At the beginning of May, the Shalom Catholic Community’s human promotion advisor, Jeovana Freitas, visited the refugees from Ukraine who are sheltered in Przemyśl, Poland. The city is one of the closest to the country that is suffering the consequences of the war with Russia. Next, the missionary shares about her experience during her visit.
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“Today I experienced a lot of pain when I arrived in the city of Poland closer to the border with Ukraine, because I saw women, children, young people and grandparents arriving there and suffering because they had to leave their country. My heart was filled with great compassion as I saw them suffering that much, “Jeovana said.
Faced with what she witnessed, the consecrated woman says that in her heart the following feeling arose: “How to speak of the Shalom of the Father in the midst of war? How to bring hope to disconsolate mothers and wives? They are really two imperatives in our hearts: the first CONSOLING, and the second HE IS OUR PEACE!”
Experience with refugees from Ukraine
The person in charge of human promotion actions, from the Shalom Community, details what she saw and lived with the refugees from Ukraine and with the missionaries who work in the welcoming center in Poland.
“For those who are more distant from this reality that we live in our world and who have not yet been able to touch the pain of war, I want to delve a little deeper…
When Russia’s “military action” broke out in Ukrainian territory, as Putin [President of Russia] calls it, six trains arrived here every day, each train with three thousand Ukrainians, there were women, elderly people, teenagers and children, all refugees from Ukraine.
In the cold, they faced long queues to go through the immigration process in Poland. Many refugees, who did not get places on the trains, had to walk three, four, five days… depending on their city until arriving in a frontier city, all with one desire: TO SURVIVE!
That is how, to date, more than 3 million Ukrainians have entered Poland through this city. They are wives without husbands, children without a father, children without school, teenagers that lost the meaning of life and dreams, mothers without children over the age of 18, grandparents, all without a home, all far from their homeland…
We could, in a situation like this, fall into temptation and say that hatred has won and that it has the last word. But I witness the victory of the Shalom of the Heavenly Father, which is not the absence of wars. HE IS THE TRUTH, HE IS OUR PEACE!
Here in Poland I have also touched the strength that overcomes hatred. I have touched on the solidarity of many people from North America, Europe, the United Kingdom… who are here voluntarily to serve. I have touched on the charity and strength of the Church which, as a mother, welcomes everyone! I touched on charity being generously distributed by people of good will; and on the small seed that is the Charism of Peace, the missionaries of the Shalom Community who offer their lives on this land.
Yesterday 600 Ukrainians passed through here, they arrive in lines and after passing through immigration they are welcomed. The old market of the city has turned into accommodation, has a cafeteria, pharmacy, warehouse, entertainment spaces for children, mothers and teenagers. Here they can choose the country to which they wish to be sent… the stamped flags show the possibilities of the final destination (Germany, Ireland, Spain, England, Portugal, Israel, Italy, France, etc.).
The volunteers show the face of solidarity, in health, food, cleaning, entertainment, distribution of free SIM cards for communication and free transportation for Ukrainians.
This is truly the land of mercy, this is the victory of love over hatred. A strong testimony in the midst of war and suffering.”