SOS Ukraine - assistance for the disabled

They are young, beautiful and full of energy. They left their homes in Ukraine, their relatives, friends, work and passions. They say that they want to return someday, but for now they live all together in a beautiful and cozy apartment in Konin, which has been adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. Amelia and Olena make delicious warenki, pelmeni and pieriuszki. They also make such delicious stuffed cabbage with a mouth-watering smell filling the entire staircase, while Wowa and Max take care of home logistics. All four of them are in wheelchairs but that doesn’t stop them from living fully.

The door is opened by Olena, beautiful, smiling blonde. By the smell in the house you know that the girls were making dumplings. The smell reminds me of grandma’s house in the countryside – fried onions and mashed potatoes.

Elena and Max.

She is a petite blonde with the looks of a model, delicate and aquiline at the same time. He on the other hand is a tall brunette with „smiling” eyes, cheerful, funny, and loves to play pranks on people. He inquisitively asks questions about the situation in Poland. Max is very interested in politics and what is happening in the Ukraine right now. He comes from a region where Russian is still spoken so it’s easy for us to communicate. They met 15 years ago in a sanatorium.

- It wasn’t very romantic. Just a normal sanatorium relationship. I did not immediately fall in love with Max. It took a while. Over time, Max gained some extra points – Elena laughs. Max says that he knew that from the beginning. He had no doubts. Conquering Elena’s heart took a while, but he made it! He’s a tough guy. And so they’ve been together for over 6 years now. They adore each other, it’s obvious, although, like everyone else, they sometimes argue. In such cases, Max is the one who reaches out for consent. Together they ran an online shop in Chernihiv where they lived.

- We’re really happy here, we have everything we need, the people are great. The only thing I miss are my relatives, especially my second mother… - says Olena with a breaking voice.

Max’s mother – Nadija, also came to Poland with him. The place where they all lived has been practically razed to the ground. I had to run away quickly. They, like other Ukrainians, fled during the shelling.

– We’ve been through hell. I’ve never been so scared in my life. And I’m safe here. I cry every day because I miss my home, my land, my family, neighbours, and my daughter who fled to Germany. We’re all separated. War is a terrible thing. – says Nadiya, crying. Getting to the border, where a transport to Poland was waiting, for Max who is in an electric wheelchair, was a big challenge. Once it turned out that they found the right car, they hit the road.

- It was a nightmare. On one hand, we were happy that everything was sorted out and we were heading to the border, and from there it was a straight road to Poland, but on the other hand, we felt paralyzing fear, because we were driving through shelling. We were literally speeding through the bombs. At one point, the window in the back of the car shattered and we were driving 1000 km without a back window… in February! – Max recalls.

Amelia and Wowa.

She – Amelia, a beautiful, long-haired, dark-eyed young woman, full of Energy, constantly smiling, talkative, hospitable. You rarely meet people with such positive energy and so optimistic. It makes you want to spend time with her. He – Wowa, calm, funny, very resourceful, passionate about rugby, he says he is not afraid of anything, and would do anything for Amelia. After a few moments with them, you have no doubt about it. Before they got married, 800 km separated them!

„We met at the sanatorium. At first, I thought it was an acquaintance for „here and now”. But when we got back to our homes, we started writing to each other. Later on, we met again, but I still did not believe that something would come out of it. But once we parted for the second time and each of us went back to our homes, suddenly, I started to miss this stubborn donkey” – Amelia laughs.

For Wowa, the distance between them didn’t matter at all, but it was a challenge. He knew he would do anything to keep them together. And he did. They have been happily married for eight years now. Before the war broke out in Ukraine, they were doing pretty well. Both of them had a job, they bought a house. It was hard to leave it all behind.

- It was hard to pack up and leave everything. But there was no way out. Paradoxically, in escaping from Ukraine, it was not the Ukrainians who helped us, but Poles, like my sincere friend and a rugby coach, Sebastian, who helped us contact the PAY IT FORWARD Foundation. We would also like to thank Zuzanna and Olga for everything they have done and are doing for us, for peace, safety, rehabilitation and normal life. There is no sense in waiting for the war to end, you have to live here and now – adds Wowa.

All five of them live together in the training apartment held by PAY IT FORWARD Foundation. Wowa speaks excellent Polish and works at the Center for Non-Governmental Organizations in Konin, where he helps Ukrainians. He plays in the rugby club in Poznan, travels, explores, helps others and loves Amelia! Everyone feels good here, but they do not hide that they would like to return to Ukraine.

- My grandparents come from Armenia. Many years ago they fled from there to Ukraine for a better place to live. When it came to running away again, they said no. They want to stay in Ukraine until the end of their days, no matter what. I miss them, my old babushka, our home which we bought with such difficulty. Fortunately, the house is still standing, so we have a place to come back to, and more importantly, we have each other. It’s easier when you’re together and love is above everything” – Amelia adds.

We’re slowly coming to the end of the story. The girls disappear into the kitchen and then bring back delicious dumplings stuffed with potatoes, a delicious cheesecake with raisins for dessert and, of course, chai. What a wonderful evening with these nice and extremely hospitable people!

Recipe for vareniki with potatoes (you can also add minced meat).

Dough:

- half a kilo of flour

- a little less than one and half cups of warm water

- a flat teaspoon of salt

- 50 grams of butter

Mix the flour with the salt. Pour water into a small pot, add butter, and bring it to boil. Pour a thin stream of water with butter into the flour and mix it together with a wooden spoon. Knead it with your hands until it becomes smooth. Form a ball, cover it with a damp cloth and set it aside for an hour.

Stuffing:

- one kilo of potatoes

- 2 onions

- 2 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper

- pork rinds

Boil potatoes in their jackets and pass through a press. Saute the onion in butter, add to the potatoes (leave it also for the grease), season it. Roll out the dough, cut it into little discs and put the stuffing . Cook. Serve topped with butter, sprinkled with pork rinds and fried onion. Enjoy your meal!

(The text was written in 2022)