War Relief Diary

The Mennonite Centre serves people in need in Ukraine

Since the horrific invasion by Russia in February, the Canadian-based Mennonite Centre in Ukraine has increased relief work while providing near-daily war updates. These gripping accounts provided the opportunity for me to extract the found poem below (slightly treated). 

The Mennonite Centre is located in southern Ukraine in Molochansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast (formerly Halbstadt, Molotschna, South Russia). In 2000, a group purchased a former Mennonite girls’ school, providing food for seniors, medicine, student scholarships and other support to those in need. 

I hope that these extracts can illuminate the important work of the Centre and provide light in times of nightmarish violence. Ludmila’s Mar. 27 report about her escape from besieged Mariupol was especially touching; an April 6 escape shows yet more brutality in the besieged city. The full reports can be found at the Centre’s website. Donations are tax creditable in Canada, life-saving in Ukraine.
Irene Plett

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Feb. 24: War 
war with Russia started quickly
first local sign: two Russian drones over Molochansk 
then explosion heard from Melitopol 25 km away
all our staff safe and carrying on
residents asked to use our basement as a bomb shelter
your prayers and support appreciated
will keep you posted

Feb. 26: Occupied
at 2:19 this morning received a text:
Molochansk under Russian occupation
Russian tanks throughout the town
across the Molotschna River a building in Prischib shelled
staff safe in the basement 
at 6:38 a.m. notified nearby Tokmak attacked

Feb. 28: Stockpile helps
Russian tanks rolled past the Centre Saturday
some shooting in Kutuzovka 
hospitals in all former Mennonite areas filling with wounded
Ira is thankful for our stockpile of food, backup systems 
the community looking to us for help 

Mar. 3: To Canada
Oksana, our Molochansk manager, continues remotely 
was trying to get her children to their father in Vancouver
war broke out along the way
had to cross into Poland on foot with her 3 children
received a ride to Frankfurt
with her active visa, coming to Canada made sense
husband remains in Ukraine to help those in need
a week ago, unimaginable

Mar. 4: Feeling trapped
Ukrainians increasingly feeling trapped
in Molochansk the bridge leading west blown up
military blocking the road to Tokmak to the east
Russians occupy Melitopol to the south

situation in Kharkiv probably the worst
helped a group who receive people fleeing
difficult to list all the things our staff does 

Mar. 5: Atmosphere of sharing
rural regions better off
root cellars full of produce and canned goods
a real atmosphere of sharing 
everyone trying to help each other

the mayor set up kitchens to feed the hungry
in the kindergarten beside the Centre
we have funded much of that food
sent hampers to families 

Mar. 6: Travel impossible
Melitopol under Russian occupation
trains not running
checkpoints along the roads make car travel impossible

the mayor of Svetlodolinsk reports
no electrical power and under Russian occupation
he requested that they not shoot civilians

Mar. 8: Curfew
curfew 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
after days of shelling
it seems Ukrainian forces fallen in Tokmak
Gasoline no longer available
If you find it price has doubled
Clinics, pharmacies closing as meds run out
stores are empty
almost impossible to buy food
city is making food hampers
the Centre serves hot meals 

Mar. 9: Food for babushka
In Molochansk the snow has melted
many people come to the Centre for food
everyone welcomed
often ask for food to take home for “babushka,” an elderly one 
Ira had to cook extra

Mar. 11: Donated grain
local farmers donated wheat and corn
from last year’s crop to the city of Molochansk
our local psychiatric hospital has a grinding machine
where grain and corn is turned into cereals and flours
bagged and given to the people
saving hundreds from hunger

Mar. 12: Only place in town
the Centre is the only place in town 
offering a hot cooked meal to the needy
food for the seniors’ home now comes solely from the Centre

Mar. 13: Snipers on the roof
the mayor of Svetlodolynsk reports
no one has money to buy gas for cars
limits ability to forage for food
if you have money, purchases capped at 10 liters

on the road to Tokmak 
is the former Mennonite village of Ladekopp
the schoolhouse built by Mennonites still standing 
now occupied by Russians, a check stop 
snipers on the roof

Mar. 16: Over $250,000 raised
over $250,000 raised so far
to help Ukrainians in their time of need
thank you!

