Amidst corruption in Ukraine, God performed a miracle in Oleksii's life
Ukrainian court. Photo Canva.com, AFP, Genya Savilov
Christian Life
God can work in miraculous ways, even amidst war and corruption. Columnist Oleksii experienced this in his own life.
At the Reformed seminary where I teach, there is a Christian online college designed for training church members who do not have the time or opportunity to complete a full seminary program.
Years ago, the first graduate of this college was a man named Oleg (57 years old), who is disabled. He lived with his elderly mother near Donetsk. Since he has had cerebral palsy (CP) since childhood, his hands don’t function, he cannot walk independently, and his speech is impaired. However, he learned to type with his feet, which allowed him to study and communicate with the outside world.
The story began right after Russia’s invasion in 2022. About three months into the war, we decided that we needed to temporarily evacuate Oleg from the Donetsk area until the situation settled. The front line was quickly approaching his settlement, and it was becoming unsafe to remain there.
At that time, all the media and analysts predicted the war would last no more than three months, so our plan was to evacuate Oleg and his elderly mother for two to three months and then return them home.
New challenges
That’s what we did. I travelled to eastern Ukraine to a city near Donetsk, and we organised the evacuation of Oleg and his mother. Upon returning to Kyiv, we found a cosy boarding house for them to live in. Very quickly, Oleg and his mother became an integral part of our family life.
In practice, the responsibility for their care fell on my shoulders — from arranging their accommodation, providing medication and doctors, and supplying them with clothing and food to trips to church, and more.
After about six months, it became clear that the war was far from over, and we needed to think about a longer-term stay for Oleg and his mother in Kyiv. During this period, we had to process a significant amount of paperwork to enable their extended residence in Kyiv.
Additionally, at the beginning of 2023, Oleg’s mother’s health began to deteriorate due to stress and anxiety. She almost entirely lost her ability to walk.
Later, it became apparent that the situation at the front was dire, and the frontline was moving ever closer to Oleg and his mother’s town. This meant that their return home was increasingly unlikely, and they would likely have to remain in Kyiv for the foreseeable future.
The situation was further complicated by the intensifying mobilisation efforts by state authorities amidst worsening conditions at the front. I could be drafted at any moment, either legally or illegally (as has often happened and continues to happen). That would mean Oleg and his mother would be left completely without support.
I was fully responsible for every aspect of their life in Kyiv, and finding someone else to take on this responsibility was nearly impossible. Many of the brothers had already been drafted, and those who remained were unable to take on such a burden.
New perspective
At this point, Oleg’s mother got an idea. Because of Oleg’s condition, his mother was officially appointed as his guardian. Her idea was to transfer this responsibility to me.
That would allow me to stay in Kyiv and continue taking care of them. Ukrainian law provides guardians of disabled individuals with a deferral from military conscription.
However, we also realised that this was a very serious step. It meant that I would essentially bind myself to Oleg for an indefinite period — potentially for the rest of my life. Yet, after much prayer, reflection, and consultation with other ministers, we decided to proceed.
Court
The process of gathering all the necessary documents took approximately three months. During that time, we had to endure the bureaucracy of the authorities, but that was not the hardest part.
The most challenging phase turned out to be the court itself — or, rather, its total corruption.
A social services worker who assisted us with the case had dealt with the courts before and was highly sceptical. She warned us outright that obtaining a positive decision without a bribe of 7,000 dollar to 10,000 dollar would be nearly impossible. That’s just how the system works: you either play by its rules or wait years for a resolution.
Moreover, I wasn’t Oleg's blood relative. Even though, by law, I had the right to become his guardian, courts usually grant guardianship to relatives.
Shocked
To summarise the whole process, we faced three failed attempts in court, which took us six months.
Every time, the system automatically assigned us to three different judges, and each of them invented unrealistic obstacles, clearly hinting at the need for a bribe. The claims were so absurd that, on one occasion, one of the shocked jurors advised us to immediately appeal to a different judge.
Of course, we had no intention of paying bribes, so after the third court attempt, we simply gave up, realising we had no chance of obtaining guardianship through honest means. We concluded that perhaps this was not God’s will.
Reopening the case
That’s how things remained until the spring of 2024. I continued to care for Oleg and his mother. We had all resigned ourselves to the fact that I could be drafted at any moment, and then whatever happened next would be under God’s control.
One day, I needed legal advice on a work-related issue. I found the nearest law firm to my home and went for a consultation. A friendly lawyer provided all the information I needed. But as I was leaving, he casually asked if I had any other issues that required assistance. I replied that I did have one matter (referring to Oleg’s case) but that it was “dead,” and I had no intention of pursuing it further.
The lawyer asked me to briefly describe the situation, which I did. After listening, he told me that things might not be as bad as they seemed and that it was worth trying to revive the case. He also mentioned that he knew a lawyer specialising in such cases and gave me his contact information.
Providence
Imagine my surprise when I met this lawyer and discovered that he was well-acquainted with many ministers from our synod and had often helped them. The odds of randomly encountering such a “perfect” person in a city as massive as Kyiv seemed almost zero — unless it is divine providence.
We decided to reopen the case. By the end of the summer of 2024, a court hearing was scheduled.
I must admit, we were 99 per cent certain the outcome would be the same as the previous three attempts. We weren’t holding out much hope, especially since the lawyer warned us that cases like this usually require multiple hearings and can take a long time.
Divine intervention
On the day of the hearing, my lawyer and I arrived at the courtroom, expecting the hearing to take place there. However, the judge simply invited us into his office. His office was packed with towering piles of case files, stacked as tall as I am, making it almost impossible to see his assistants behind them.
The judge calmly asked if I was a church minister. I replied that I was. He then inquired about the reason for the guardianship application. I answered directly, explaining that it was necessary to obtain a deferment from military service so that I could continue my ministry, which included caring for Oleg and his mother.
The judge then reviewed some documents confirming my ongoing care for Oleg and his mother. The entire meeting lasted no more than five minutes. In the end, he looked up and said everything was fine and that he would grant the guardianship. He told us not to worry.
To say we were surprised is an understatement. When we left the judge’s office, my lawyer remarked that, in his entire career, he had never witnessed such a swift resolution in such a complicated case. He said it was undoubtedly a case of divine intervention. A few days later, the court decision was finalised.
Following the ruling, I completed all the necessary paperwork to secure a deferment from military service. Since then, I have continued to care for Oleg and his mother, as I have done since 2022.
Corruption
So, does corruption exist in Ukraine? Yes, it absolutely does! But this story demonstrates that no amount of corruption can hinder God’s sovereign providence. If something aligns with God’s will, it will happen, no matter the circumstances, governors, judges, corruption and war.
Did we have doubts about whether we were doing the right thing? Of course. Many times, I convinced myself that I should be on the front lines as a chaplain, serving my country there.
In a way, this situation became a kind of litmus test through which I could discern God’s will. On the one hand, since God brought these people into my life, I believe I am called to care for them.
But if nothing had worked out, I am certain that God would have taken care of Oleg and his mother, as He always has. I would have gone to serve in the army with a clear conscience, knowing that I did everything possible to remain and continue caring for them. And if God’s will had been for me to serve in the military, who am I to oppose Him?
However, the Lord accomplished the impossible and granted me the right and privilege to continue my ministry in Kyiv. For this reason, I see it as both a great blessing and a tremendous responsibility.
The Lord is merciful!
Related Articles
