It has been over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine. Fr Andrii Syvak SJ told me that at the very beginning people did not know how to react to the crisis. In my opinion, however, they reacted very quickly.

In the first days of the war, the retreat house in Khmelnitsky was transformed into a stopping place for refugees. It was one of the first such places in Ukraine and perfectly suited to the needs of the time. The house still continues its mission. It has 70 places and receives people fleeing from the east for one or two nights. Refugees are provided with a hot meal, separate rooms and access to bathrooms. For many of these people, this is the first place where they can feel safe. More than 900 people have already benefited from assistance at the Khmelnitsky staging point.

Fortunately, the Jesuits in Lviv have been running the JRS refugee house since 2008, so they and their staff have experience in helping refugees. The house started stockpiling supplies two months before the war, as the situation was already tense. The JRS refugee house in Lviv provides accommodation for about 35 refugees. The living conditions are good: a bed is prepared for each person admitted, they have their own bathrooms and laundry facilities. The house employs cooks who prepare meals for the refugees. The staff at the centre support the refugees and help them cope with their trauma. Refugees can stay there as long as they need. JRS in Lviv also works with the Honorary Consul of Mongolia in Ukraine and provides temporary shelter in Lviv for Mongolian citizens who are fleeing Ukraine.

Very changeable situation

"Refugees often have several days spent in trains, buses and cold train stations. They come to eat, rest, wash, warm themselves, and then they move on," - Fr Andrii Syvak told me a few days ago. He also informed me that the situation is very changeable - in the first two weeks people in Lviv started to feel that they were in a safe place and many of them preferred to stay there.  However, this changed when Lviv was hit by missiles. Fr Syvak stressed that it is very important for the JRS staff in Lviv to create a supportive atmosphere in their home where people who have experienced loss and trauma can slowly recover. There are also joyful moments in the midst of this crisis: the weeding of refugee couples recently took place in Lviv. Similarly, the baptism of an infant took place in Khmelnitsky.

Wartime conditions

Jesuits in Ukraine are working in wartime conditions. There are rocket attacks around and in the cities where they stay. Since the beginning of the war there have been frequent bomb alerts, usually at night or in the morning. People have to spend up to five hours a day in shelters. There are more and more displaced people, and many of them do not know what to do next. The situation is very difficult. In these circumstances, the Jesuits in Ukraine are very grateful for any help they receive and appeal to us to do all we can to support them.

Krzysztof Dudek SJ

Support the Ukrainian refugees by clicking here