Aleks talks about distributing the seeds. Why would he take such a risk?
‘You have pain and passion, that’s why you have to take action’
We are in Ukraine, we see the needs around us and are inspired to take action. It makes sense to us. But you, you are in a peaceful country, without hearing the sirens and shelling and yet you somehow find passion to help us.
You can’t keep waiting
To me, the work we do together is like what Jesus preached. He said that he did not come to be served, but to serve. This compassion is how Jesus inspires us. To me, this means that we do not wait indoors until people come to visit us. If we stay indoors, we are like a pastor I once gave seeds and flour to distribute. I called him some time later to ask whether he needed more. But he answered that he still had almost everything, because people did not come to ask for it. We should go out and actively search for people in need. When we visit the villages people really appreciate the seeds and potatoes they receive.
Who are we helping?
Some of those people don’t have jobs, they relocated and are refugees. When they left occupied territories, they searched for safe villages to stay, where they have connections. Because the war effect our economy, jobs are hard to find. Some of our farming lands are abandoned, destroyed or unsafe to use. The people I speak with are in need of something to sustain themselves, and are looking forward to plant something and enjoy their home grown vegetables.
We don’t hesitate to take risks
Distributing these seeds is not without danger, but living in a country at war is not safe in general. We are careful and try not to stand out to much. Sometimes we come quite close to the frontline, we can hear the sounds. However, our team is not hesitating. People that would be hesitant to take these kinds of risks, already relocated away from this part of Ukraine. When you hear about the bombing, the violence that takes place, you cannot ignore it. You have pain and passion and this makes you want to take action.