What did I know about the refugees before? I knew nothing. Well, there are refugees somewhere in Africa or Asia. Once I watched the movie about the doctors and volunteers working in the refugee camps. That’s all. And now…

We are refugees now.  We had our own house, job and friends in Yasinovataya. It was the work. The war tore us out like a seedling apple tree. The tree was growing and enjoying the sun, rain and other apple trees. And then the guy with a shovel came. The blade has beaten the roots and brought pain to the edge of the leaves. The man pulled a thin trunk, tearing off more couple of hundred roots.

– It is a good apple tree. I will sell it.

He doesn’t care if this apple tree will root in a new place or not. What kind of soil will be there? Will someone take care of the seedlings or not? He doesn’t care at all.

The war does the same caring for nobody. It seeds with bullets and shells killing the people, making them handicapped, taking away their homes and making them leave for nowhere.

We arrived in Nikolskoye. It is an average village. There is worse, there is better. That’s not the point. It’s hard, because we didn’t know anyone. There were strange streets and strange faces and even strange dogs in the yards. Of cause, we smile and greet the new neighbors and do our best to get settled. But it doesn’t depend on us. You are accepted today, and the situation can be changed tomorrow. For instance, the people got draft notices from the recruiting office and started to looked at us displeased and discuss with irritation: “Why have our husbands to fight for this? Let them go home and fight for their towns on their own and die there!”

A month later there was a new wave of conversations, because a young man was brought from the war to the neighboring village in the coffin…

I will not tell you about all our pains and joys of refugees. Anything can happen. We are getting settled. No matter how hard it is at the new place, but the apple tree roots in the ground, trying to live. It thankfully stretches its branches to everyone who pour a bucket of water at the root from the well. It is living water for the refugee. Do you understand?

We would like to thank all employees of “Emmanuel” Charity Association for the water of life. Your people came in spring to Nikolskoye. They told the church about Donbas and how hard it was to live for the people in the front-line towns.  Many villagers were impressed by those stories and torn from routine. I remember that believers gathered several tons of potato that day and sent them to Krasnogorovka. It is good they didn’t stop in that. It looked like some lock was opened in the people’s hearts and filled them with desire to continue helping other people.

The villagers of Nikolskoye gave our family and all refugee families in their village potato for planting as much as all of us needed. They also helped the elderly people to plant it. And it’s time to harvest…

Excuse me, I’m crying. I remember the brothers and sisters from the church entered my yard several days ago. They asked me if I have already dug potato.

– Not yet, – I answered. – My husband went to get additional work … I am alone with two kids … I didn’t have time yet.

– So, give us the shovels! Do you have the sacks? Where should we bring it?

Three hours later all our potatoes were standing in bags at the door of the cellar. The brothers and sisters washed their hands and faces, joking and laughing … They agreed to help Maltsev family of elderly people in digging potato the following day.

There are seven refugee families in Nikolskoye now. I want to thank you, helping people from “Emmanuel” on behalf of all our refugee families. Thank you! Thank you not only for doing good. Thank you for motivating to do good everyone meeting you. You are an example for following for many people.You are fire! You are the warmth in the heart and joy in the midst of troubles. Come to us again. Come just for a visit. We’ll be very pleased. We will cook a heap of dumplings with potatoes. We will drink tea together, sing a song and thank God for all He gives us and teaches us to love. Don’t refuse our invitation. We’ll be waiting.

Nadezhda Kryuchkova from Nikolskoye village in Kirovograd region.

At pictures: refugees and villagers of Nikolskoye gather in the harvest together.

We just remind that “CBN-Emmanuil” continues to help the people from the South-East of Ukraine.
To transfer financial support, enter here Or inform us about your desire to become a partner by calling us at 0800-50-77-50.