Olshanetskaya, Alina

Опис

Tell about your childhood, school, family, etc.

Poverty. My mother was bedbound. Soon my father died. I was raised in the orphanage till I turned 10. I realized if I worked hard I would success something in life. So I was taking part in all possible after-school activities, mostly those connected to sports. In Kyiv I graduated from the University of Sports. I took part in many sport contests.

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

I worked at the sport school for 20 years as a fencing teacher. Work conditions were different, sometimes stressful. But all the negative sides of my work were “covered” by victories of my students. Then I got sick and veins on my both legs were operated. The surgery did not go well, so I was offered a disability status. But how could I, the best school teacher, agree to quit my job?! So the following 10 years I worked as a PA teacher at a school in Kyiv. For 2 years I was a secretary in a Counsil of WW II Veterans in our district. Then I entered the University for Elderly People. I was one of the best students and was rewarded with the tour around Europe. For 24 years I was in choir for WW II veterans. I also dance in the recreation club for elderly people.

Tell about your present life.

Many years ago Katerina invited me to the church. I remember our trips to Gorenichy. I helped Katerina to calculate our church’s offerings and was very active in our church choir. Life was so active then. Now I am aging quickly. High blood pressure, losing hearing, bad legs. Though I can hardly hear the sermon I keep on coming to church. There I pray as much as I can. At home I read a printed Bible lesson. The Lord has been teaching me to love. It is hard when you have to deal with an evil person. I have always been surrounded by good people.

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

I do. I have been with Christ since I was in school. God has been with me when I was working, resting, staying in hospital. I remember right after my surgery I heard a song on radio called “Everything will be Good”. I knew it was God telling me those words.

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

The war. My former students live in different countries. So those living in the US invited me in. I could not sit still and do nothing. So I organized the work of local volunteers to help UA army. I spoke on local TV and in local churches and people responded. I would like to say to my MMK sponsors that I was amazed at kindness and openness of American people. Very soon we started sending help to Ukraine. So far we have sent the aid twice. First time we sent 16 suitcase, 22 kilos each with military and medical  equipment for soldiers in the front line and the second time we sent 40 suitcases of 22 kilos each. We even managed to send special glasses for military dogs. I am very thankful to God for helping us to collect these things, to pack and send them. Later when the soldiers received our aid they sent pictures and thanked people from the local community.