North Port Ukrainians break bread, find support in each other as they pray for loved ones back home
NORTH PORT, Fla. - At St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port food is bringing people together.
"We'd also like to get 12 cabbage rolls," said a man.
Food is also opening up conversations.
"My son just escaped through Kyiv through Romania," said Ulana Rondiak.
It's filling stomachs.
"This is the family table. This is what we have. We sit together and we pray. Food is very important," said Christina Kryzaniwsky.
And lifting spirits.
"It brings tears to my eyes because some of the people just don’t take their change. They say keep it for the soldiers," said Rondiak.
Volunteers from St. Mary's sell homemade items every Friday to raise funds for the church.
But Friday’s sale means more than it ever has as Christina Kryzaniwsky and Ulana Rondiak volunteer alongside their husbands.
READ ‘Nobody is safe’: Ukrainian-Americans in St. Pete pray for family members following Russian invasion
"It's very difficult for the people because it’s so surreal to us, we did not expect this. What is actually happening? The full bombardment, the ruining of all the cities. People are in shock," said Kryzaniwsky.
They worry about their family members back home. Ulana's son, escaped Kyiv as the bombings began.
"We called him and he had his car packed. He got in the car and started driving the back roads to the border," she said.
He made it out safely, but so many are left behind.
"We are just terrified because all of these people have just started to have a good life. Feeling a bit of freedom, finally after all these years. Because Ukraine was very poor when it got its independence when it was under the Soviet Union and then it’s all gone," stated Ulana.
More than 5,000 miles away in North Port, the support brings a bit of comfort.
"We heard some personal stories and that’s why I wanted to come out today to really help to support them and let them know we care about what’s going on in Ukraine," said Wendy Wright.