Mar. 19: Over 100 families
supplied food to over 100 families
often with up to 8 children
plus the daily soup kitchen

again helped to get several from Kharkiv 
evacuated to safety
more than 20 years of network building paying off

March 21: $50,000 weekly budget
wired funds arriving safely
our contacts using funding as soon as it arrives
spending budget this week 1,000,000 Grivna ($50,000)
drivers arrived safely in Lviv with 2 vans full of refugees
soup kitchen in Molochansk impossible to hide
please pray for the safety of our staff

Mar. 25: 450 chickens
pastor from Melitopol reports:
Russian soldiers forbade some churches from meeting
went in and removed equipment
the city now a bazaar
everyone in the street selling stuff to buy food
our cash gift an answer to prayer

managed to purchase 450 chickens
first protein in a long time for many
fortunate to find vegetable oil brought in barrels
staff pouring into bottles ready to give out

Mar 27: Escape from Mariupol
news from our network: refugees arrive in growing numbers
13 from Mariupol now in Shiroke

today arrived from Mariupol
we had such a city! modern, beautiful 
nothing left
corpses
stench
constant bombing
lived in the basement for 20 days
daughter with diabetes almost died
took dirty water from the only well
Russians wanted us to go to Russia
decided to break through on our own, with our dogs
column of 1000 people left
they still bombed
got out of hell
- Ludmila

Mar 29: Mission to Kyiv
Kyiv has changed
bristled with anti-tank hedgehogs
blocked by barricades, concrete barriers, barbed wire
streets empty
bread becoming scarce
unloaded humanitarian aid
then took people in the van
child of war, one says,
never thought this horror would return

Mar 30: Conscriptions
Russian army 
starting to conscript local men into their army
hampers handed out last week
to feed 1600 people 1 meal

Mar 31: A mayor kidnapped
the mayor of Svetlodolinsk kidnapped this morning
teachers and child care workers no longer paid
prices up tremendously

April 1: Overrun with military 
early Thursday, Molochansk overrun with Russian military
started house-to-house searches
if no one home, kicked in doors

three armed soldiers at the Centre
searched every room and took photos
photos of photos on the walls 
collected names
wanted names of all those helped
Ira explained we helped anyone who came and asked

the mayor of Molochansk and an assistant kidnapped
they first took the mayor’s father
he came out of hiding to save his father
one of our staff had her son taken
he’d served in the army

our man taking food to local villages
harassed by Russian soldiers
he told them to wait until he unloaded the food
then they could do with him what they wanted
they left him alone

April 3: Meeting with soldiers
another house search
mayor still not seen
replaced by a previous mayor

meeting with Russian soldiers yesterday
they asked about political discussions at the Centre
were told our policy is not to discuss, just help people
The safe in the office left open, nothing of value

I thank God I have such an opportunity to serve 
- love, Ira

April 4: Speak only Russian
Melitopol teachers and administrators 
ordered back to work 
language of instruction now entirely Russian
Increasingly resigning and escaping
reminds us of our parents & grandparents
decisions made quickly under duress

April 6: Escape from Mariupol
from our partner in Shiroke, Lena reports:
hid in the basement
daily checked our apartment above
brother said don’t look out: sniper shot a neighbour
3 men who tried to bury her were killed as well
no running water, ours came from the only well
dead bodies all around it, sniper’s work
decided to get out by car 
in Tokmak advised to wait
brutal Buryat soldiers held the Russian checkpoint 
next day different soldiers checked the car thoroughly
men stripped naked searching for military tattoos
finally in Shiroke
me, 3 kids, their grandma, welcomed like family

April 9: Building on the past
Our partner, Love Without Boundaries
feeding homeless people, as before the war
thousands became homeless today
as homes destroyed

Authors offered books to donors
dining room assembly line: signing, packing,
blessing donors in their thoughts
hundreds of new readers for 
Edyth Friesen’s Journey Into Freedom and
Rudy Friesen’s Building on the Past

At the Centre, one last copy in Ukrainian
of Building on the Past 
handed to a Russian soldier April 1
promised to return, but said could be a while
Ira’s fear abates

