3 Mercer County Residents Aid Ukrainian Refugees In Poland

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — Three Mercer County residents recently traveled to Rzeszów, Poland, on the Ukrainian border to help people fleeing the country in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

Dharmik Sheth, Ravi Patni and Darshan Patel of Robbinsville are members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha temple. They joined the temple's camp in Rzeszów to aid international students and others fleeing the war. Another New Jersey resident, Bhagwatprasad Patel of Edison, also joined the group.

Sheth was raised in New Jersey and said he received a group text in which his friends discussed ways to help refugees in Ukraine. He was moved to action after watching the situation unfold on television.

“I was brought up in New Jersey, rooted within the Hindu community. The value of selfless service is very important,” Sheth said. “With values that we've learned through our faith and as Americans, I wanted to do whatever I could to support those impacted by the war.”

The decision to travel to Poland wasn’t easy. The pharmaceutical executive became a first-time father four months ago, and his family feared for his safety. “I have a son who was born in October. It's our first child, and my family and friends were scared for my safety,” Sheth said.

“But I had a conversation with my wife, and kudos to her and my family for acknowledging and allowing me to serve in Poland in any capacity,” Sheth said.

Sheth and others in the group bought their own plane tickets to Poland. Once there, the group joined the temple's camp in Rzeszów, which was set up to help thousands of Indian students fleeing Ukraine. They reached out to everyone they could.

“A lot of these individuals have seen a lot of things and have walked for 20 to 24 hours just to cross the border," Sheth said. "You will rarely see men between the ages of 16 to 60, because they are fighting in the war. Most of the border camps are filled with women, single moms with children, grandfathers and grandmothers.”

The temple's camp is about four hours from Warsaw. Realizing there was a broader need, the group then began providing service at border camps in Budomierz, Medyka and Korczowa.

Many Ukrainians are filled with compassion and hope even though they are affected by the war, Sheth said. "We were distributing humanitarian relief items, and a 15-year-old kept following us. He wanted to collect relief items for his grandparents. His grandfather said he was happy his grandson is safe in Poland, but he would be extremely happy if every child was safe," Sheth said. "This really tells you something about the people there. Despite everything, they are still filled with compassion, love and hope."

Sheth returned to Robbinsville on Friday. Patni and Patel were expected to return this weekend.

The nine-day trip to Poland left Sheth a changed man.

“I landed in the morning, and in the afternoon I had a doctor’s appointment with my son. I was getting frustrated, and then I remembered seeing this mother, carrying a 6-month-old baby with multiple bags and a stroller, walking for 20 to 24 hours. That eased my frustration,” Sheth said.

“The biggest thing that I learned is that selfless service is not only completing a task, but it's about opening your heart for others," he added.

To help those affected by the war in Ukraine, you can donate to Caritas, International Rescue Committee or Save the Children.

If you know other local organizations helping with relief efforts in Ukraine, please share in the comments below.

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