Stefan Melnyk and Marcin Nadolski, volunteers of the Olsztyn Greek Catholic Church, talk about helping victims of the war in Ukraine in an interview with Marta Czajka.
Marta Czajka: You are involved in helping the victims of the war in Ukraine. How long have you been helping and how did it start?
Stefan Melnyk: The war broke out on February 24, and the very next day I was at the border to pick up my cousin, who was supposed to be there waiting for me, and it turned out that the queues were so big that she only arrived at the border crossing after three days. I happened to be wearing a firefighter's sweatshirt (editor’s note: Stefan is a firefighter in the Tuławki volunteer fire brigade), so I helped for those three days on the ground and saw what was going on as people brought in donations. But most of all, I was shocked by the view on the other side. It looked like some kind of ghetto - people standing behind a net and unable to move to a safe area...
Marcin Nadolski: I, too, practically from the first days of the war, together with fellow policemen, joined actions organized by the IPA (editor’s note: International Police Association). They got together, organized transport and we went to the border - as did Stefan - precisely to get those women who were fleeing to Poland. On the occasion of collecting donations from the Greek Catholic Church in Olsztyn, I met Stefan, and that's how our friendship and joint trips began. At such a difficult time, in the face of such tragedy and misfortune, I met wonderful people with whom I can now continue to help.
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So your story confirms the old saying that a friend in need is a friend indeed. You've been helping continuously since the beginning of the war - it's been over three years now. Tell us, what is the situation like: is this help still needed? And has the nature of the help changed significantly?
Marcin: Help is definitely still needed, and that is indisputable. The nature of the help has, of course, changed.
Stefan: First of all, we no longer go to the border, because those situations are over.
Marcin: Yes, Stefan and I have divided our efforts and currently we go to two different places to make our help as effective and rational as possible. I, together with Jacek Staruch — our friend whose contribution to providing aid is huge — go to Caritas in Berezhany, located between Lviv and Ternopil. They take care of refugees there who have lost their homes and are fleeing from the east due to the Russian army’s advance. We help them in Berezhany by delivering food products, personal hygiene items, and cleaning supplies. The local Caritas helps everyone regardless of their faith. They are also very involved in helping children, especially those whose fathers have died on the front lines. In fact, if you visit their Facebook page, you can immediately see how they operate, how much they do, who they help, and how much of that aid really reaches those in need. This is important for us too, because we know they are a reliable partner..
Stefan: As for me, I go to Ukraine together with my brother-in-law, Roman Bronowski. Right at the beginning, we met Volodymyr, who is a volunteer like us, but on the Ukrainian side. He has good contacts with the chaplain priests from the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul in Lviv, who go to the front lines, see what’s happening there, and deliver aid to soldiers and medics. They also help firefighters. It was through them that we got to know the firefighters, who guided us and showed what they need most.
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And today you deliver things like fire extinguishers to them, right?
Stefan: Yes. We were the ones who suggested bringing them fire extinguishers. At first, they didn’t even realize how much they would need them. But they quickly saw that it made sense — because when, for example, cars start to catch fire, at first there’s nothing to put the fire out with: no running water, no pumps, no tanks like in normal conditions. Our other focus is the children’s home in Boryslav. We had helped another orphanage before, but their situation was a bit better, so we found this one where no one had yet brought aid, and since then we have visited them with help six times.
How many children live in the mentioned orphanage?
Stefan: The orphanage in Boryslav has the status of a temporary home. When we first arrived there, there were 14 children, then 12, 10, and now only six remain, because the government doesn’t really take care of this home, which has this “temporary” status. Additionally, due to a change in the law, the authorities want to shut down the orphanage. The current director is fighting hard to save the place, but the future is uncertain.During our last visit, the oldest ward had her prom night. She invited Volodymyr and me to dance with her — like fathers at their daughter’s prom…
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What you’re saying is very moving… It’s clear that you’re working intensively on several fronts, but because of that, you surely need substantial resources. Who is helping you?
Stefan: First and foremost, we organize collections at the Greek Catholic parish of the Protection of the Mother of God in Olsztyn and deliver to Ukraine whatever people donate to us. A huge help comes from the funds provided by the Secretariat for Foreign Missions of the Priests of the Sacred Heart from Poland and Germany (editor’s note: in total, since the beginning of 2025, this has amounted to over 200,000 PLN). Thanks to this money, we can purchase specific food items, personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies, as well as medicines. From this fund, we also buy fire extinguishers and fuel for our trips.
Since we’re on the subject of fuel — part of our cooperation involves you using the Missio Cordis Foundation’s van during your aid trips to Ukraine. Because we didn’t have the possibility to deliver aid directly ourselves, along with financial support, we also offered to lend this large vehicle. We’re glad that thanks to you, the van isn’t just sitting in the garage but is being used for an important cause.
Marcin: I want to say that this Sacred Heart van is constantly on the move. For Jacek and me, it’s a huge support because renting such a vehicle would be very expensive. I don’t think we would be able to organize such large transports without it.
Stefan: Right from the start, I knew that over time it would be difficult to secure a bus for the trips. That’s why I immediately bought my own car. So far, it has covered a total of 110,000 kilometers — to Ukraine and back — over these more than three years. Almost a year ago, the Sacred Heart van also joined our convoy. We also have a friend who, if needed, lends us his vehicle free of charge. And every time, until the very last moment, we don’t know whether this time we’ll take one bus, two, or maybe three. But it always works out. We have peace of mind knowing that these vehicles are available and we can use them.
Marcin: I’d also like to add that your vehicle is great, very comfortable for such a long journey. We truly appreciate being able to use it.
