Day 3: Demolition and Renewal

By John Ross · Ukraine, Romania

In April 2022, while 501 Collective was in Suceava, we were taken to a house in a rural area.

“I know these people who could really use some help,” we were told.

The home had become unlivable. With leaks in the roof, animal infestations, and multiple hazards, the children had to move in with relatives to a safer space while the parents went through each day ‘surviving.’

The father had a debilitating injury that left him unable to get work.

When 501 Collective shared the story and need, a couple from the Portland area funded the entire project of renovating the home. And today, we were able to start with the demolition of the home. And soon, we hope to be able furnish the home, add an indoor toilet, build a new fence, and add a well with running water.

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As we drove down the street, kids started coming out of their driveways, ladies started waving through the windows and men started walking over to see what we were up to.

Neighbors brought tools over and jumped in with helping us tear down the current property. It wasn’t an American project. It was a community project. The community was aware of the struggles this family had been facing and rather than feelings of jealousy, there were feelings of support that someone had come to help support this family.

In broken English, one of the neighbors shared, “That’s nice people, good people, good people. He’s sick. They need help.” And then the neighbors proceeded to climb on top of the roof and help us tear down the home… in preparation of great things to come.

One of the neighborhood grandmothers walked up to each lady on the team giving hugs and saying, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

More stories

Day 1: A Smile and Hello

Sometimes a smile, hello, and a mustache can make all the difference. Alec and I (John) were the first two to arrive in Bucharest. I met Alex at arrivals and we made our way to our Gate downstairs. We found a corner table at the café. Alex, rocking a fresh thick mustache spotted another thick mustache wearing guy walking by and said, “Hey, where you from?”

Meet Jack

‘We were driving around mines and dead bodies… and had to delete the photos from our phone because if the soldiers caught us with those, they’d shoot us right there. I was told at the Russian post that I’d be shot if I had any photos on my phone.’ “I am from Ukraine, from a beautiful city by the sea Mariupol. When the war began, I moved from my district to another, as they were already starting to shoot at our city. We were shelled for a very long time, we hid in a small basement. On March 13, we decided to leave the city with prayers, then there were no green corridors. We didn’t know about it, because we were cut off from the whole world, there was no light, no water, no communication. We prayed for a very long time and trusted the Lord. And we decided to leave. At the exit from Mariupol, there were mines, grenades, the corpses of the military, we only left with God’s help from there. When we arrived to a safe place, we drove for two days. The pastor of the local church received us and sheltered us. Then, through believers, we learned about this place, and came here (Emaus Center) to wait for my wife and children who are now making passports. From the very beginning of the war, I understood a lot, I didn’t pray often in my life, I wasn’t often at home, I devoted little time to my family, this is all wrong. Wherever I was, a shell could fly at any moment, but God heard my prayers, covered me and my family in His palms, and protected me all this way from Mariupol to Suceava.”

Meet Petrisor

When our team arrived in Suceava, the team was greeted at the airport by a young man named Petrisor (Peter). Maybe some of us thought it was his job to pick us up, that he possibly worked for the nonprofit we were partnering with and was paid to be a driver. But as we got to know Peter, we learned that he already had a business, and a farm, and a wife… and him greeting us at midnight and throughout the day was just some of what made Peter so special.