Anna and her Family
5.24.2023

As a young girl, Anna studied at Kyiv University but always dreamed of living in her hometown of Kramatorsk. She shares, “I knew I would want to have my family in my hometown.” So, after I returned home, I started doing what I love the most – working as a manicurist. It was there that I met my future husband, Misha. We got married and started our family business – a salon where he worked as a masseur.”
The couple had two children, Emilia and Yan, and were so happy! They had a special tradition on Saturdays. Anna would go with the kids to the pool, and then they would all go to their favorite pizza place where Misha would already be waiting for them with a huge smile and pizza on the table.
However, their happy life changed in February 2023. Their hometown turned out to be close to the frontlines and endured regular shelling. So, like many other families, they decided to flee to a safer area in western Ukraine. Misha couldn’t leave the country because he could be drafted into the war. Anna didn’t want to leave him alone and go into the unknown with her two little ones. So, they stayed together in western Ukraine.
Misha hasn’t been drafted yet, and was able to find a job at an instrument-making factory. Anna is trying to set up her manicure business. But they still struggle to pay the rent and get everything their children need. Yan will go to 2nd grade at school next year, so they are trying to save up to buy him all he would need.
Upon arriving in the Zakarpattia region, Anna felt the need to look for God, and the only place she could think of was an Orthodox church. However, she was very frustrated that she needed to pay to light a candle there, and gave up her idea to find the right church.
To her surprise, School Without Walls leaders who came to visit them the other day told her about a different kind of church, a Christian church where she wouldn’t need to light a candle. She became curious, and wanted to go there. She was also very grateful for the Bibles, both children’s and a full Bible for herself and her husband, and the abundance of food that they needed.
School Without Walls leaders left happy having had the opportunity to bless that family and share God’s love with them.