The silence in Warsaw was unsettling and unnerved us more than sounds of war in Ukraine.
The Sounds of Silence
It only took less than an hour before we noticed it. Silence. Our van driver dropped us off at our Warsaw hotel. He had picked us up in Lviv, Ukraine eleven hours earlier. A two-hour border crossing into Poland (which informed readers will know was ultra-fast), a couple of stops for coffee and restrooms and our 7-week mission trip to Ukraine was nearing the end.
We became accustomed to morning, afternoon, and evening sirens, anti-drone fire, and explosions. Now the silence was deafening. The silence felt scarier than the sounds of where we came from. I suppose it was because we concerned ourselves with people who live at peace and forget those who are under daily threat.
In our return to Canada, we’ll have to be intentional about remembering. And so, this post.
Are You OK?
Ukraine is the land of “Are you OK?” It’s the question Ukrainians ask daily in texts and phone calls to family, friends and Canadian guests. When a drone attack went down 400m from our apartment, instantly we had messages from three people all asking, “Are you OK? Sorry.”
We kept saying that there was no reason to say sorry. It wasn’t their fault. But they saw our safety as their responsibility.
Customers in a coffee shop queue took cover when an explosion occurred. Then, when everything was again quiet, they stood up, nonplussed as they were in the queue. Such is the spirit of Ukraine in wartime
Now, don’t get me wrong. Ukrainians would trade their reputation for tenacity and resolve for peace any day. The sooner the better. And they would rather be known for their ingenuity than persistence through 1240+ days of war and killing.
Unicorns
Is it safe to go to Ukraine? Of course not, but it’s good.
A Canadian in eastern Ukraine is like a unicorn. There has been less than five Canadian women in the last 3 1/2 years in eastern Ukraine. Jocelyn was one of them. She kept stressing that we weren’t doing enough. That’s so Canadian. Just being there was 90% of the doing. She had a hard time with people calling her a hero and courageous. “You’re the heroes,” she would encourage.
We met children who spend sleepless nights seeking safety in bomb shelters or hunched between door frames or in a bathtub. The next morning, they get up and go to day camp like nothing’s wrong. Sirens sometimes wail while the kids are in day camp.
Love for Orphans
We saw the transformative power of love in an orphanage in Poland.
Over 700 orphaned children from Odessa, in southern Ukraine, lived in two orphanages for the last 3 1/2 years. Ages 4-18. When you do the math, you realize the orphanage is all some of those children have ever known. They need healing and hope.
We partner with a church that has delivered hope every week for over three years. The church is led by a Russian-speaking, Korean pastor who leads a team that loves on these orphans. Selah. 
I watched as one of the volunteers was greeted with clingy hugs by some of the junior-high-aged girls. As we were leaving following the program that morning, a few of the girls followed us out to the vehicle to say goodbye to their friends and tried to hide the tears in their eyes. 
Young boy worshipping during a service for orphans. My unforgettable moment in Ukraine.
Thank You
One afternoon, Jocelyn and I visited with children in a mental health hospital in Kropyvnisky. Each child has experienced incredible trauma in the death of family member or effects from the war. They were all from the occupied areas bordering Russia. We colored with them, did fun stretching, and games, listened to a Bible story, made a craft, and prayed. As we were leaving, one of the little girls called after us. “Goodbye Jesus.” Yah. You can imagine. 
We participated in day camps for children and teens.
Over 2000 kids got to eat ice cream, treats, sing, dance, play games, learn about Jesus and try to forget about the war and soak in the love of God. The leaders say thank you to everyone who gave something to support those camps. You helped connect boys and girls with willing and able volunteers who genuinely care.
No Complaints
Maria, one of our translators in Lutsk.
One of our translators in Lutsk, is a Canadian woman who serves with YWAM, has four young children and is married to a Ukrainian who served in the war and suffers PTSD. Ironically, western Ukraine had been relatively quiet until a few weeks before we arrived. Then their community suffered the heaviest drone and rocket attacks of the war. They spent many nights with their kids in a bomb shelter and during the day helping people whose apartments have been damaged, move their belongings to temporary residences. In the days after we left her city, she let us know they’d spent another night in the bomb shelter. No complaints. Just sayin’.
When you see or hear Ukraine mentioned in the news, be reminded that there is more to the story than politicians, soldiers, and death. Think of the churches, and servants, and the kids who are the future of the nation. They need prayer, not pity; people who are informed and impassioned.
And maybe this post helps you see why we invite you to be a unicorn. Spend a week or more with us some future time in Ukraine.
Please join the conversation and post a comment below. Thank you.
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