RE: “Why did you move to Ukraine?”
As an Australian woman living in Ukraine, I often get asked the question: “Why did you move to Ukraine?”
To put it simply, God called me to live here and I am compelled by His love. To both love and serve Him, and the people of Ukraine. Because Jesus is worthy that I will follow Him, no matter the cost. My life belongs to Him because He paid for it with His.
The expanded version…
To answer this question properly, I first need to tell you about my move to Europe. Four years ago, I moved to Europe in response to God's call. Through my Irish grandfather, I have European heritage and in 2018 God spoke to me about moving to Europe, to be a part of what He is doing there. So in 2019, I packed up my life in Australia, and with just one suitcase I left for the continent. Although I didn't know where I'd end up living or exactly what I'd be doing, I knew God was leading me and He would make things clear. From the outside, it looked crazy, but I had so much faith that God had called me to move. How did the faith come? I heard His voice and He confirmed it through His Word. Romans 10:17 says “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Fast forward to August 2019, a new friend invited me to visit her home in Germany and I ended up there. That’s when I met the Awakening Europe community and found a place to call home. I settled down and lived in Germany for 3 years and served on team with Awakening Europe for 2 years before God called me to attend CfaN Bootcamp in America.
Before the war began
It was in December 2021. I was at home in my apartment in Germany. It was a normal day and in a very normal moment, as I was cleaning my apartment, God spoke. He said to me very clearly; “Rachael, you will live through a war.” I stopped what I was doing and pondered His words. I didn’t know what to make of them. I didn’t ask Him any questions, but I knew it was important. So I tucked His words away in my heart and went about my day. About 6 weeks later, I saw the news and talks of Russia's possible invasion of Ukraine. Two weeks after that, the war began.
Two days after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine war began, Ben Fitzgerald, the leader of Awakening Europe, announced to our team that he would be taking a team to the Ukraine/Poland border to minister to the many Ukrainians fleeing from their country. Without a second thought in my mind, I knew I want to go and do whatever I can to help. So on the second week of the war, I joined the mission at the border of Poland/Ukraine, to minister the Gospel to the refugees and help in any way I could. By this stage, there was a huge team of people from Awakening Europe, CfaN and other ministries and churches from all around the world at the border and in Ukraine. It was a monumental operation, and truly a coming together and uniting of the body of Christ like I’ve never seen before. There is something to be said when we have a clear vision and a united mission. In this case, the mission was to preach The Gospel and a vision for Ukraine to be saved.
From the moment I arrived at the Poland/Ukraine border, I didn’t want to leave. The need was so great, and I could see how much God was moving to meet the needs. How He was is light in the darkness. How He is the living hope. How He heals, saves and redeems. When I left, I describe it as “a piece of my heart was ripped out and left behind in Ukraine.” I wanted to stay.
When I was in Ukraine, I didn’t want to leave and when I wasn’t there, I wanted to go back.
I had an opportunity to go back to Ukraine in March and again in June. The mission that Awakening Europe and CfaN joined forces to lead continued through to May 2022. By the end of May, hundreds of Christians from all around the world came to minister in Poland and Ukraine. Some of them stayed and went right into Ukraine preaching the Gospel. Braving the East Ukraine, and risking their lives to preach the Gospel near the frontlines. Of these people, I have the honour of calling friends, and I’ve heard their testimonies of God’s protection and salvation. During the trip in June, I spent time in Lviv, Kyiv and Dnipro. The team I was with connected with some local Christians and ministries, preached the Gospel and made ourselves available to be used by God. It was during this trip that God started to speak to my heart about moving to Ukraine on a longer-term basis. After coming back home to Germany, I started to intentionally pray and seek God about this, as well as seek advice from trusted leaders in my life. Little did I know what would happen within the next 12 months.
In July 2022, I was serving at The Call Back in Rotterdam, Netherlands. During this event, I had a powerful encounter with God. The Holy Spirit came upon me, and I experienced what I would describe as a baptism of the power of God and the love of God. But it was unique, in that the love that tangibly poured into my heart was specifically for Ukraine and the Russian-speaking world. There I was on the concrete floor of the stadium, shaking and weeping under the power of God. Knowing that through this encounter, He was marking for me these nations and my life would never be the same after this. God’s call to move to Ukraine and to step into full-time ministry as a missionary to this country became clear to me from that moment forward.
I left shortly after that to attend Christ for All Nations evangelism Bootcamp and by the grace of God, I graduated in November 2022. I visited my family in Australia for Christmas and in March 2023, I had the enormous privilege to be sent as a missionary to Ukraine by Awakening Europe and Awakening Church to Ukraine. I moved to Ukraine at the beginning of April, almost exactly nine months, to the day, that when that God spoke to me about moving there.
What am I doing in Ukraine?
In Ukraine, one main focus is to preach The Gospel through 1:1 evangelism, organised outreaches and trips to the hard-to-reach areas such as villages in rural Ukraine and near the frontlines. The second focus is to help train and equip others in evangelism and help raise up Christian leaders in Ukraine. The third focus is to help provide food to the poor and needy. I am connected with several churches, Christian leaders, ministries and missionaries in Ukraine, all of which are doing incredible work for God by meeting people's physical and spiritual needs. I have the opportunity to serve alongside these ministries to support the people of Ukraine so that together we can see Jesus save, heal, and redeem Ukraine one person at a time.
Hope for Ukraine
I believe that the best days for Ukraine are ahead. I have so much hope for this beautiful nation. The Ukrainian people are brave and resilient, but more than that, my hope is in Jesus - who is our Living Hope. I know He is the answer for Ukraine. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the healer and the delivered. I have followed Jesus to Ukraine, to share The Good News about Him - that He lives. And because He lives, they also can live.
Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Glory to God.