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I spent a week in April volunteering for World Central Kitchen in Przemysl, Poland. While in Przemysl, I also visited the Tesco, a large shopping center that has been converted into the Humanitarian Center where refugees stay temporarily after crossing at the Medyka border crossing. There are between 400-700 beds at the Center. At Tesco, Ukrainian citizens have access to hot food, basic medical care, counseling support, veterinarians and more.
The most important service that Ukrainian citizens receive is assistance from the various "country desks" to relocate to those countries on a more permanent basis. Above each of the desks is a large flag of the respective country, a visible display they are there, on-the-ground, welcome and support Ukrainian citizens in need right now. The following countries had desks: the UK, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Israel. There is not an American desk. There is an American flag hanging on the wall directly across from the country desks with a written message in English, Polish and Ukrainian that read:
"Currently this location is NOT providing information or assistance with visas or transport to the United States. Please be cautious when given advice or offered assistance related to any United States refugee program."
This sends a terrible signal to those most in need. As a United States citizen, I was embarrassed. There were no American aid groups in the Center displaying a flag to provide a visible counterbalance to this message. One of the volunteers I worked with at WCK had volunteered at Tesco the week before, and she said that on multiple occasions when she told Ukrainians she was from America, they said America wasn't doing anything to help them, and they would point to the desks. I can't blame them.
I would like to share one more observation. Displayed all around the Center were hand-made drawings made by children that showed support to Ukraine. I heard from one of the volunteers at Tesco that some of the drawings were done by Ukrainian children while at the Center as part of the counseling service they received.
However, I couldn't confirm that was the case for all of them. Interestingly, many of the drawings had other countries' flags, such as France, Germany, Israel, UK, drawn on them with some written message of support, a very visible, tangible sign of solidarity with these Ukrainian children. I saw ONE drawing with a reference to America or an American flag. ONE. Again, I was embarrassed.
Whether these pictures were drawn by Ukrainian children in the center or children from other countries showing their support, the message from walking around the Center is very clear: the United States is missing in action and does not care. We need to change this.