By Olga Janaszek - Serafin | Project Leader
Dear Friends from all over the world,
We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.
May it be full of hope, hope that everything will be fine.
We are sending our warm thoughts
to all who need comfort and feeling of being huddled.
We believe that even in the toughest moments,
In fatigue, in a rush, in sadness,
it is always possible to find flecks of happiness,
which confirm that life is beautiful.
Since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war we’ve supported 53 people – those with the highest level of disability, their loved ones and one grandmother with two little grandsons (21 people with disabilities and 32 family members). Out of this group, 11 people decided to return to the Ukraine or go further west. For many of them, life has lost its meaning, while for the others it has opened up new opportunities when it comes to improving their health, work and future.
I invite you to read the story of Natalia and Vladek, who fled from Ukraine to our Foundation to save their lives.... We are also able to take care of them thanks to your help....
A view from the window to a better life
Natalia fled from Zaporozhye with her disabled son Vladek when Russia bombed Ukrainian civilians without warning. Usually the warning sirens howled, but not that day, not that time. All they heard was the missiles’ whistle cutting through the air. They wondered if any of those missiles will hit the convoy in which they were travelling to Kiev. They were lucky. And although Natalia came to Poland in the middle of the winter, wearing flip flops, and her son in a light jacket, because they ran as fast as they could, the most important thing was that they were already safe under the Konin’s sky.
Romantic Vladek
Vladek is a romantic type. The window of his room in the Konin hostel overlooks the market square in the old part of Konin. Vladek often posts photos of this view on FB with such description: peace outside the window, sun in the sky or a huge, colorful Christmas tree appeared on the square.
- I feel so at home here. Like I have always been here. I like the accessibility of the city, this is not and won’t be the case in Ukraine for a long time. Here I am free in every possible way. But I will forever remember the day when there was the heaviest bombing of Zaporizhye. It was a real nightmare. We live near the power plant and we got used to the bombing and its noise. That day the bombing raid was so strong that my bed and myself in it, literally jumped all over the place and ended on the other side of the room, although I weigh a little bit. I was paralyzed and could only do one thing: cover myself with a blanket, wait and hope the I will not fly through the wall. How I was so wrong… For the first time since the outbreak of the war, I was afraid that we will not survive another air raid – Vladek explains and his chin is shaking although he is a strong, handsome man.
Bombs falling down like stars
He did not go through the wall but the wall of neighbouring flat number 9 crumbled into dust. After that air raid they had asked Doctor Piotr Janaszek PAY IT FORWARD Foundation in Konin for help and shelter. Their journey to Poland was not an easy one. It was hard for civilians to leave Zaporizhia. Several hundred of people were waiting on the platform for a train leaving from Kyiv to Poland. No one cared that mothers with children, elderly people or those with disabilities had the priority of getting onto the train. Scuffles and arguments started. Everyone wants to get on a train of life. As if it wasn’t enough, that day the bombs were falling next to us, just like stars out of the sky…
- The glow of a S 300 projectile looks like a falling star when it hits the ground… Such projectiles were hitting us every single day. You can get used to it but when Russians start to destroy your everyday life, namely access to electricity, heating and running water, it turns into extremely hard situation – Vladek explains.
Lovebirds
They arrived in Konin in the middle of the night after long, exhausting and dangerous journey. Afterwards, they have slept continuously for 2 days.
- For me, separation with my husband was the most difficult thing, not the journey itself. I am 71 and never before have we parted with Wowka. We are like the lovebirds, always together for 50 years now. No matter if it’s shopping, name day, a simple walk or a doctor’s appointment, we’re always together. Missing my husband is worse than the war. I feel anxiety when he doesn’t answer his phone. The silence is terrifying. I prefer him getting angry and screaming – Natalia laughs. Wowa, Natalia’s husband, had to stay in the Ukraine out of a prosaic reason – he watches over their possessions.
- War turns people to enemies. My husband wanted to go with us to Poland but we were afraid for our and our son’s apartment because there are more and more break-ins, people enter apartments as if they were their own and steal everything which is terrible. We’ve worked our whole lives to get these apartments . I wish that this war was over and that we could be in our beautiful Ukraine, together, once again – Natalia says with a shaky voice.
Better times are coming
Vladek is 47 and after failed jump into the water he has been on a wheelchair for 10 years. His life was well-organized before the accident. He had a nice and beautiful wife, he worked in a furniture company and he lived in pleasant neighborhood of Zaporizhia. But most of all, he had many life plans and a lot of dreams. For example, he wanted to build a wooden house for his family, with an attic and a porch, near the forest. He even found a piece of land. However, everything has changed within a second or as Vladek says: in a glimpse of one, unfortunate jump. Vladek broke his back and he will never walk again. His beautiful and nice wife couldn’t handle the situation and she left. Vladek has a sporadic contact with his 13 year old daughter but he haven’t given up. After 2 years of tough rehabilitation he retrained himself and came back to work in the same furniture company, but now, as a designer. He loves it. He lives on his own, he’s very self-reliant and he believes that many more good things will happen in his life.
You can see they are fixing stands for the upcoming Christmas fair from the window of an apartment where he lives with his mother. Snow has fallen. It is very nippily. Natalia has swapped her flip-flops for warm winter boots. She also has a beautiful, warm coat, scarf and a woollen hat. Vladek has got a winter jacket and new, sport shoes. “Christmas view over the Freedom Square.” Vladek writes in his newest post in social media. Christmas is coming. Better Times are coming. We wish you all the best!
* * *
The best and most valuable gift which a person can get is an another human, who gives his or her presence, mindfulness and help. With all our heart and with gratitude, we want to thank you for your existence in lives of our Charges, for mindfulness of their needs and for the help thanks to which they are starting to experience a beautiful life!
Merry Christmas!
Here you will find our short Christmas video - wishes from our Friends around the world: https://youtu.be/A12kw85uMR4
Olga and the PAY IT FORWARD Team
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