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Over the years, you’ve definitely built a vast network to help the victims of the war in Ukraine. Does it cover only Olsztyn, or does it extend further?
Stefan: It stretches from Gdańsk through Olsztyn to Warsaw, and even beyond Poland’s borders. Most of the people we work with have been with us for a long time.
Marcin: Since our aid has been going on for so long, I’m not sure if this is the right term, but our “brand” has kind of established itself. We have wonderful people who, as soon as we say we’re going, simply give us money — and often these amounts aren’t small. There are also organizations like yours. Often, two weeks before a trip, we don’t have anything yet; only then do we start collecting, and it turns out we might need another bus because the public response is so big.
Stefan: A surge right before the departure.
Marcin: Exactly. I remember one situation when a priest — a Greek Catholic who cooks for soldiers at the front — asked for dishes, especially pots — they didn’t have to be new. So, we ran a campaign on Facebook. The response was amazing. A woman from Norway simply ordered a whole set, and new pots arrived at my address. We don’t even know each other personally — only through Facebook. And there are many such situations. We have people who, when we need medicine, buy it themselves and bring it. We all see the situation. People are tired. Often, especially online, there’s a lot of hate. But on the other hand, we experience solidarity and support from people we don’t even know.
Stefan: Here I also have to praise the Food Bank in Olsztyn, which has been cooperating with us practically from the very beginning.
And how is your aid received over there, in Ukraine?
Marcin: Oh, if I may, Stefan...
Stefan: Yes, yes.
Marcin: The priest who runs Caritas in Berezhany once told us: “Listen, we really appreciate what you bring us. It’s truly important to us, but the most important thing is that you remember us, that you actually come here. That means the most to us.” The residents of Berezhany also notice the help and, following our example, are starting to help more and more themselves — especially the local entrepreneurs. So it’s not just us supporting them, but this effort is growing, and people on the ground see that since volunteers are coming, they should also do something themselves.
Stefan: I get videos from firefighters in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv who receive the fire extinguishers and are very grateful. Once, a colonel even came specially to Lviv to meet us and thank us. Besides that, it’s impossible to describe the reaction of the children when we arrive at the orphanage. They just throw themselves around our necks, and the emotions are so strong that... well, the emotions are always huge.
Marcin: There’s a volunteer in Lviv named Lesia, to whom we leave gluten-free purees. She then distributes them to children who need this special food. These are children with cerebral palsy, often very ill. Their caregivers post thanks on Facebook. When you read those comments, it really chokes you up. It’s worth helping because the aid reaches specific places and people who truly need it.
Stefan: We also have two volunteers in Hamburg who collect various items, often large ones, and bring them to us in Olsztyn so we can deliver them to Ukraine.
Marcin: I’m glad you mentioned that, Stefan. Those girls once found out about an empty building — I think it was an office or a clinic. In any case, they were allowed to take whatever they wanted from that old building. From the donated washing machines — mostly used, but also some new ones we bought at the priest’s request — a community laundry was set up in Berezhany that everyone can use.
You talk about providing aid, your involvement, and meetings with the people you help. But what does it look like from your perspective? Do you feel fear? Are these trips safe? Do you wonder how much longer you’ll be able to continue?
Stefan: I’ll put it this way… This was my 31st trip (editor’s note: it took place from June 27 to 29, 2025) and in terms of safety, it was the worst because we happened to be there during a period of intense attacks on Ukraine. While staying in Lviv, I went to a shelter for the first time, where there were many people. That day, several Russian Shahed drones (editor’s note: Iranian drones used by the Russian military in Ukraine) were shot down over Lviv. Fortunately, nothing happened in the city itself. But this trip will probably stay in my mind for a long time… My children always want me to at least write something — that I’m already somewhere near my destination, that I’ve arrived. They always just say: “Dad, deliver and come back safely as soon as possible.” And that’s what I try to do — so far, I’ve managed.
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Marcin: It’s also true that by giving something of ourselves, we receive a lot in return. Of course, every trip requires a lot of effort and comes with fatigue. On Friday morning it gets intense — we finish loading the vehicles, sometimes we have to rearrange and repack to fit everything, and refuel. Then we drive practically all night. Crossing the border is always uncertain — will it take one hour or five? Stefan once set a record — he waited for about seven hours. We don’t sleep at all during the night, but we keep going — it’s a huge effort. If we leave Friday morning, our first stop is in Lviv around 7 or 8 a.m. on Saturday. We unload some things, then arrive in Berezhany around noon. On site, we unload the vehicles, eat, sleep, and on Sunday we return to Poland — another full day of driving. On one hand, it’s exhausting, but on the other hand, it’s a great joy because we know it makes sense. I remember at the start of the war when we brought people from the border. We crossed into Ukraine, and there were many women and elderly people begging us to take them. We couldn’t help everyone — the buses have their limits. Still, we took more than we should have, because at that time no one was counting. I remember one elderly couple. In their eyes, I saw pure, simple gratitude. And that was enough.
Gentlemen, thank you very much for this truly moving conversation and the testimony of your love for others. It just came to me at the end that you fully embody the motto of the Jubilee Year and are true witnesses of hope, because you give hope to those who need it most.
Marcin: Finally, we want to once again thank everyone who supports us, helps, gives money, cars, and donations. We can’t name everyone individually. Some people even asked, “Marcin, don’t mention me in the thanks, I do this simply because I want to help.”
Stefan: Yes, we really thank everyone who supports us. We are only couriers — without them these trips wouldn’t really make sense. Thank you.
Thank you for the conversation.
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