Alexander and Nadezhda are a couple who have lost their two sons and suffered so much pain in life that they were not able to see any hope.

Thankfully, in the deepest of their pain, CBN team reached out to them with a helping hand and through this project, they came to know the Lord. 

Alexander used to be a miner but after the mine was closed he started his own construction business – he had to care for his family with three children. The business was successful enough until one unlucky day that changed everything.

“It was a regular working day, on January 31. We had this one big customer in Donetsk where we were building a large cafeteria. I was expecting to make a substantial amount of money on that object, we only had to finish the works faster. Unfortunately, I was never able to finish it, just like my life plans… It only took a split second for me to fall down from the second floor.

Since that time I have never been able to stand on my feet. I had a spine fracture and in that one moment I became a disabled person for the rest of my life. Even the terrible physical suffering that I had to experience afterwards – the pain and staying in hospitals – could never compare to realization of the fact that I would never be able to walk again…”- Alexander shares his memories.

Later, in 1992, their 9-year-old daughter Tanya died of an asthmatic attack. Alexander’s wife Nadezhna has tried all possible measures to help the girl, taking her to all possible doctors in Ukraine, Russia and Latvia… However, all of her efforts were in vain…

“Only my other two children helped me survive after this loss. It was thanks to them that I stayed alive, – Nadezhda shares with tears. – However, unfortunately, trouble comes in threes…  Death has taken our older son too. He had just graduated from his technical school with honors and entered a university. Since my husband was disabled, our older son was our main provider. He worked in a mine and was pursuing a degree through  distant learning. It was an absurd death. He was hit by a car right next to our house. It was another, terrifying, unbelievable loss. I was thinking to myself, “Lord, how could this be happening to me?”  

Again, we had to pull ourselves together somehow and continue to live and get up in the mornings – for our younger son Dima”.

“In 2014, war came to our home town of Krasnohorivka. Our house was the first one that suffered from the war. There were three first mines that fell in our town, and one of them landed right by our house. All of the windows were broken, nothing was left. My husband Alexander told me that I should leave as soon as possible. But how could I leave him behind in his wheelchair?

Later, I was able to find some people to help be carry Alexander into a car and helped us drive to the nearby town of Mariupol. We were hoping that the war would be over in just a couple of days. Unfortunately, it has been on for the last six years…”

Dima, now the only son of Alexander and Nadezhda, joined the Ukrainian army and went to war, to protect his land from the enemy. They are very proud of their son’s choice, however,  every single day they live in fear for their son’s life, praying for him to return home alive.

Thankfully, they both have faith and hope now.  Back in 2015, they were invited to the Evangelical Church of Krasnohorivka to receive a food bag provided by CBN-Emmanuel for people in need. It was then that Nadezhda heard about Jesus and accepted Him as her personal Savior.

She realized that even in these terrible circumstances, her life goal is to live a good life and meet her children in heaven.  Nadezhda is now serving at the church by cooking hot meals for the needy people of her town.

In 2019, the family also received solid fuel for the winter from CBN-Emmanuel provided by Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.

Thanks to this physical help provided by CBN, Nadezhda found a new hope and new beginning in her life. These projects are supported by donations only and you can be a part of this big change in people’s life by donating even a small amount on a monthly basis.

Materials by Anna Chaban