Torsten Lieberknecht literally opened the doors to a Ukrainian woman and her son.
“It was important for us to say: Our house is your house. You don’t need to ask if you can go to the fridge or make yourself a coffee. Please just do it,” reported the coach of the second division soccer team Darmstadt in the podcast “hr-info”.
The family of five has been living together for a little over a week now. “The interaction between us is getting better and better,” said Lieberknecht. A translation program helps with communication.
“We are a very helpful family. The war feels very close and we asked ourselves how we can help,” said Lieberknecht: “And we had the feeling that if our help is needed here at home, our door will then be open.”
The most important thing is to give the refugees the chance to tell stories. “When we notice that there is a need to talk, we listen. Sometimes you can put a smile on their face, but then you always feel the depth that both of them bring with them through their experiences,” said Lieberknecht. “There are clearly those moments when we have to be there and listen. Listening is the most important thing.”