Ukraine Series: Time and Space
From the moment OMS Israel team member Deby read the news about what was happening in Ukraine she felt the need to go and help. But being newly pregnant with her first child, many advised her not to go and she wasn’t even sure how to make it happen or if she could be of any help. So when the OMS team in Israel gathered a group to go, she jumped at the chance. Below is her story about connecting with the children and mothers at the border.
I was in charge of taking care of the kids at the help center at the border and was such a humbling experience. There is one little girl in particular that I will never forget. The help center at the Beregsurány border is well organized, so many people only stay for 10-20 minutes as they await the next transport. But some people, especially if they are waiting for family or friends, stay at the center for 8 hours or even overnight.
This little girl stayed here for about 7 hours with her mom and older sibling. Her mom spoke some English so we were able to chat a little bit and she told me that her husband is in the military fighting in Ukraine and so it was just her and her 2 kids.
You could see the stress and worry on her face as she talked to me, but she was also trying to stay strong and upbeat for her kids, not wanting to scare them any more than they already had been having to leave their home and dad behind.
I’m not completely sure why, maybe it was because they were at the border for so long, or because there weren’t as many people coming and going as it was a slower day, but this little girl and I bonded. She became my little helper. She didn’t speak any English, but we managed to communicate. Every time she did speak to me she tried to speak Ukrainian in an English accent, hoping that would help, which was adorable. But she helped me organize all the toys and books we had for the kids and she helped me greet new kids and explained to them in Ukrainian that they could draw, make jewelry, build with blocks or play with the other toys.
I think what touched me the most was seeing her mom’s face as I spent all this time playing with her. She sat behind her daughter as she laughed and played and I just watched as the armor fell off of her face for a little bit. She would look at her phone, tear up, and then just stare at the ground. It was so hard to watch. But then I also saw small flashes of relief as she would look up and see her daughter was being cared for. It was like this little bit of time I was taking to love her kid gave her the time and space to process a little bit and just feel sad, to feel the things she had been pushing down to stay strong for her kids.
The little girl and I made bracelets together, so I have a bracelet with her initials on it that I will keep forever. I will never forget her, or her mom. No child should have to live through this reality, and all of the mothers I met were so incredibly strong.
I feel so blessed to have been able to help even in a small way by loving other mothers’ children, and I hope to be even half as strong and brave one day as these mothers I met this week.
