“We are just three of the millions of people suffering from the Russian aggression”, Mykhailiuk Liudmila’s story
"We are a family of three, three of millions of Ukrainians suffering from Russian aggression, "Mykhailiuk Liudmila introduced herself. She is a mother of two boys living in the JRS shelter in Lviv. She arrived there after fleeing the war which had already engulfed her hometown.
"In March 2022, the Russian military launched missile attacks on my city, forcing us to flee. I will never forget our terrible trip. It was not safe at all. Bomb explosions, volleys of gunfire, air alarms, and an inability to hide anywhere were terrifying. I regretted leaving home. I felt like I had put my family in even greater danger," she recalls.
In Lviv, Mykhailiuk Liudmila found help and support in JRS Ukraine. "When forced to flee our homes in a flash, we had to leave everything we had there. [In Lviv] JRS extended a helping hand to us. They provided essential aid: safe shelter, food, ability to study and work. We felt adopted into a friendly family. Feeling such support is so precious, so vital. The help we received is priceless!" she highlighted.
Despite the dire situation, Mykhailiuk Liudmila does not lose hope of returning home someday; but she takes it one day at a time. She explains, "I have not lost my hope to return home someday. If there is no chance to do it, I will do my best to build a new life in a safe place. I might stay in Ukraine while it's possible. I don't feel like I could manage to start a new life abroad alone with my kids. At the same time, I do not stop thinking about my next steps. For now, I work with a sense of every day's importance and the understanding that right now and here, I have a mission."
JRS works with the Xavier Network, Concordia Moldova, the Society of Jesus in Europe, local civil society, and NGOs in a coordinated Jesuit response. Together we help thousands of people like Mykhailiuk Liudmila.You can read more about The One Proposal: the coordinated Jesuit response to support the Ukraine Crisis here.
Source : Jrseurope.org
