A Babushka in Ukraine

Just before we left Canada, Ed Dickson met with friends who are originally from the city of Poltava. He asked for their prayers, since we would be near the front line in Ukraine. Little did he know about a Babushka in Kupiansk.

Babushka

His friend shared this news with her home group, all Ukrainians new to Canada, and they prayed for him. After praying, Maya’s friend Yulia asked, “Did you say they were going to the front line at Kupiansk? Because my grandmother actually lives there! She’s 88 years old. We heard she broke her leg and we’ve tried desperately, for months, to contact her but we can’t.”

As Ed was flying to Poland, his friend sent him Yulia’s request and the address of her grandmother’s house. “I don’t know if it’s possible,” he thought, “But we can try.”

When we got to the front line, we drove all day, meeting huge crowds of people who were desperate for the food and medicine we were giving out. Through the constant blasts of nearby artillery, we prayed with everyone.

We stopped at a church that was destroyed recently by a rocket. One of the deacons, who just happened to step into the church just before the missile hit. He survived, the pastor as killed.

At the end of the day, we searched for “Babushka Alexandra’s” house. And finally, we found it!

Divine Meeting

We yelled loudly from the road because the bell on the gate was clearly not working. No reply at all. We yelled for neighbors, nothing. The gate was open so we walked up to the house, knocked and yelled. Still nothing.

The door of the house was open.

We walked in and heard a very faint voice. Babushka Alexandra was laying on a bed, waiting to die. She had broken her hip. A handwritten note beside her bed read, “When I die …”

With eyes of pure shock she looked at us, two Canadian guys standing by her. She probably thought we were the angels coming to take her! We explained about her granddaughter in Canada and how we knew to look for her and she said, “My Yulia!”

After we prayed with her, she said, “I know two prayers. Our Father and a simple, God help me.” Then her eyes opened wide, she was looking right at Ed, and she said, “I just prayed that prayer yesterday!!!”

Answered Prayer

God knew she was going to pray the day before we arrived, and He set everything in motion, for the answer to her prayer, long before she even prayed.

When we get to heaven, our eyes will open wide, like Babushka Alexandra’s, when we see everything God did behind the scenes. For now, He gave us a little glimpse of His amazing artwork.

The rest of Babushka Alexandra’s story is still unfolding. Pastor Sergey is arranging doctors, caregivers and a potential “care” facility right now. That care facility is in a village south of Krivvy Rog in previously occuopied Russian territory where Carolyn Garton from Aliston, Ontario lives and works. Carolyn has been busy renovating abandoned homes to be used by seniors.

And who will be her first resident? As of news on May 6th, it will be Alexandra!

God’s eye is on the sparrow.

What are you praying for? God cares. Expect the answer to come in unexpected ways.

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