Home Improvement in Ukraine – Lesia’s Story
And change something she did! Not only did her relationship with her husband improve, she started to connect more with HOPE staff and learned about housing loans. With a home improvement loan, Lesia was finally able to build a bathroom with running water inside her home. She and her young family no longer have to brave the cold Ukrainian winter to use outdoor facilities!
But that’s not all! Just before Christmas, a HOPE staff member invited Lesia to her home for a meal and shared with her the true meaning of Christmas. Lesia started to attend church and after a few months of engaging with HOPE staff, she gave her life to Christ! “They taught me how to pray, I started to attend an Evangelical church. I read a lot and realized I wanted to be a Christian. I remember that day in January, when I invited Jesus to my heart. Now I attend the church and the small group. We also have mentorship meetings with the loan officer”.
As a new believer, Lesia saw the impact of the pandemic on her community and, with the support of her HOPE mentorship group, ran for election for a volunteer position with a local village council that allows her to help her neighbors in need. She also started an evangelical culinary club for children ages 6 to 12 and dreams of starting her own agriculture business in the future.
“I knew and could do a lot of things before I started to work with [HOPE]. However, having met the employees, I realized I wanted more! I am not afraid to raise the bar higher for myself, since God is my help in everything!” We are grateful for all of the changes Lesia has experienced through her engagement in HOPE’s programs and look forward to hearing more about the changes she is making in her community!
If you or someone you know would like to see change happen by coming alongside families like Lesia’s, please contact Matthew Baehr at mbaehr@homes4hope.org or 717-719-0313.
This story was written by Kirstin Dhlamini, Homes for Hope’s Marketing and Operations Strategist.
