Today marks three years since Russia attempted to invade Ukraine, launching a brutal war that has cost countless lives—both Ukrainian and Russian. I remember that day vividly, as if it were yesterday. From the very beginning, I felt a deep need to help the Ukrainian people. I decided to focus on assisting those who were fleeing the war and seeking refuge in Finland.

I shared my intention with some friends. Then, one Saturday evening, more than a month after the war had begun, I received a call from a friend. She had originally come from Novosibirsk but had moved to Finland 20 years ago with a returnee staus having husband from Inkeri.

She asked, “Have you already found any Ukrainians in need of a place to stay?”

I answered, “No, not yet.”

“Are you ready to take some in?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“When would they arrive?”

“This night,” she said.

At 2:30 AM on Sunday night, an extended family—parents, their son, and grandparents—arrived in their own car. They had fled from the devastated city of Mariupol, driving through Russian-occupied territory to Moscow, then to St. Petersburg, and finally crossing the Finnish border at Vaalimaa. It had taken four days. Their Ukrainian relatives in Finland had driven to the border to meet and assist them.

I had just enough time to prepare beds before the exhausted family arrived. The older couple, visibly shaken, bore expressions of deep fatigue and shock. Their car had clear marks from weapons and fragments of grenades—silent witnesses to the horrors they had escaped.

This family stayed with us for less than a year before moving on. After they left, we welcomed another family into our home—two sisters and a young boy.

I have to tell you, my friends, that the Ukrainian people I came to know closely were kind, well-mannered, hardworking, and considerate. They treated both their own belongings and those of others with great care. One day, when the elderly couple from the first family voluntarily cleaned our garden, I discovered that they had also tended to a part of our neighbor’s yard. Their generosity and willingness to help left a deep impression on me.

Through these experiences, I developed immense respect for the Ukrainian people. From the bottom of my heart, I hope they will have the opportunity to rebuild a prosperous and democratic Ukraine. They have all the potential, strength, and integrity needed to create a bright future.

In the picture there is our first Ukrainian family from Mariupol (without their son) with their relatives from Finland and the USA – and myself.