Many Ukrainian women have been forced to relocate and rebuild their lives while caring for their families. Amid uncertainty, the opportunity to rest, reflect, and be reminded that God sees them is a meaningful gift for these women.
With this in mind, 67 women gathered for a retreat, from 11-14 June 2026, in Zaniemysl, a small town outside Poznan, Poland. Hosted by the Church of the Nazarene in partnership with Evangelical Poland, the event was held at Lake EPIC (Evangelical Poland Impact Center) Campgrounds. Centered on Ecclesiastes 3:11, the retreat embraced the theme, “He makes everything beautiful in its time.”
The fellowship and various activities at the gathering reminded the participants that God continues to make everything beautiful in his time. Each session was paired with a creative activity, allowing space for reflection and conversation. Many of the attendees were not Christians.
In the weeks leading up to the retreat, women from a local tea club had been offered Bibles, but only a few expressed interest. Twenty Bibles had been prepared for distribution during the final service of the retreat, but not everyone received one. Some women came running to receive a Bible, and one woman from the café asked to study the Bible with the team in the future.
At the end of the retreat, one woman stood up and through tears shared, “Ukrainian women have no time to reflect inward. Each day, many of us work two to three jobs just to support ourselves and our children. Thank you for giving us time to look inward and to see that God cares for us and that He sees us.”
The retreat team included a woman from the Czech Republic whose testimony deeply impacted many. Afterwards, several women approached her in tears, saying, “Your story is my story.”
The weekend left a lasting impact on many of the women. One participant, who at 80 years old was the oldest attendee, asked, “Why wait until next year to do this again? We can do it again in August!”
Reflecting on the retreat, one participant wrote:
“Words cannot fully convey the gratitude I feel after this retreat. It is amazing how God brought us together and gifted us this gift, love, filled with mutual understanding. We may speak different languages and live on different continents, but our souls speak one language. We are so close, so connected, we understand each other so deeply.
This retreat showed me that God does not need passports or borders. He gifted us love and full understanding.”