POLAND: Ukrainian father shares gratitude
Salesian missionaries continue to provide shelter and support for Ukrainian refugees
(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing support for Ukrainian refugees who escaped to Poland. Mykola Skryminsky is a husband and father of eight children, who was forced to flee Ukraine in search of safety after the start of the war. He has been supported by the Salesians and is grateful for all of their help.
Skryminsky explained, “After the start of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, my wife and I decided to leave Ukraine to find a safe place for our family, for our children. We decided to go to Poland. When we arrived in Krakow we got in touch with the Salesians, asking for hospitality.”
Salesians were able to offer help. Skryminsky, his wife and children were received by the Salesians and offered warm meals, a place to live and spiritual support. After a few months, donors provided them with a house in Oświęcim where they are able to live as long as necessary.
“My wife and our youngest children have been living in the house for the past six months, thanks to the donors’ support,” explained Skryminsky.
Many Ukrainians want to return home. This was true of Skryminsky’s eldest sons. They asked to return to Zhytomyr to finish their studies and the couple agreed. They had been enrolled in high school in Poland.
“The Salesians are helping us in Poland and in Ukraine,” added Skryminsky. “I will always be grateful for the support they are giving us. It is a dramatic situation, for my family and for many others, and for the entire Ukraine. But I am happy that the Salesians have remained with us in the most difficult moment. They are always at our side and want to help us.”
Salesian missionaries in Poland and bordering countries have been providing shelter and support to refugees since the start of the Russian invasion in March 2022. Since the start of the war, more than 11 million people have crossed the border between Ukraine and Poland with close to 1.6 million refugees remaining in the country.
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