WARSAW, Poland – The Baptist Union of Poland headquarters is usually quiet on a weekday. But since late February, hundreds of refugees, many of them children, have mixed life and love into its corridors.
“I feel like it’s normal, although it is not normal,” Reverend Doctor Mateusz Wichary, the Baptist Union of Poland Pastor, said.
In the basement of the fellowship hall is a sense of normalcy, children playing with toys, while others compete during a game of foosball.
Many of these children are trying to pretend war is not forcing them to flee from their homes.
Reverend Wichary, with help from dozens of volunteers from Texas Baptist Men, a Texas-based organization, has transformed their campus into a shelter for Ukrainians fleeing conflict.
“We couldn’t believe it was happening,” a Peter, Ukrainian refugee, said.
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Peter and eight of his family members are trying to get to the United States.
Peter wants to relocate to South Carolina. When asked if he would ever return to Ukraine, he said, “I believe so and I hope so.”
Raisa, a mother and grandmother, wants to return home as well. she crochets to take her mind off her new reality.
Raisa is at the shelter with one of her grandsons. She said her other grandson was forced to stay back in Ukraine to fight in Putin’s war.
Raisa hopes to reunite with her family in Massachusetts. One of her sons lives near Boston.
