Family reunification from Ukraine and the danger of a nuclear power plant
A week after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, southeast of Kyiv, was world news. And unfortunately it still is regularly. Not because this nuclear power plant, with six reactor units, is the largest in Europe, but because in the night of March 3 to 4, for the first time in history, an army attacked a nuclear power plant… The complex got occupied by the Russians, but further exploitation had to be ensured by Ukrainians, by specialists who had been trained for this, and who could not just hand this over to the enemy.
A few days after the Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhya region, Mariya arrived in Poznan with her children Polina and Daniel, and they found shelter in the Ostrobramska building, where Bread of Life also has its office. They were sent ahead by Andriy, their husband and father and engineer at the nuclear power plant. He knew the danger women and children would get exposed to from the side of the Russian occupier, but he himself could not and was not allowed to leave. Certainly not with his responsible work.
And so world news suddenly came very close. And we sympathized with Mariya and her worries about her husband. Just because the Russians needed the Ukrainians didn’t mean it was fun at the power plant. Intimidation, infiltration, continuous espionage, including summary execution… On a ticking nuclear time bomb… How long could Andriy hold on to that?
At the same time, with her joyful and positive attitude and very good English, Mariya was interpreter during various activities of Bread of Life for refugees and played an important role during the children’s camps in cooperation with short mission teams from Atlanta. How she could do this, with the worries about her husband in the back of her mind, was impressive!
A few days ago the news came that Andriy had arranged the possibility, with all the risks entailed, to leave the plant and come to Poland via Crimea, Russia and the Baltic States! We couldn’t do much for him at that time, except intensive intercession by all those involved here in Poland and abroad who had come to know Mariya by now! And this prayers got answered at the moment when all received a picture in the WhatsApp group with Mariya who could hold Andriy in her arms!
We are happy with the opportunity to provide this family with shelter, to give them moments of peace after all the tension and trauma, and to assist them with their further plans! We pray God’s blessing and further protection to them!
