“My name is ___. I am 33 years old, and I am the mother of two beautiful children.”

Plagued by substance abuse, a 33-year-old Ukrainian mother struggled with trauma, loss, and identity before coming to the House of Hope. 

“A drug that deceptively comforted me from the loss of a loved one, from the war, and from the difficult life circumstances I faced, began to degrade me as a woman, as a mother, and as a human… It dragged me deeper and deeper into the abyss.” 

She shares how even when she was pregnant, she could no longer refuse drugs, even though the impact on her family was devastating. 

“I was not stopped by the understanding that the baby could be born with a pathology, that the older child could be taken away, that sooner or later I could end up in prison, that I could die from a banal overdose…”

Without hope, she was trapped in an addiction she could never fight alone. She desperately needed support and healing through a ministry that would help her encounter Christ and repair her relationship with her children. 

That’s when she found the House of Hope. 

The House of Hope is a ministry run alongside Lantern’s Crisis and Conflict team in Ukraine. It exists to give women a place to recover from trauma safely, with the support of team members trained to help them in their journey toward healing. 

The House of Hope gives children refuge alongside each mother – bringing healing and safety into the family together. 

“The Lord has given me a chance… It’s scary to think what would have happened to me if I hadn’t found the House of Hope.” 

She shares that she is doing well and learning to be the best mother for her children. 

“In the future, I want to help girls and women that have gone through the same things I have. I want to serve them as a reminder that God gives everyone a chance and that rehabilitation centers significantly change lives.”