when she will get to go home. She continues to work remotely for a graphic design company located in Ukraine, and she monitors the news closely.
Her church back in Ukraine has become more like a refugee camp, with people coming there for shelter or escaping from other Ukrainian cities. Her sister and parents have decided to stay in Ukraine for now, but the situation is very fluid.
Irina speaks English fluently and enjoys biking. Someone from our church lent her a bike so over the weekend she explored the local area, although she said it would have been much sweeter if her husband could have seen it with her.
And she has been a blessing to our family. She helped our family a lot by preparing meals, doing laundry, playing chess with our son and doing our daughter’s hair before preschool. We didn’t ask or expect her to do any of those things, but she really blessed our family during a tough week for us.
Sometimes when we think about refugees fleeing a dangerous situation, we can imagine them wanting to resettle in a new land and start over. Certainly, there are some people leaving Ukraine today who are in that boat. But there are also refugees who are simply waiting for things to calm down so that they can go back home, and try to restart the life they once knew, like Irina. In the meantime, people from Ukraine are simply looking for some refuge. A place to stay until things blow over.
It’s been a joy to host Irina, and it’s been amazing to watch others from the church here host refugees. And when there is no one to host, thanks to your giving we have been able to pay for temporary places for them to sleep. We have been able to buy food and clothing for those in need, and mattresses for people to sleep on.
In the end, the Lord is our refuge and strength. He is our shelter and hiding place. He welcomed us into His family, and He lavishly blesses us with the riches of His grace. He is our hope in a sinful and broken world. And He is the light in the darkness.
Related Projects:
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Counseling, workshops and conferences help hurting people heal and discover hope in Jesus Christ.
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