By Mina Podgaisky, CBF field personnel
I met Hailey several years ago. She is the older daughter of one of our ministry partners. She is a young, married lady. We became closer when she was close to nine months pregnant and had to flee the bombing in Kyiv and immigrate to Romania to deliver her first baby. By law, during a war, Ukrainian men from the age of 18 -60 cannot leave the country. Her young husband could not leave, so she went alone. She did not speak the Romanian language or know anyone in the country. A few weeks after the delivery she decided she needed to return to Kyiv and be with her husband.
The next time we saw her was when her husband suffered burns on both of his legs while at work. We were in Kyiv last fall and met the first Romanian-born daughter for the first time. Thanks to the CBF Relief Fund we were able to help them with some funds while her husband recuperated. Hailey was then, pregnant again.
In September we took a trip to Germany and visited Hailey, her now-healed husband, her young daughter and Hailey’s parents and two sisters. Germany was their new home. It was a great reunion. We learned that Hailey was expecting twins! We spent two days of hours filled with stories of survival, fear, separation, uncertainty, hurt, loss and lots of pain. We also spent days filled with validation, empathy, hugs, tears and shared meals with many cups of tea. There was so much to process. So many memories of “the good old times” and the really bad times.
The last evening was filled with thanksgivings from each family member. There were many stories and examples of how God was present even during extremely hard situations. So much gratitude for saved lives, for welcoming European countries, for reunions, for CBF support when it was needed the most, for friends and Christian family, for seats at the table for more people, for God and his faithfulness…for God’s plan for our individual lives.
In the end, Hailey’s husband, Tima, prayed a thanksgiving prayer…some of his words included “Thank you for sending this couple (Gennady and Mina) to us, thank you for how you answered my heart prayers through them. Thank you for how they helped me see the answers to my questions about You, the church, and true Christianity. Thank you for the healing of our conversations, and for being faithful through them” Amen.