When war reached their home in Myrnograd, eastern Ukraine, the lives of 12-year-old David and his family changed forever. A boy who loved maths, astronomy, and computer games, David now lives under the constant threat of air raids and reality of displacement.
“One day, my father and I were stacking firewood in the garden,” David recalls. “We stopped to watch the sunset when we heard a plane overhead.”
“Suddenly, two missiles were fired, one exploded nearby, and the other landed just above us. My father shielded me on the ground.”
“When we stood up, a piece of metal had landed only a few metres away. That night, I couldn’t sleep for a long time.”
Searching for safety
As the front lines moved closer, David’s family made the painful decision to flee to Lviv in search of safety. Leaving behind their home, friends and community, they arrived with few belongings.
The journey was long and uncertain, but they were met with kindness and compassion from people who understood their loss and fear.
With the support of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, David now studies online while his family receives accommodation, healthcare and counselling support. The experience has not dimmed his curiosity or determination to learn.
Dreaming of peace
Despite the hardship, he dreams of a peaceful future where he can use his education to help rebuild his country and care for others. Through the One Proposal project, more than 144,000 refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine, like David, have received vital assistance.
Thanks to donations to our Emergency Action Fund, since 2021 we have provided emergency assistance to more than 820,000 women, men and children in 12 countries affected by conflict, natural disasters and displacement.
For families like David’s, your generosity can provide safety, shelter and the stability to continue their education and rewrite their futures.
This story comes from Reflections Summer 2026.
Contents include:
- A future takes flight in Thailand
- Honouring dignity in Cambodia
- Healing with heart in Timor-Leste
- Finding safety and hope in the midst of war, Ukraine
- Lighting the way through education in Myanmar
- Fr Bob’s Fifty Years in Hazaribag
