Vika’s parents moved away from Kharkov soon, as they had an invitation from Christian friends to live and work in Zaporizhzhia. They ended up living there for almost two years, until 2016. It was a great apartment for her parents, recalled Vika. They lived there rent-free, and only paid for water and gas. They were rebuilding their lives in this city. Her father worked as a part-time pastor and worked full-time in the gravestone business. Initially, only her father, mother, and brother Vova moved to Zaporizhzhia, but eventually Lena joined the family.
Vika said it was a very stressful time for her, because her parents pressured her to move to Zaporizhzhia. She wanted to be with her family, but she also really liked her university town, so Vika stayed in Kharkov. She had a church home and friends in the city; she was working at her job and studying at the university. She paid for her own apartment and for her classes at the university. Vika was determined to finish her studies.
During these years, her parents prepared all the documents to emigrate to the United States. America had a program for the children of refugees. The goal was to get these kids to America and let them spend time at summer camps, relaxing and recuperating from the stress of experiencing war. Vika’s parents prepared the necessary documents for their son Vova. Several children from Pervomaisk were offered this summer camp opportunity in the US. Vova, Vika’s brother, received his visa and left for the US in the summer of 2015. He also received an invitation to study at an American high school. Vova stayed in America for three years of high school. He received his high school diploma and returned to Ukraine in the summer of 2018.
When Vika’s parents were refused a visa to America, they accepted it as God’s will. At this point, knowing that her parents were not moving to America, Vika decided to move to Zaporizhzhia. Life would be better to be together. Vika had enjoyed her independent life in Kharkov. The move to Zaporizhzhia would be a big change for her. The city started a humanitarian aid center for refugees and Vika found work there. She started to build a life again in a new city, in a new ministry, with new work. She still thought that when things calmed down, they would all be returning to Marinka. But their hometown never became a quiet and peaceful place again.
Vika longingly said that she really wanted to get back for just a little while, to collect her documents, certificates, and diplomas. All of these things were left behind in their house. The family also had left behind all the photo albums. But a return was simply not possible. Their small town was in a war zone now, occupied by separatist forces. No one was safe, especially not a Baptist pastor’s family. As far as she knows, she said, her house is still standing, and is not damaged by bombing. Other people live in her home now. Her grandma and grandpa are living in Donetsk, which is in the war zone, in the occupied territory.
Vika lived in Zaporizhzhia for one year. She worked and served in the local church and sang in a music group which performed at weddings and special events. Vika found a new rhythm to life and started to enjoy her new city. But then her parents decided to move the family to either Western Ukraine or Poland. When she found out about these plans, she felt anger and stress. Vika reasoned with her parents that she and Lena were already doing well here in Zaporizhzhia after the trauma of war; they had jobs and were rebuilding their lives. They had friends and enjoyed the fellowship at the church. They had just started putting down roots again. The sisters argued that maybe just their parents should move, and they would stay behind. This was an exciting prospect for the girls, allowing them to live by themselves and manage their own lives. But their father was convinced that God wanted the whole family to move together, possibly to L’viv.
Vika could not imagine uprooting her life again. There were many arguments, she recalled. Everybody agreed, though, to pray about the move. Vika said that L’viv was not her father’s first choice. Igor took a trip to Poland to see if this would be a place for the family to live. He was invited to be a pastor in Poland and he visited this prospective church for several months. It was a small church that needed a lot of help. On his way back to Zaporizhzhia, Igor stopped in L’viv. Elisey Pronin, already living in L’viv by this time, suggested that Igor’s family move to L’viv and help him with a new church plant.
Vika was not excited about moving to L’viv. In Zaporizhzhia, they had a rent-free apartment for two years. Life was good. Rental space in L’viv was limited and expensive. The family agreed that the move would hinge on one condition: if her father could find only a one-bedroom apartment for rent in L’viv, the girls would stay in Zaporizhzhia; but if God provided a bigger apartment for the family, they all would move to Western Ukraine. Vika and her family prayed about the apartment situation, especially during the time when Igor was looking in L’viv for a place to rent.
One morning, Igor called from L’viv and told the family what he had found – a three-bedroom apartment. It was a turning point for Vika, accompanied with many tears, because she clearly saw the development as God’s answer to her prayers, even though it was not what she wanted to hear. The decision was made; the family was going to move together to L’viv. Vika acknowledged that “you can’t ask God for guidance and provision, and then when He clearly gives it, reject it and choose your own way.”
The family moved to L’viv in the summer of 2016. Vika still had university classes in Kharkov to attend, so she was hoping to wait to move to L’viv after her classes finished. She pointed out to her father that train tickets from L’viv to Kharkov were very expensive and a ticket from Zaporizhzhia to Kharkov would be cheaper. She proposed moving to L’viv after her lectures finished in Kharkov. But her father did not agree to this plan. He told her that she was moving now to L’viv. They would give her the money for the more expensive train trip to Kharkov. Vika and her father went back and forth about this issue several times. Reluctantly, Vika agreed. This plan did not make sense to her, because it was clearly the more expensive option. But it was God’s plan.
Her father picked her up from the train station the morning she arrived in L’viv and took her to the new apartment. Vika was not happy and she did not like the new apartment. Then they strolled around L’viv, to get to know the new city. That evening, Vika received a phone call from Olya Kiyan. Olya was working at UBTS already and told her that they needed workers at the seminary. She suggested that Vika should come for an interview the next day. Vika remorsefully recalled that just this morning she had arrived in L’viv and told God, “I don’t like it here.” By the evening of the same day, she had an invitation for a job interview. All she could say then was, “Thank you, God. Your plans are amazing. Your timing is perfect.”
Vika said she had worried about finding work in L’viv, and had expected it to be very difficult as she was a refugee from the East and spoke Russian, not Ukrainian. Getting the job as an accountant at UBTS was really a miracle, she said. God worked in amazing ways, putting her new life together like a puzzle, with all the pieces falling into place. Vika is very happy that she is working in a Christian environment. UBTS is a thriving, exciting seminary. Her work is very challenging and intellectually stimulating. She really likes living in L’viv now; she feels greatly blessed by God.
Vika is also excited about the new church plant, Disciples Church, with Pastor Elisey Pronin. She has many opportunities for ministry. She is part of the worship team and helps with outreach, summer camps, and youth ministry. The new church has a lot of energy, Vika remarked, and people are open to doing things in new ways, trying new ministries, such as offering a coffee house, showing films, and reaching people through fun events. Vika fully embraces her new life in L’viv now. She lives with her siblings in a two-bedroom apartment. She is happy and thankful.