My Week in a Polish Village - Nick Waite
Could this really be happening?
When the Russian tanks rolled across the border into Ukraine on 24th February, I experienced a whole range of emotions:shock, horror, fear and disbelief. It was difficult to comprehend that this was actually happening.
How could I do my bit for the innocent victims of the war?
As the news unfolded over the following days, with the scale of the humanitarian devastation that was being wrought by this military aggression becoming ever clearer, these feelings intensified. They were also accompanied by an overwhelming desire to help and do “my bit” for those that were suffering.
The aid delivery mission
In March an opportunity to help with the aid effort presented itself when Reading School asked for volunteers to help collect and deliver aid directly to Ukraine. I threw my hat into the ring and was selected for the mission! The parents and staff of Reading School were mobilised to donate tinned foods and sleeping bags, which were delivered to the school chapel and then sorted and boxed by teams of pupils. I was a member of a team of 18 drivers, none of who I had met before, who were tasked with collecting the aid, purchasing further supplies at local discount warehouses and then driving to a small Polish village on the border with Ukraine. The twenty five tons of supplies we had with us was handed over to local volunteers who would then initiate the process of transporting it onto Eastern Ukraine. For most of the team this was the end of this part of the mission and the journey home began. For me, the experience was really just beginning!
A Polish welcome
As somewhat of a surprise to myself (and certainly a shock to my family when I told them afterwards!), I volunteered to stay behind to help the village in Poland build additional accommodation for the homeless and displaced Ukrainian families. Yes, I made my decision based upon my heart, without consulting my nearest and dearest, but although this generated concern with them at first, this swiftly morphed into pride and support for what I was doing.
My stay in the village commenced with Pastor Daniel driving me to meet my host family, who had kindly offered to house any individuals willing to assist in renovation of the refugee accommodation. I was welcomed with huge warmth by Peter, Marta and their daughter Ola. The strength of their gratitude and their thanks for what we were doing with our project was so clearly in evidence that I felt humbled by the genuine and heartfelt hospitality they offered.
I soon became somewhat of a 'novelty ' in the local area as people wanted to meet me and communicate the same sentiments of thanks and hospitality as conveyed my hosts. All this attention made me feel more inspired than I already was. I could have pinched myself! There I was, a week ago, sitting at home thinking I desperately wanted to do something to help, and here I am, building a refugee shelter!
The village folk are devout, practicing Christians. I sensed that although I normally smoked and like a tipple now and then, these activities would not necessarily go down well with my hosts. Abstaining on these fronts seemed however, a small price to pay on my part.
Where on earth do I begin?
I started my stay in the village with an objective that was short on detail but clear in intent; “this building needs to be able to house more refugees in better comfort –can you do it!”
It was an immediately transparent that language was going to be an issue. Very few folk in the village speak English and I started with no Polish whatsoever. Over the course of the next few days we did develop a means of communicating, perhaps best described as “Polglish with handwaving”.
I met Marcin, a local pastor, and was taken to the current refugee shelter. This building was once a cattle barn that has been partly converted into a shelter, housing some 3 families. All of the families are sleeping in one room, no bigger than a lounge in a typical UK house. It consists of one toilet/shower room, modest kitchen and one larger social room in which all residents gather to eat and entertain themselves as best they can.Suffice to say, although warm, conditions are cramped. Later, in the afternoon I was taken to a town 25 km away to offer food to the homeless, hot soup, bread, tea, coffee. Not that I needed more motivation, but this day cemented my determination to succeed.
The plan was to convert the second part of the building into additional living quarters. Marcin and I would have to do most of the work, with partial assistance from two others and supported by some disabled helpers assisting in whatever way they can.
I had a blank sheet of paper in front of me, and a mission to fulfil; It was time to start putting words into action.
The work begins
We started our work by assembling the various tables, shelving units, wardrobe and other items of furniture that had been purchased in the local area by our AidUkraineDirect convey. I also began to sketch out the plan of what could be achieved if we optimised the use of the space available within the cattle shed.
This plan would result in creating five bedrooms, two toilet/shower rooms, a social room with kitchen facilities and a workshop for Marcin to house tools and equipment for further development. Overall, a significant improvement in both scale and comfort compared to the current arrangements.
Eight tons of driveway ballast stone was delivered and laid in the same day, giving access to all areas plus a large parking bay. This was essential, as the mud and wet conditions made it almost impossible to deliver materials to the site without this ballast stone. Sand, stone, cement were then delivered and work commenced on setting out the proposed rooms.
Supply Chain Issues?
My experience here has highlighted how we in the UK we take for granted the immediate availability of tools, parts and materials for building projects. Finding the right tools and supplies near the village could only be described as “challenging”, with the issues exacerbated by the unreliability of communications made in Polglish. I will never again get frustrated by only having a choice of only two alternatives in my local UK DIY superstore!
We have now laid waste pipes, sourced alternative sources of wood (an expensive commodity in Poland) and prepared the building for the next phase of the project.
Embedded memories
It is Monday and I have been staying in the village for over a week. There is much work still to be done, but the memories of my short time here will stay with me for the rest of my life.
To be continued .....
