Special motherhood: a journey of love and acceptance

Project: Building Resilience of War-Affected Ukrainians

When a child is born, we make plans for their future and dream about their successes and achievements. But sometimes life has its own script. Today we share the story of Hanna and her son Mykola — a story that teaches us about unconditional love and patience.

“Before Mykola’s diagnosis, I worked at a clinic and had an ordinary life,” Hanna recalls. When her son turned three and still wasn’t speaking, doctors initially suspected a speech delay. The diagnosis of autism came much later. From that moment, Hanna had to leave her job: “All my time was devoted to teaching Mykola to speak, write, read, and adapt at school.”

Finding a suitable school — and understanding from others — became a real challenge. “Unfortunately, our society is still not ready to accept special children. Even relatives sometimes cannot accept Mykola’s differences — my husband has still not accepted the diagnosis, and his grandmother talks to him as if he were little,” Hanna shares. But she insists that people speak to her son according to his age, because Mykola is a kind and sociable teenager.

The war brought new challenges. “When the bombings began, we left for Poland with the help of a Christian organization that assisted in evacuating families with children with disabilities,” Hanna says. For Mykola, it was his first train trip, but he took it calmly thanks to the care of the volunteers.

“Children like Mykola teach us many things,” Hanna smiles. “Patience, a different view of the world. Mykola has taught me that. He has his own special openness, and it’s wonderful.”

A special chapter for the family was their time in Poland, where they moved in March 2022. There, children with special needs are accepted without hesitation, supported, and given the tools to adapt to everyday life.

At a Polish special school, Mykola thrived. “The teachers looked for an individual approach, involved him in every activity, and taught practical skills. When we were leaving after two years, his whole class was sad to see Mykola go,” Hanna remembers warmly.

Returning home to Kyiv was not easy. But the lessons learned in Poland — about acceptance, patience, and possibility — now give the family hope for change in Ukraine.

A real joy for the family was getting to know the Arms of Mercy Charitable Foundation. Hanna discovered a post about a teen club on social media and decided to give it a try. “I sent in the documents thinking — what if they accept us? And they did!” she recalls with a smile.

Mykola immediately found his place in the group. “He stayed through the whole class and met other teenagers. There’s no bullying or mockery here — the kids talk, discuss different topics, and support each other,” Hanna says. The club offers workshops, table tennis, drawing, and Hama bead crafts. Every gathering ends with a shared tea, giving the teens time to chat in a relaxed atmosphere.

“Mykola has opened up so much! They even nicknamed him ‘Wikipedia’ because he knows a lot and loves to share information,” his mother says proudly. One especially touching moment was celebrating Mykola’s birthday at the club — something he asked to do with his new friends.

“You’re doing something truly good here,” she tells the Foundation’s team. “The children feel accepted just as they are. They open up, they feel free. That’s priceless.”

This family’s story is about the power of a mother’s love, the daily fight for a better future for her child, and the hope and faith that keep them going.

The ‘Arms of Mercy’ Charitable Foundation continues to create spaces where children and their families can feel accepted and understood. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to this important cause. Special thanks to our partners — World Vision, with financial support from Action Deutschland Hilft.

If you would like to be part of our friendly spaces for children and learn more, visit the project page “Building Resilience of War-Affected Ukrainians” — a place where every child can find understanding, encouragement, and new friends.