Australian Lutheran World Service Executive Director Michael Stolz recently visited a Ukrainian Refugee Community Centre at Miechowice Lutheran parish in Bytom, Poland, and shares his experiences.
When I walked into the hall of the Miechowice Lutheran church in Poland and discovered a group of women sewing, my first thought was, ‘This looks just like a ladies’ fellowship group in a church hall in Australia’.
A young woman called out to me in Polish: ‘Jesteś uchodźcą?’, which in English means, ‘Are you a refugee?’ When I explained that I represented Lutheran people from Australia and New Zealand who provide support through ALWS, I was warmly welcomed by Katarzyna Kukucz and Pastor Jan Kurko.
Katarzyna coordinates the centre and initially had 20 staff to handle the overwhelming numbers of refugees it serves. The team is smaller now, and 90 per cent are Ukrainian. This Lutheran ministry has served 8,000 war refugees in the past 18 months!
Food packages. Emergency shelter. Ongoing accommodation. Language classes. Psychological counselling. Child care. Education. Yoga classes. Parenting classes. Youth camps. Craft-based fellowship. All with the philosophy that these people aren’t refugees, they’re guests. What also struck me as I was introduced to a dozen women sewing was that there were no men. There is still a war to be won and most men are in the army, fighting.
Some of the women shared their stories with me. Inna is from Kharkiv. She and her daughter hid in a basement for 10 days, then travelled by train for two days to escape, lights off to avoid detection and bombing. Tamara escaped Donetsk, an area gripped by conflict since 2014, with her daughter and granddaughter. Tatiana and her husband have lost their car dealership, and she now serves as a social worker here. Anzhela admired the work of the Lutherans in Ukraine, which led her to seek out a Lutheran church in Poland.
Olga did not speak; she has had two sons in the army, one of whom has tragically lost his life, while Kseniia, a teenager, yearns for her 23-year-old brother who serves in the army. Lubov expressed deep gratitude for the support that comes from Australia.
Inna summed up the feelings of many of the women: ‘It is very good here in Poland, but it is not home. When the war is over, we will go home.’
The ladies sang a Ukrainian folk song that they all knew from weddings, birthdays, and farewells. The minor key was haunting, but they found solace in singing together. When I looked up the translation of the lyrics of ‘Oyu, luzi chervona kalyna’, the chorus line resonates deeply: ‘Oh, my sweetheart, my dearest. Why did you leave me alone?’
I take heart that through ALWS, we as a Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand are working with our sisters and brothers in Lutheran churches in Poland, to make sure these refugees are not ‘left alone’.
Through ALWS, you can support the ministry of Lutheran churches in places like Poland and Ukraine, welcoming as guests people escaping the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Simply call 1300 763 407 or go to www.alws.org.au
On 11 May 2024, in Brisbane, ALWS will host Walk My Way Ukraine. Register or find out more at www.walkmyway.org.au
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