Ukraine: “We have so much pain in us, but we know we have to live”

In Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s war zone, the Church has dedicated itself to trauma healing. ACN’s help is like the hand of God, says the local bishop.

Life in Kharkiv, Ukraine takes place against the constant background of the sounds of war.

“There are permanently drones and rockets, and we hear them above our heads every day,” says Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk, the Latin Catholic Bishop of Kharkiv. “The worst are the fiber optic drones: they have a range of 50 kilometers, and they shoot everything that moves and lives. We live in tension.”

The buzz of the drones is so constant that residents have begun to fear most when they no longer hear them. “The biggest danger for us is the silence. When there is a silence, we don’t know what will happen,” the bishop tells Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) during a visit to the charity’s international headquarters in Koenigstein, Germany.

The war that followed the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has had a deep effect on the lives of everyone in the country, but those who live close to the front line know that every day could be their last.

“We know we have to do everything to survive — to live, not to die,” says Bishop Honcharuk. “We have so much pain in us, but we know we have to live. And this is our life. We live from one day to the other. Sometimes, when we meet each other, we ask: ‘How are you?’ and the reply is just: ‘I’m still alive.’ And that is good.”

Trauma

Faced with such a reality, it is unsurprising that trauma is widespread among soldiers and civilians alike. At an early stage, the Church became aware that it had to address this.

“ACN supported us with courses on how to learn to live with trauma, and how to try to heal the wounds. This is a very special part of my ministry,” the bishop tells ACN. “We have military chaplains who work with the soldiers, and we see that when they come back to their families, they are completely changed, and this also affects the rest of the family. When we speak about people who lost their homes or their belongings, that is also a kind of trauma, and also prisoners of war who return, they carry a different kind of trauma and pain. It’s very complex. It’s very important to listen to the people and to try to help everyone in a different way.”

“Even I, as the bishop, and the other priests and sisters, we all receive permanent psychological formation,” he continues. “This is very important, because with it, we can help avoid psychological problems with the people, tensions and problems within the families, violence, and even suicide, which is also a big problem.”

Generators

ACN had already been supporting the Catholic Church in Ukraine before the war began and increased its assistance following the 2022 invasion. Generators are one of the most vital forms of aid, since Russia often targets the electrical grids, especially in winter. “Without them, we have no heating; we cannot live without that help,” says the bishop.

ACN also provides subsistence help for priests and sisters who continue to serve even the smallest parishes, and has purchased vehicles for pastoral agents to be able to reach their communities.

“We know we can trust and count on ACN, and that is really very important for us. When we need help, we call, and ACN responds immediately. I would like to thank all of the benefactors for their prayers, for their solidarity, and for their financial support. ACN is a hand of God, helping us get through our daily life. Thank you! You are with us, and through you, God helps us.”

— Filipe d’Avillez