From Death to Life: Ukraine Story of Repentance

“In September, I was walking with a friend in the city center and we saw a beautiful poster that turned out to be for the Bible Study for the Non-Religious. I took a picture of it and then forgot about it. But my friend started going and invited me.

I remember the first time I went, I didn’t understand any of it - it was like people were speaking a different language. But I kept going. In the beginning it was just meeting up with people to talk about the Bible because it’s interesting. But later something changed. A deeper meaning appeared for me in these studies. The Bible ceased to be only words and the study started to feel different.

Recently, our Bible Study for the non-Religious group went on a retreat. The first day was the hardest for me. I had so many bad thoughts and questions. I walked out during the beginning of the first sermon because I couldn’t hold back the tears from these thoughts.

I was crying in my room when Ariel found me. I said that I don’t feel alive and I don’t know what to do about it. I remember she also started to cry and said, ‘Dante, I feel how much Jesus loves you. I see how much He wants to get to know you and how He is waiting for you.’

It was then that I made a decision that I had been putting off for a long time. 

In the evening of the second day, everything around suddenly became silent - I did not hear any music or voices around me, I only cried and felt how happiness, peace, and love overflowed into me. At that moment I felt alive.

Opening my eyes, I realized I was sure of my choice, and accepted Jesus into my heart.” - Dante, Ivano-Frankivsk

Dante chats with a member of the Steiger Team.

God has been moving in incredible ways throughout our teams in Ukraine. He has not only protected them throughout the war, but worked through them to bring so many of those walking in darkness into the light. It is always humbling to see young people who have just made a decision to follow Jesus, giving everything they have to help others find Him too.

That’s what Dante’s doing. Just the other day, young people she was sharing Jesus with threatened to beat her if she wouldn’t stop. And still she continued! We are positive God is moving through her courage. 

Please pray that God would continue to protect our teams in Ukraine and use them to reach those who would never step foot in the Church.