From the Ground in Poland ... Helping Ukrainians

Thank you everyone for your support!

Many people in our town are scrambling - left and right, making room, looking for supplies and keeping up with the things that are happening with the refugees and war effort.

I’ve started buying - and buying some more. I’m writing this post to go live on Tuesday. This means I’m buying before then. Many things I’ve bought on an auction site - and many things are arriving the day this blog post goes up.

Ideally I would be able to buy at a wholesale place. Unfortunately, most people need to be a business before you can get access to a real, honest-to-goodness wholesale place. Yes, we can go to a big box type ‘wholesale’ place like Makro or Sam’s Club or Costco - but I mean REAL wholesale - like direct from the manufacturer or distributor. However, that seems to be about impossible. That would usually require some sort of registration and a lot of red tape. Most places like that would provide only to actual stores. We aren’t.

That leaves us with the deep discount stores. Stores like Aldi, Biedronka, Lidl and other such stores. Close by we don’t have a store like a Walmart so I’m working with what I have, balancing both time and fuel with costs involved.

So here’s what I’ve gotten so far. I’ve been perusing lists of needed items - and hope to be able to focus on things “most needed” or possibly things others haven’t considered as much. I’m taking notes of those things.

Our local fire station in our town is where I’m taking things - as they will help unload and this is an official organization.

I’m keeping my ears and eyes out for people who also need items because they are hosting a large number of people.

The local people have been incredibly generous and frankly, it has warmed my heart to see the love that the people have poured out on their Ukrainian neighbors.

Today (Monday) I went to some more stores and came home with this.

One of the things I did was buy some duvet sets along with the duvet covers, pillow, bottom sheets and made “sets” - all enclosed in their case. That was fun. I felt like I was giving “something” to someone when I did that. I stuck in a pair of very warm fuzzy socks for ladies - figuring the ladies are the most likely to use these.

I also am making more contact with local people who have contacts with the refugees.

I did pick up a lot of diapers - from several different stores. Thankfully both stores called Lidl and Biedronka are having sales on them right now. Both stores already have good prices on their diapers but with the sale - it’s even better.

Once I had come home, I did some other things and then compiled the sets of duvet, covers, sheet, pillow and socks. Then once Ewa came over, she helped me finish up the last couple and then we took everything over to the fire station - our local one - shortly after 4 pm. They started accepting donations at 4.

There at the fire station, we dropped off all of our goodies. The men were kind of surprised with the duvet sets, but thrilled! They moved them to the fire truck immediately and said that they were heading right now to be put on the truck that is heading to the border. COOL!

All the rest of the stuff was taken inside to the sorting area and they worked on packaging things up. They are sorting and packing and sending things to the ware house for further distribution.

When I asked Kasia, a lady who was working there and sorting, what else they needed - she said, “Everything - the need is great!” She is supposed to call me this evening after they get through sorting and she will tell me what they need more of. She did mention flashlights and batteries and medical supplies for people in Ukraine or refugees waiting in line or both.

Most of the time at the fire station, cars were pulling up and pulling out a bag or two or three of things from their car and handing it to the workers. The things that are being donated vary from clothing to food items to diapers and personal hygiene items. These items very well could end up at the border to help the Ukrainians in the line - or those who have recently landed here in Poland. Or they could be put on a transport truck heading for active relief in Ukraine.

Tomorrow I should have a lot of deliveries from things I’ve ordered. I’ll then take everything on over to the sorting center.

A typical flat bottom sheet

As I was at Jysk getting some pillows and bedding this morning, the cashier asked me if I was getting it for the refugees. I said, “Yes”. She then went on to tell me that Saturday the place was hopping with people buying bedding sets for them. “They would buy 10 or 15 at a time. We didn’t even put them on the shelf, but rather just brought them from the back and handed them right to them.”

I told her that I had never seen such a solidarity that I’m seeing from the Polish people in their efforts to help their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. (It feels like “everyone” is helping do something.)

She then stopped her packing up my stuff and said earnestly, “Do you know why? Do you know why?” I just waited for her reply. “Because we remember. We remember what it was l like. Our grandfathers and grandmothers still to this day remember last time. We remember.”

My eyes filled with unshed tears. It was a pretty emotional moment for me to listen to this young lady talk. She then went on. “And also President Zelensky! He is a strong man - a real ‘man’s man’.”

I told her I write a blog in English and hundreds of people have helped by sending money to buy needed things as they all just want to “do something”!

She was so appreciative and happy to hear that.

I wish I could share such stories with you. She wasn’t speaking English, though.

One of the workers that I met later today, however, does speak English, and she might be willing to talk to me on camera. I’ll check on that soon. I think it would mean a lot to you to hear from her!

So far I’ve made three drop off trips to the local fire station. The day you are reading this - another one should be planned. And that is just the beginning. The needs are great. I have more money to spend. :)

I talked with one lady who whose neighbor is recently arrived with three young children. I’m planning on going over tomorrow with some food and seeing what else this lady needs. She isn’t a complainer and the neighbor is trying to figure out how best to help her.

One last thing - my husband has been going to teach in Ukraine since about 2000 and has many friends in ministry there. We’ve just heard that they’ve been attacked and Mike’s American co-worker right now is in his bomb shelter waiting for the shooting bombing to calm down. He thinks Russia plans to take their city tonight - which will probably be over by the time you actually read this. Please pray for them. The city is Bela Tsorkov.

This is in a local school - in Otwock. Those things that are balled up with a tie - they are blankets usually with microfiber and very warm. This gymnasium is waiting for a bus from the border.

My husband knows and has worked with (and taught) many people in that city! Our hearts are breaking. Please pray for these people. Thank you so much! This is the last word from his coworker.

These are his words “ Over an hour ago a bomb exploded in our city, even before the air raid sirens began. We took cover in my root cellar, and are still here. For the last hour or so there has been a lot of plane and jet activity over us. Russian paratroopers have been seen landing very near to my home.

We are unsure whether Ukraine has moved any military force to aid us, and it's apparent that the Russians plan to take our city tonight. We need your prayers! We'd surely rather be able to crawl out of this cellar and go back to our beds, but that looks to be an unlikely possibility. We have no idea what this night and tomorrow will hold. Still, we do know Who holds us and are looking to Him. “


Help Ukrainians in their distress


So many of you want to help. So many of you HAVE already helped. Thank you so much.

The needs are great. We all appreciate all you have done - and we will do our best to use every dollar to go to helping the Ukrainian people.

Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart for your care and concern for people halfway around the world from you!

Becky Petersen4 Comments