Ruslana’s Story

Our team first met Ruslana* at a Zhytomyr trade school. Lena Voznyuk reached out to her and she began sharing about the wounds in her past. Like many of our youth, little Ruslana was “thrown away” by her family.

When Ruslana and her twin brother were born, their mother was very young. She became an alcoholic, leaving her small children alone while she went out. The three-year-old twins were removed to a temporary home, and were about to be installed in an orphanage.

Instead, their grandmother “rescued” them. But she only provided the bare necessities, without any love or attention. Ruslana left home as a teenager, traumatized by years of neglect.

She graduated from trade school in 2016 – a scary moment for orphanage grads. Now she urgently needs housing, employment, and money to buy food. But she seeks attention in empty places; she’s especially vulnerable to predatory guys.

Sometimes Ruslana’s ready to accept help and hear about God’s love and grace. But then she’ll disappear and won’t pick up her phone. Later she’ll call, either happily in love with someone new, or brokenhearted over a breakup. We take small steps to build trust again and again.

When she meets with Lena, they often cry together. Through tears Ruslana describes how lonely she feels.

Lena and our Last Bell community will continue welcoming and mentoring Ruslana. Please pray for trust and healing. We love Ruslana, but how much more tremendously she’s loved by God! We believe she can survive her hurtful past and learn to thrive, but she needs our compassionate Father’s intervention in her wounded heart.

Thank you for praying that Ruslana and all our youth will have “the peace that passes understanding”!

*We’ve changed Ruslana’s name to protect her privacy.