VANCOUVER, Wash. — A Vancouver man traveled to Poland's border with Ukraine earlier this month to help refugees who fled from the war-torn nation.
Joseph Trachuk went to Ukraine with several members of his church group from Kingdom Movement Church in Vancouver. He was at the border for eight days and arrived back in the U.S. last week.
"We needed to provide hot food because it was freezing cold," Trachuk said. "Women and children standing outside, cold, watching people shiver. They are full of fear, husbands staying back at home."
Trachuk said refugees are in need of supplies and people should donate and send any resources they can.
"The border alone where we were at, there were 65,000 people crossing per day," Trachuk said.
He said he not only felt compelled help because of his faith, but because he is Ukrainian and lived in the country for years when he was a kid.
"Right now, I have family and cousins that are in Zaporizhzhia, which is a territory that is on the verge of being taken over by the Russian army," Trachuk said.
Trachuk's fellow church member Merari Paz also traveled to Poland's border with Ukraine earlier this month. He said the reality of war did not hit him until he arrived.
"When I was down there, I realized they have four days to wait until they cross into Poland," Paz said. "We were just bringing love, joy and peace through coffee, chai and soup."
Kingdom Movement Church has started an online fundraiser to help Ukraine. Donations can be made through the church's website.