“The 24th of February (2022) I woke up because of the sound of explosions,” he said. “I ran to our balcony and I saw light on the horizon, it was bombing. We were living in Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine with 2 million people. We were [there for] 10 days after the war started. We decided to go to a rural area because it was much more peaceful. We were there in a little village. Then we decided to go abroad in Hungary.”

On Sunday, Bohmaz told his story after a service at Nora Unitarian Universalist Church in Hanska. He attended the service with his son, Pavlo Jr. His wife Yevhenia was unable to attend as she fell ill.

Besides welcoming the refugee family, the service was also special because the church last convened in June, taking the rest of June, July, and August off. During this time off, the Bohomaz family moved into the church’s parsonage home. The parsonage is usually home to the church minister, but Nora Unitarian Universalist has not had a minister since 2021. To officially welcome the family to the community, program director Jeanie Hinsman led the church in a prepared statement.

“We, the members of Nora Church, welcome you to this safe haven,” the church said in unison. “We offer our friendship and support as you build new lives. May peace, compassion, and strength, be the blessings of new friendships. We stand by your side.”

The Nora Unitarian Universalist Church parsonage house had been empty since 2021 before Pavlo Bohomaz came in June of 2023. Hinsman said the biggest challenge preparing for the family was redecorating and doing some minor remodeling on the home.

The family speaks English, with Pavlo Jr. learning English as a second language at Jefferson Elementary in New Ulm. They originate from Kharkiv, one of the largest cities in Ukraine.

As Pavlo moved his family across Ukraine and into Hungary, church program director Jeanie Hinsman heard on the radio in October 2022 Ukrainian families were looking for sponsors. With an empty parsonage house and an idea to put faith into action, Hinsman looked at making it a reality through the Alight humanitarian organization.

“We set up a Zoom meeting with one of the recruiters from Alight [in November],” she said. “We took it to the church board [in December] and they approved the idea. We had to have a $5,000 pledge. We were able to get that mostly from church members, but also from people in the community who heard about this and wanted to help. That was very advantageous to us. And then in February, we made the match with this family.”

Though the match was made then, the family’s movement made acquiring travel documents difficult. Pavlo was able to come over on June 12, while his wife and son could not come until July. Pavlo Bohomaz said, while the wait was hard, the community of Hanska has lifted his spirits. “I was not in good condition because I was separated from my family and my child,” he said.

“I was so happy when they arrived at St. Paul airport. This church society, I didn’t know any of them. And now I have lots of friends. They do all kinds of support in helping the process for us, it’s nice. It’s really important for us. When you feel and see all of these things, you continue believing in humanity and kindness.”

The family is currently on a two-year visa and is looking to make the most of their time. Pavlo is currently working on getting his CDL license to become a commercial truck driver. Yevhenia is looking for a job as a programmer. Pavlo Jr. is enjoying the new experiences of an American elementary school. He wants to be a professional soccer or basketball player when he grows up.