My name is Dmytro Pasichnichenko, I am a Ukrainian who was born and lived in independent Ukraine. I have spent my whole life in Kharkiv, the second largest city in the country with a population of more than 1.5 million people, in a city that is only twenty miles from the border with Russia and which was one of the main targets for attack during the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine. The most brutal war in the very center of Europe, which takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, does not pity anyone, and therefore, to save the most important thing and be physically safe, many Ukrainians had to leave their native homes and seek a new destiny in different countries, and in such cases as my family– even on another continent. We left everything we had and ended up here in the USA.
War is one of the scariest things a person can face in life. Even being safe, many people who have left the places of hostilities cannot find themselves, because the deepest regret and pain from what is happening haunt them every minute. When we arrived in the USA, we were greeted insanely warmly. It is impossible to describe in words this feeling when, heading into the complete unknown, in place thousands of miles from your home, you meet people
who sincerely want to help you and this help lies in absolutely all aspects of adaptation. When you feel it directly on yourself, you begin to think about what is valuable in life. In this help that my family and I received, as well as other families like us, I saw what the word "kindness" means. I can say with confidence that most likely in no other place in the world, with a huge degree of probability, I would not have been able to feel like this. I know what a huge contribution the Fellowship Bible Church and many caring people make to good deeds and support for Ukrainians. It was an honor for me to be in the circle of such people, and sometime after my arrival, I began to attend services. For me, the church has become a special place for several reasons, I began to notice what a peaceful feeling I feel during the service, and this internal state is priceless. But more importantly, I have found a very significant answer for myself, what is happening to me and around me. I realized that the Lord wants to bring balance to my life and the life of my family. Faced with the most difficult trials in the face of a tough war and the loss of a former life on one side of the scale, the Lord gave such a miracle to the other side of the scale as an opportunity to meet exceptionally kind people, giving us a chance to build a new life. A life whose meaning lies in the ability to build relationships with people and share kindness. I am infinitely grateful for this and for everything that is happening in my life right now. I ask you to appreciate every minute of life, peace, and quiet, this is the greatest gift that has been sent to us. I also want to ask you to support Ukraine in any way you can, because peace in an independent Ukraine means that justice will prevail. Please share the kindness, because it changes everything around us for the better.
With boundless gratitude and sincerity,
Dmytro Pasichnichenko