Dmitriyeva, Zoya

Description

Tell about your childhood, school, family, etc.

My father was at WW II and was killed in 1945. Same year I started school. In 1957 I graduated from technical college. In 1960 I got married. My husband was a military. He died at the age of 64 of heart attack in 2002.

Where did you work? Was your work good? Were you happy with your job?

Because of my husband’s job I had to get whatever jobs I could. I worked in the areas of communications, trade, HR. I loved my jobs and my staff. Work conditions were different but ok.

Tell about your present life.

I live like many other Ukrainians expecting the war to end soon – not to wake up with these horrible air raids, not to hear sounds of bombing and shelling, not to get more news about our soldiers and civilians – both young and old having been killed. I experienced it all in my childhood in 1942-1945. I live with my youngest daughter who will be a pensioner in 4 years. Older daughter and her husband are pensioners. My younger grandson is at war – let God keep him!

Have you accepted Christ? How long have you been following the Lord?

My first acknowledgment of God was when I was 3.5. Fierce battles were taking place in the area where we lived. I remember my mother took me and my baby-sister and we ran to our neighbor’s basement. Before we reached his house, we saw the bomb exploding right before us. We had to choose another place to hide. Shortly after we got into a new hiding place the bombing happened very close so later we were not able to get out since the whole place was covered with soil. I remember my mother kept on praying out loud then, “Lord, keep my children. Rescue their lives”. And He did! Ever since I had many of such cases when the Lord rescued me. I remember my grandmother taking me to church and telling me a lot about Jesus. That was all in my childhood. In 2016 I became a member of St. Paul Church. I am very thankful to Pastor Roger and Diane for their work. I started reading the Bible and my world view changed. I know a couple of Psalms by heart. I love my brothers and sisters in church. But then the war started and I recalled terrible memories of my childhood. Jesus Christ! Protect us from our enemy, help us overcome these barbarians who came into our land to kill and destroy.

Tell about one thing your sponsor needs to know about you.

Dear Roger and Beth Rymers, I wish you good health and God’s blessings. Thank you for your prayers and help. Please, pray for our churches and our soldiers – my grandson Olexy is one of them. Pray for all Ukrainian people – those who are suffering in Ukraine and those who became refugees. We do not need much but the peace. And we believe in our victory for the Lord loves us!