When the conflict in Eastern Ukraine first broke out back in 2014, Yana* and her family fled to find safety in Poland. It was a really difficult time for them. The language was different, the way of doing things was different, and their children – one of whom was at a crucial stage in their secondary education – had to leave their friends behind, find different schools and adapt to new ways of learning. And it wasn’t home.
Yana, a strong, capable powerhouse of a woman (as you’re about to discover), holds back tears as she recalls this time in her family’s life. But, she says, God has used these hardships to shape her. Out of the pain, loss and trauma of her time as a refugee in a foreign land, Yana’s response is providing comfort and hope for hundreds of people caught up in the midst of war.
The role of the church
For Yana it’s all part of her faith and of how she sees the role of the church. ‘The main thing that the church should be doing is providing for people’s basic needs, for food and shelter,’ she says. ‘If a person doesn't have those things, you can't talk to them because they're distracted by worrying about where their next meal is coming from, or about their safety and security.
‘The church needs to start by thinking about the practical help they can give to people. How they can support them wherever they are. By doing this they also build trust and a relationship, and then churches can start talking about Jesus and the gospel.
‘They also need to accept people wherever and whoever they are. Acceptance is so important to people.’