16/06/2022
On the borderline with Vili Costescu
Newbold alumnus Pastor Vili Costescu says there are no boundaries to what God can do when it comes to helping people in their greatest times of need. He reflects on his experience on the Romanian-Ukraine borders helping people affected by the war and discusses plans to bring Ukrainian families to the United Kingdom.
Earlier in the year, I started a refugee project after seeing the crisis unfolding in Ukraine. I contacted the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) Romania to ask if they needed help. They responded by sending a list of items they needed, everyday items such as sugar, oil, and all the things you would buy from supermarkets. ADRA deliver these essentials across the border into Ukraine each day. I sent the list to my network in Romania. They were keen to help; I was surprised by their enthusiasm. I got hold of two small vans to take items such as long-shelf-life food, dried food, toiletries and children’s nappies to Ukraine. Right now, I have another van loaded with power generators that we will take to local churches, which have become the social centres of the community in the southern part of Ukraine.
We did not go into the combat zones during our time in Ukraine. Life outside those areas seems pretty normal, except for the empty supermarkets and you cannot travel easily. People tend to stay indoors, children attend school online, and everyone is trying to do their best. What amazed me was seeing how busy the Church has become; many people are turning to God and see the Church as a sanctuary. The pastors are busier than ever, serving their churches and the community. They are truly the spiritual leaders within their communities. Our churches are doing a tremendous job in the villages and small towns.
The Church in Ukraine has a large membership with many Romanian-speaking communities. Ukraine, Russia, and Moldova also belong to the same Division – it is a unique and equally strange situation from this perspective. Most people are unaware that a substantial part of Ukraine’s population consists of people of other nationalities, more than 50 per cent of the population. You have Russian-speaking people and sizeable minorities connected to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
Although the borders have changed many times over the last 200 years, the people have maintained their cultural identities. Interestingly, you will find entire villages in Romania where the people speak Ukrainian and cities and towns in Ukraine where people speak Romanian – there are many cultural crossovers. People are not only connected through nationality or language but also faith and marriage; there are mixed families. For example, you find husbands from Russia and wives from Ukraine or the other way round. So, in terms of destroying human connections, the war is a real tragedy.
The response of our members in Romania has been incredible. It is easy to forget that as Adventists, we are part of an international family with links everywhere. ADRA Romania has been very active because volunteers and church networks support it. People from all over the country gather and send aid, and our young people do shifts with ADRA at the borders, meeting people as they enter the country.
Every church in Romania is an ADRA centre. They have created an excellent system for receiving and distributing aid and receiving people. They also work with other humanitarian organisations and network with different institutions, so as soon as people cross the border, they are already waiting to accommodate them. Ukrainians who wish to go to specific areas of Romania receive support when they reach their destinations.
From the outset, my purpose has always been to create a link between Ukrainian refugees and British families. The British government set up a scheme earlier in the year, but it was not clear how it would work, so my purpose was to find a way to get refugees into the United Kingdom (UK). We have families here in the UK keen to welcome Ukrainian refugees into their homes. We had a situation where one of my church members wrote to her MP (Member of Parliament) to pressure the Home Office to sort out visa applications for a family waiting to come to the UK. She was successful! The whole church is ready and waiting to receive the family. I am humbled by what I have seen.
I saw Adventists and non-Adventist refugees worshipping together at the centre I visited in Romania. Everyone took part in morning devotions and church service on Sabbaths. The people I am bringing over to the UK are like that, they are aware of what we stand for as Seventh-day Adventists, and they are happy to stay in the homes of our members. I am working with the host families here in Britain not only to provide shelter but be a witness to them too.
Unlike most people in Britain, Ukrainians have seen conflict within their borders before. Being part of the Warsaw Pact, people still feel traumatised and have had to endure much. However, they are resilient and very patriotic and will survive; it is in their DNA. Those who have moved to neighbouring countries believe they will return home no matter what. Many received invitations to come to the UK but changed their minds. It is incredible.
People ask me about their needs, likes and dislikes, and how to accommodate them when they arrive in the UK. My response is, like many of us, Ukrainians just want to live life, get jobs, do something, help others, and get involved, even within our churches. I advise my church members to let them be and be patient with them; they will adapt and do so quickly. So, what they need most are acceptance, direction, and hope.
Regarding communication, it is very heart-warming to see how we can communicate with each other these days. Most Ukrainians do not speak English, but you can use your mobile phone to communicate. I use Google Translate to keep in touch via WhatsApp with people about to come to Britain.
Every time we go through these types of situations, I see glimpses of humanity and Christianity in the hearts and minds of ordinary people. You see people sharing whatever they have, and you see gratitude in those who are being accepted and embraced – it is of God. Humanity can come together to live in a way God intended. We can come together in difficult situations; for me, that’s the greatest win in the world.
I am happy to say that whenever I pray with my colleagues, we do not pray only for Ukrainian people; we pray for Russian people too. We have seen that Christianity works, and it is something on which we can still rely. We see biblical principles at work in times of crisis, and God is opening doors. It is crucial to do whatever we can to help, no matter how little, because it will impact people’s lives in ways we cannot imagine.
