Second Report to my Abbot

Yuliia Federico

Fled Kiev 3 days ago. Her family “is surrounded by the F**king Russian Army. “ She’s in route to Berlin, to stay with a friend of a friend.

Refugees arrive at central station in Dworzec Zachodni. Coffee shops are providing free coffee and sandwiches to all refugees. Poles donate boxes of clothes and other services.

Outside the Zachodni train station and hostel teeming with Ukrainian refugees, a press conference. I photographed what I saw. Language was a luxury I could do without. Trauma is easy to understand. Read faces. Be open. You learn more than you realize, from the heart.

I sat next to Yuliia, a Ukrainian woman who asked for help once she heard me speak English. She wanted confirmation she was on the right train to Berlin. I did my best to help and offered to buy her a meal, that’s when I learned of the generous cafes. And Hotels are providing free rooms, hospitals provide free service.

Poland is freaking awesome!

Yuliia told me the Russian media reports the Ukrainians are the aggressors. Of course we all know how *smart* Putin is. The Ukrainians have no bombs to drop but she dropped a few F bombs about the Russians bombing her neighborhood and local hospitals at 4 am. As President Velensky is reported to have said “Russian War Ship go f**k yourself!” It’s a versatile and useful word just now.

Ukrainians are freaking awesome, too!

America can be awesome, too, if we strategize and help them grass roots style. We can’t expect our government to do all that’s needed. Let Poland, and their domestic church network, teach us.

Tory Baucum