April 13: Flight from Bucha
news from our partners:
saw shelling from my windows in Bucha, 
houses collapsing, balconies in flames
no water, no light, nothing for life
war forced us to leave
warmly welcomed here today
- Arina in Rivne

dreadful day for drivers in Severodonetsk
bringing aid and transporting refugees
collision in the morning
shelling in the afternoon
shattered every window on one bus
another bus shot by kalashnikovs
praise God: no one was hurt

Apr 16: Black market
new hire in Molochansk
recently released from detention
black market beginning 
as food aid from Russians resold to stores

Valentina, age 92, cries in Shiroke:
never thought I would survive another war
God bless you for your help
may there be peace, no more deaths 

Apr 18: Living Water
news from our partners:
8 years of thunderous shelling nearly nightly 
on the front line in Krasnohorivka, 10 km from Donetsk
suddenly a shell explodes by the church
shattered windows are stuffed with bricks 
the hungry continue to be fed 
the pastor fixes water pipes so the thirsty can draw water
and offers Living Water and Hope 

Dmytro in Rivne laments
apartment destroyed — 14 years of payments!
marketplace that was my workplace destroyed
broken, but grateful
values reassessed

a family finally hears from their own in Mariupol
horror mixed with hope: please say all is well!
all is well! our relatives are safe!
how we pray to hear: people of Ukraine, all is well! come home!

Apr 20: In an instant
pensioner from Balakliya reports:
in an instant, we lost everything — our home, our work
my husband’s furniture workshop occupied by Russians
my recent heart surgery called for medicine
your help blessed our whole family

Apr 22: Bank accounts frozen
Molochansk quiet but explosions in the distance
psychiatric hospital, a senior’s home, Orlova orphanage
coming to us for food, their bank accounts frozen
many expressing thanks for the food
would not survive without it

Apr 26: Closer to God
minister from Druzhkivka reports:
a time of trial
fear-filled faces, empty shops
listening to explosions: are they near or far?
deciding on a damp cellar or just a corridor
yet many opportunities to show God’s love
helping the elderly, isolated, vulnerable 
tears of gratitude 
as believers thank God for care, and even non-believers pray 
all now closer to God

April 28: Train station struck
Molochansk train station struck
several Russian soldiers injured
they were in control of it
now even more Russian soldiers here

May 1: Chechen troops arrive
many have left Molochansk
Mennonite church keys handed to Ira
Centre staff working overtime
preparing hot meals, hampers, deliveries 

Ira speaks Russian
military doctor helped a sick resident when she asked
soldiers left us their meds when they left
replaced now by Chechen troops

new shoes for children in Uman
children happy, excited, eager 

May 5: Hampers paused
food hamper lineups from 3 a.m. 
when we ran out, reported to the Russians
said their name was on a list
not our list, but expectations fed
focus now on hot meals, hampers paused

aid near Irpin
400 packages meant for 3 villages
quickly dispersed in one
desperation everywhere

Yana lost her husband
pregnant when arrived in Unan
we helped with food and lodging
she named her newborn Lisa

May 16: Light my cigarette
News from our partner in Rivne:
On the way to border villages
saw destroyed houses, schools, kindergartens
trenches in the fields and courtyards
people holding on, removing scattered bricks, charred fences

old man said a Russian Buryat soldier told him:
“Light my cigarette! We’ve come to liberate you!”
the senior said: “I live here freely, need nothing from you.
Go back fast, our troops will come 
and light your cigarette so much that 
I’m afraid you wouldn’t like it!”
the soldier turned and left

villagers grateful 
we prayed together 
one said the only thing left was prayer
though unbelievers, the Lord speaks to their hearts

May 18: Costly fuel shortage
News from our partner in Zolotonosha:
need 1000 liters every second day for 6 cargo vans
somehow our drivers charm fuel from closed stations 
last week each driver clocked 5000 km! 
dangerous places, fewer charities deliver
but more Ukrainians in need
fatigue is growing 

To be continued.
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Bread shared by the Mennonite Centre in Ukraine
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Location of Mennonite Centre (red) and partners (circled) in Ukraine