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Ukrainian Voices and the CRCNA

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Lika Roman (top left) has shared her faith with many fellow Ukrainian refugees since fleeing her home in Kyiv last February.

Lika Romanā€™s courage and commitment to sharing her faith with others have brought a silver lining to the crisis in Ukraine. 

Roman, who partners with ReFrame Ministriesā€™ Russian-language outreach, was living in Kyiv, Ukraineā€™s capital city, when it was attacked by Russian troops in February 2021. 

As Roman fled Kyiv, she said that one thought kept popping into her mind: ā€œI couldnā€™t imagine what it would be like to go through this without knowing God.ā€

That thought has helped Roman with each of her moves since that initial attack. After fleeing to Poland, she watched as young families, elderly women, and lone children arrived in the refugee camp where she was staying. Though she did not have much to offer them physically, Roman knew she had something else she could give.

Roman used most of her time and her love for people to share her own faith story, both in person and to her large following on social media.

Three Generations 

When a family of three generationsā€”a grandmother, her two daughters, and four young childrenā€”arrived at the refugee camp, they carried a familiar expression of fear and uncertainty. 

ā€œThey didnā€™t know anyone, so they were especially vulnerable to being harmed and even to sex trafficking,ā€ Roman said. ā€œThey needed everything, but the thing they needed most was Jesus.ā€

The family accepted Romanā€™s offer of prayer, and they shared that they would soon be leaving by bus to Finland. After Roman prayed with them, the family decided to commit their lives to Jesusā€”right at that moment, while sitting on their temporary mattresses at the refugee camp.

A few days later, Roman received a call from one of the women in that family. Their bus had gotten into a terrible accident on the way to Finland, but because she knew God was with her, the woman could sense Godā€™s protection.

Now in a hospital in a part of the world they didnā€™t know, the family felt scared. But Roman was able to send a pastor to pray with them again. 

ā€œIt's amazing how big the family of believers we have around the globe is,ā€ Roman said. ā€œIt's amazing to see how God is working through all these believersā€”through each and every one of us.ā€

That Large Body of Believers Includes the CRC

While Roman cherishes her opportunities to meet with people face to face, she knows she can also share her gospel messages online and reach many more people who need to hear them. 

Through ministry shares, church offerings, and individual support for ReFrameā€™s Russian-language ministry, Romanā€™s messages have reached people caught in the crosshairs of warā€”those in Ukrainian bomb shelters or in their homes during raids as well as those who have fled to nearby countries.

ā€œPraise God that these people still have their internet and their phones,ā€ Roman said. ā€œIā€™ve been able to have personal meetings, livestreams on Facebook, and opportunities to reach people who need our support, prayers, and words of hope.ā€

 

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