My name is Natalia, and my husband, our daughter, and I came from Volchansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. We left our occupied home into the unknown of western Ukraine, a place we had never been before. Here, we have to start life anew. It’s scary, everything is uncertain, what will happen next? By a twist of fate, we ended up at a shelter associated with the Lviv Church of the Disciples of Jesus Christ.
At first, it was difficult to adapt to this new life, a new city, and the fact that we no longer had our own home. We learned that the church was launching a program called “Soul Healing.” It piqued our interest, and my husband and I decided to participate. There were lectures about God, who He is, what the church is, and why there is evil in the world if God is good. This information answered questions that had been deep within me for a long time, but I had never had the time or inclination to delve into them. Thus, I learned about God. And I also got to know God because I decided to believe in Him and follow Him. In the program, we had meetings with a counselor in the “trust room,” which helped me work through my fears, anxieties, problems, understand myself, figure out what to do, and plan for the future.
We also went on excursions around this beautiful city, attended workshops, meetings, musical evenings, and home groups. It was a packed three months that brought color back to my life and showed me the right path. I went through preparation for baptism, and my husband and I fulfilled this commandment. My life changed, and I no longer fear for my future as I did before; I know that God takes care of me.
Thank you to everyone who supports and prays for our ministry in Ukraine!
Ministry in Lviv – Eliyahu Pronin