No Respite from War
Salesian relief operations continue
(ANS – Lviv, Ukraine
– May 5, 2022) – Seventy days have already passed since the outbreak of
war in Ukraine, and the violence shows no sign of stopping. On the contrary,
the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMAs) present in Lviv in western Ukraine
– in one of the areas considered to be among the least exposed to danger and in
fact a destination for many internally displaced persons – bear witness to how
the war is fully manifested there as well, with all its burden of destruction
and fear.
“It was quiet for a
few days, but today [May 4] missiles and bombs fell in Lviv too. Thank God,
we are alive and well, and there is light. We saw smoke only from the houses
somewhere in the city skyline,” the FMAs wrote to the head of the Salesian
Emergency Response Coordination in Ukraine.
The sisters, even
in the sadness of the situation, do not themselves fail to instill hope and
courage. They accompany their
communication with blessings and thanks for the vast Salesian operation of
helping the needy and for spiritual and moral support through prayer.
In fact, the
Salesians, with so many lay volunteers and members of the Salesian Family,
continue to stay close to the Ukrainian people in various ways, including the 5
million refugees who have fled to neighboring countries.
From Moldova, for
example, comes the testimony of Fr. Andrea Ballan, director of the only
Salesian presence active in the country, near the capital, Chisinau. “We are in
contact with Caritas Moldova, and we collaborate with them.” As a result of
this synergy, for example, Caritas has donated some beds to the Salesian house
active in the reception of refugees and has committed to support part of the
living expenses of the parish house in the locality of Cretoaia, where Don
Bosco’s sons continue to host refugees.
“At the moment in
Moldova, it seems that most of the refugees are housed in families or have
rented an apartment,” continues Fr. Ballan. “Those who are in refugee camps are
fewer and fewer. So, many NGOs are focusing on the distribution of packages with
food, personal hygiene products, etc. Caritas is also a partner in the program
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which directly
distributes money to refugees and their hosts.”
Currently, all NGOs
active in the country are making great efforts to respond to the current
crisis. “We are also very committed and, at the moment, we don’t need any more
external aid, because what we have already received and the projects we have
underway are sufficient,” Fr. Ballan concludes.
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