Before the war, Iwan’s world revolved around school, friends, and his daily routine. “I had no major duties apart from learning,” he recalls. But when the war broke out, everything changed overnight. He was just 14 years old when he was forced to leave behind the life he knew in Ukraine, setting out on an uncertain journey to Poland.

Journeying into the unknown

Fleeing the conflict, Iwan boarded an overcrowded train bound for Poland. “I travelled on a direct train to Poland with so many people that it’s hard to imagine. Walking out into the corridor, you could see that everyone – mothers with babies, children, elderly women – was sitting on the floor. There were a lot of people in our train compartment, not to mention the necessity of a space to keep suitcases and things in general,” he describes.

Despite the warm welcome he received upon arriving in Poland, Iwan also encountered many challenges. “During the first days in Poland, I felt very taken care of, because after leaving the train I was met by a crowd of people with posters saying  “we are with you”. They gave us food to start with and necessities. Anyway I had not planned to come to Poland, I was shocked, and I did not know the language. Actually, I knew neither English nor Polish. I did not know how everything functions in Poland at all,” he admits.

Building a future with hope

Finding support was crucial. He began attending the language courses offered by JRS Poland. More than just a place to learn the language, Iwan has found there a true community that believes in him. “I managed to learn Polish and I’m in the process of learning English. I get to know beautiful places in and near Warsaw and find colleagues. Currently, I am taking part in youth meetings and even organising them to a certain extent. Now I just know that I can come here at any time, and I am always welcome,” he says.

As Iwan looks ahead, his future remains uncertain, but he is determined to keep moving forward. “Whether I will achieve what I planned. Whether I have enough knowledge and qualifications. I would like to stay in Poland for a longer period of time, unless conditions in Poland change, but overall I like it very much here. Here I have friends, some family, study, work.”

The coordinated Jesuit response to the Ukraine crisis

JRS is working together with the Xavier Network, Concordia Moldova, the Society of Jesus in Europe, local civil society, and NGOs in a coordinated Jesuit response. Read more about The One Proposal: the coordinated Jesuit response to support the Ukraine crisis.

*This article was originally published by JRS Europe.