Woodlands man heads to Poland to provide much-needed aid to Ukrainians

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Conflict doesn’t have to be on our doorstep for us to take heart and take action. Though the Russian incursion into Ukraine may be thousands of miles away, one Woodlands resident in particular felt that his own home was being assailed, and he hopped aboard an airplane to Poland to see how he could help.

Craig Ludrick kissed his wife Nancy – who is a lead speech therapist for Conroe Independent School District – goodbye and boarded an international flight to land in Warsaw. His mission was to do whatever he could for civilians caught in the crossfire between the advancing Russian troops and the Ukraine servicemen and women repelling the invaders. With the intricacies of warring nations sharing the same border, the logistics of escape from a warzone become too entangled for a refugee to handle. Ludrick wasted no time getting to action.

When Woodlands Online was able to reach him by telephone, he was literally walking three miles from what he described as a “huge” demonstration of Poles and non-Poles alike outside the Russian embassy in Warsaw to his hotel room. The number of people at the demonstration was so massive, he stated, that the noise from the crowds could be heard for miles.

“I’ve seen lots of support, strong support, from people here, especially from Russian people who want no part of what is happening in Ukraine,” he said.

From 1988-92, Ludrick was a Russian linguist for the United States Army, a skill he put to good use during his time in the service. Upon leaving the army, he decided to use his training for another authority. “God put it in my heart to use my language skills to help others in need,” he said.

In May of that same year – 1992 – he took his first trip to Ukraine. Based on his relationships with pastors he had known stateside through his strong church service, he landed in the former Soviet-turned-independent republic to provide training for missions and missionaries. One of the pastors he worked with overseas all those years ago is his best friend today, and someone he relies on in his current sojourn to Eastern Europe.

The irony is that Craig and his family had moved to Hawaii for a business opportunity. However, according to him, “It just wasn’t for me, wasn’t in my heart. I felt that God was leading me elsewhere.” So they moved back to The Woodlands area, and two weeks later he decided to bring his pastor friend in Poland some cash due to the rumors of impending war. The day he landed in Warsaw, the invasion occurred, and he hasn’t left yet.

“I’ve rented an Airbnb for two months, and when that time is up we’ll see what’s what,” he said. “I’m committed to stay here. My first priority is to take care of these pastors by ensuring they’re provided with food, clothing, and supplies. I’m taking this opportunity to also broaden what we can do.”

Ludrick is taking an active role – and a huge risk – in his mission, as this “broadening” includes helping refugees escape Ukraine into Poland, an indomitable task.

“I learned of a Florida pastor’s daughter who was stuck at the border,” he related. “The line of refugees was literally twenty miles long; there were more than 80 buses in front of hers, and no one had moved in 26 hours. The thought of her family back statewide worrying about her was intolerable to me, so I was able to track her down, bring her across the border with me, and now she’s back home in Orlando.”

Another instance of border crisis involved a group of Egyptian students attempting to flee Ukraine into Poland. “We’re in northern Europe in a heavy winter; the weather here is nothing like back home in Texas,” he said. “These students had a 30-mile walk in the snow in their attempted border crossing. And at the end of it they still had to stand for 24 hours in the freezing weather and exposure to frostbite.”

Lurdick points out that – even with these countless thousands of refugees – only women and children are among the throngs. “Men 18-60 can’t leave, and many wouldn’t even if they could; they want to defend their homeland.” The chaos he describes is blood-chilling, as he described encountering sights such as thousands of people crammed into temporary shelters.

He describes the needs of these people as “overwhelming.” He has organized the delivery of 22 tons of food to help them, and is currently attempting to procure buses for transportation.

Despite the bleakness of his current situation, Craig Ludrick remains optimistic. “The support I see is everywhere. Practically all the stores have boxes for people to drop items in for Ukrainian relief. The number of Russians at the protest I just left was staggering. And earlier today I had to ask a Polish resident directions to a bank. I spoke just enough Polish – and he spoke just enough Russian – that I hoped I was able to get across my question. He pointed at my car and then managed to convey to me that he wanted to buy me a hot meal. When I looked at the car I had just gotten out of, I realized that he was pointing at the Ukrainian license plate. He thought I was a Ukrainian, and his first and only reaction was to nourish me. And that’s just one indication of how much the Polish people want to help.”

For those wishing to support Craig Ludrick in his efforts, he encourages people to find him on Facebook (“I’m the only one on there with my name”), or visit the website of his organization Church Leadership Development International at www.cldi.org.