Julia, the young Ukrainian woman welcomed at Casa Arrupe for two years
“Hosting pilgrims”… At the Arrupe Institute in Palermo, Julia was welcomed. The interview by Serena Termini on Il Mediterraneo24
(by Serena Termini)
With a sweet smile, enhanced by her bright eyes, Julia welcomes me to Casa Arrupe. For the past two years, in fact, the young 28-year-old Ukrainian woman, who fled her country still at war, has been welcomed together with her children Kira and Arsen, in the House of the Pedro Arrupe Institute led by Fr. Gianni Notari.
Have you known Italy since childhood?
Coming from a very difficult family with many problems, I lived in a children’s home for 10 years. At the age of 9, they started sending me, every year for winter and summer vacations, to Palermo to be taken in by a family. They, I remember made me come back to life by giving me excitement, smiles and joy. To see them again after so long was beautiful.
In February 2022, with the outbreak of war in Ukraine what happened for you?
Me, I was living in Mohyliv Podilskyi, near Moldova. With the outbreak of war, I got a call from my sister-who had already, for some time, been living in Palermo with her family-telling me that she would help me leave Ukraine where there was only poverty and war.