Iryna Chyuko
About Me:
My name is Iryna Chyuko
I am single and here in Australia by myself
My Mum and Dad were left behind in Ukraine, as there was only one seat in the car to evacuate and they sent me away
I am in Melbourne and am staying with people who gave me a room for three months
I volunteer with Evolve Help Ukraine full time. I organise accommodation and respond to all requests for help in Ukranian language
I speak Russian, English and a bit of Mandarin
My Story:
Hello, dear brothers and sisters!
My name is Iryna. Two years ago I returned to my hometown Melitopol after evacuation from Wuhan, China at 2020, where I’ve been serving as missionary and studying at the university. In Melitopol I also volunteered at the Mariam Charitable Foundation and organized social projects.
Occupation troops with “Z” symbol entered my hometown Melitopol at 25th of February. Unfortunately, everything happened very quickly and we did not have time to assemble territory defense security forces and to defend our right to be independent. The Russian military troops immediately “settled down” in our beautiful city. “We have come to free you,” they said. But when we did not want to accept the "Russian peace" imposed on us and began to go out without weapons but with Ukrainian flags on the streets to show our protest, defending our right to be on our land, they began to organize real terror.
On the very first day, a military airfield which is situated just 1.5 km away from my house, was bombed. To prevent people from fleeing the city, the railway lines were cut off, and the bridge which was the one way to get to the territory of independent Ukraine, was blown up. It was impossible to leave the city.
Meanwhile the situation in Melitopol began to get worse greatly day after day. Our city suffered from humanitarian crisis. There was a lack of food and medicine; looting, kidnapping of people with a pro-Ukrainian position (including the pastor of our church) had place. Since the beginning of the war, I have been at protests, at one of which I was even beaten a little, but God miraculously saved me. I also helped a well-known local activist (later she was abducted right in the middle of a rally) to translate news about the situation in the city for foreign media into English.
Some people tried to leave the city in their cars, by roundabout ways through the villages, through Russian checkpoints. I had no way to leave the city - none of my acquaintances and friends had a place for me at their vehicles. We prayed and asked God to open the way. The next day, late in the evening, a friend called me - he gave me his place in the car, I had to leave at 6 a.m. next morning. It was a great miracle for me and a testimony of God's glory, His answer. We miraculously left the occupied territory, although cars at Russian checkpoints were shelled before us.
Passing through Lviv and when it already seemed that we were safe - right next to us, on both sides of the road and the gas station where we were waiting for the bus, rocket attacks began, which caused a fire. So, with difficulties, almost without resources, but with God's help and the support of caring people, I got out of Ukraine.
I’m sincerely thankful to everyone who feels the pain of Ukraine and our people. I’m sincerely thankful to every person for support with prayers, warm words and finances.
May God bless you and your families a hundredfold. ❤
Iryna Chyuko