‘God Was With Us’: Ukrainian Family With 11 Foster Kids Escapes Bunker After 42 Days Underground
Anya and her 11 foster children hid under their house after Russian forces took over their city of Berdyansk.
Only four days after the Russian invasion into Ukraine, the city of Berdyansk was overtaken. A young woman named Anya, along with her 11 foster children, hid in a bunker underneath their house. They were there for 42 days, reported CBN News.
“It was hard to live there and it was dangerous but every day we woke up and we were thankful to God that we were still alive and still able to worship Him,” Anya told CBN. The family prayed often and they had peace. “We were reading the Bible, worshiping and fasting and that’s why we had this peace with God,” she said.
Anya and her children escaped on an Orphan’s Promise bus. Orphan’s Promise has a location in the city of Berdyansk. Olga Buznitska of Orphan’s Promise said that leaving was scary. “The last checkpoint was the worst. Anya and her children were on a bus that came under fire when the Russian military began firing on the Ukrainian troops. Everyone on the bus fell to the floor, the children cried and shouted but they all miraculously survived. Now, the Russian troops have closed the city and don’t allow anyone out or humanitarian aid in.”
Anya’s children said they were not afraid in the bunker. Sergey, 18, said, “I didn’t worry, I was in peace and I was in a safe place. God was with us and was going to protect us.” Another 18-year-old, Olena, said, “I was praying to God, and I had this peace in my heart and all the kids, we united as one family, and that’s why I didn’t feel this fear.”
Orphan’s Promise took Anya and her children to Lviv, where they are staying in some offices. “We help to support people (refugees and people in other centers) with food, medicine, psychological support and the most important part of our job is to share the Gospel, to share the Good News in this time because all people are open to accepting Jesus,” said Olga.
Now Anya and her family are waiting for visas to go to Switzerland. They will wait for the war to end before returning to Berdyansk. “I’m excited for this new opportunity but also a little sad to leave my own country, my family, my city,” said Sergey. “About the war, I’m not happy,” said Olena. “But the possibility to go to different countries, I am happy because that is my dream.”
CALL TO ACTION:
Please pray for all of those affected by the war in Ukraine, that they are open to hearing the Gospel and that God protects them. LIFE Outreach International, The Stream’s parent company, is also helping those in Ukraine. For more information or to help those in need, click here.
Nancy Flory, Ph.D., is a senior editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
