My Testimony

My Testimony

When the war broke out in Ukraine, due to the lack of evacuation conditions, the help provided by our embassy in Ukraine was very limited. In Kharkiv, I felt that the situation was getting worse with no sign of improvement. The sound of artillery was getting closer and closer, from faint sounds to intense vibrations. I was very scared and worried, and I prayed to God every day. My family and the Chinese church were also praying for us.

At first, everyone thought they should wait for the country's rescue, but due to the complex war situation and the country's inability to provide substantial help, we couldn't receive help for a long time. Until the morning of March 1st, I felt that I could not wait any longer. My mother and I called each other to discuss what to do. We agreed that we had to leave Kharkiv, no matter what. At that moment, I thought about whether I could find a sister in the church to buy a car and escape from here. God led me to the sisters in our dorm, and that’s how the story began. At that time, there were also some classmates who were not Christians, preparing to take the train to escape, and there were many problems: how to get to the train station? Was it crowded at the train station, and would we be able to board the train? Which city should we escape to? After reaching a safe city, what should we do next? Where would we stay, and what would we eat? There were so many questions. So, we decided to go to the train station first, rather than sit here and wait to die. After a long time, we finally got a taxi, and we took two cars. The group of classmates who were not Christians left first, and the daughters of God were left together in the other car. We packed our luggage and set off.

When we were close to the train station, the three of us started praying. After getting into the car, the driver sped up, fearing we would be hit by missiles. We were all nervous, and two sisters in the backseat were very anxious and kept speaking hysterically in Russian with the driver. But thank God, He prepared the way for us, and we safely arrived at the train station. After getting off the car, we met up with another sister, and then we heard that there was a train to Lviv in the afternoon. While waiting for the train, the sound of missile explosions came from not far away from the station. The bombing was very loud, and I thought: most of Kharkiv's transportation had already been destroyed and blocked, so would the train station also be hit by missiles? We were worried as we waited, but I prayed to the Lord for peace. God protected us, and we were not harmed, though there were continuous shellings around us. But we were kept safe by God, and none of the things I worried about happened.

At 3 PM, the train to Lviv arrived. We prepared on the platform, but there were many people on the train, and the station platform was crowded with people waiting to board. As a result, we couldn't squeeze on the train. We were disappointed and returned, only to find out that there was another train to Lviv at 5 PM. We arrived at the platform, and the train was already there, but it was also packed with people. At that moment, a door of a carriage opened, and there were already many people at the door. We quickly ran over, hoping to squeeze in, but the train conductor said that children, women, and the elderly had priority. They selected a few people to board. Fortunately, the three sisters with me were allowed on the train, but as a male, I was not allowed to board. I was very worried because if I didn't go with them, I would have to take the night train to Odessa with other Chinese people, and we would be separated. But at this moment, God helped me. I followed the train conductor as he opened each door, but most carriages were locked. Many people, having lost hope, didn’t follow. They thought no more doors would open, but once again, God had mercy on me. As I followed, a door opened, and I quickly boarded. I shared the good news with my sisters, and everyone was very happy and touched. At that moment, I felt that as long as you pray to the Lord, He will respond. He will never abandon you. The response may not come immediately, but it will come at the best time as He sees fit.

The train journey took about 12 hours. Not long after boarding, the train staff asked me to move to the door because my suitcase was blocking the aisle. A black man was also asked to move to the door, and it was very cold there. I sat on my large suitcase. Many people passing by asked if I needed help or if I was cold and needed clothes. The last person was an Indian woman to whom I had previously helped with her luggage. Perhaps to repay me, she gave me a blanket. Suddenly, I felt very warm inside. The black man next to me had only a small backpack. I thought he might not have water or food, so I shared my water and food with him because God tells us to give our surplus to those in need. The black man thanked me politely. Although this was a free refugee train, I really appreciated the warmth shared by these people during the escape. God prepared the plan for me to go to Lviv, and He removed all my concerns. Although I spent 27 hours sitting by the door in the cold wind, I was always under God's protection, and I didn’t get sick or catch a cold. My concerns about becoming sick and slowing down my sisters’ progress turned out to be in vain. God responded to me in many ways, through strangers and classmates.

Finally, we arrived in Lviv. We were very tired and hoping to find a place to stay. God arranged for a sister in Lviv to come and take us to her house. She also prepared a wonderful dinner for us, welcoming us and taking care of us. Our escape team now had five people, four sisters and one brother. God gathered us together to help each other and kept us away from all difficulties. We had dinner, chatted, and rejoiced together. Then, we realized that many issues were still unresolved, such as how to escape from the Ukrainian border to Poland. We heard in our group that many people were stuck at the border for more than ten hours, and some had to wait for three days and nights. Even if we made it to Poland, who would come to pick us up and take us to Warsaw, the capital of Poland? Everyone started to contact vehicles going to the border and vehicles to pick us up in Warsaw. It all seemed very difficult. After a long time, we finally managed to get everything arranged, and we went to rest, waiting for the next day to cross the border.

The next day, at 6:30 AM, we set off and took a private car to the border. We arrived smoothly and safely. At the border, there was free food and drinks, and we were able to rest in a tent to avoid the wind. After a while, we prepared to proceed with the paperwork for leaving the country. The process was incredibly smooth. While others spent over ten hours at the border, we completed the entire process in just over an hour. God truly responded to us in our most difficult moments, paving the way for us. There were no obstacles along the way. Once we arrived, the business association came to pick us up and take us to a restaurant to rest and fill our stomachs. God truly provided everything we needed. He generously gave us His love, food when we were hungry, comfortable places to rest when we were tired, and He made sure that everything we needed was taken care of.

Initially, we were going to stay in the free accommodations arranged by the Polish-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, but God still felt uneasy and said He wanted us to stay with His children. So, we were connected with brothers and sisters from a Polish church. Even though we were already at the accommodations arranged by the Chamber of Commerce, our brothers and sisters in Poland still came to pick us up.

This was all God's arrangement. God prepared our path. As long as we pray sincerely, God will not abandon His children. He will provide for us all the way, giving us food and shelter, and He will forgive our sins. He is a merciful and loving Lord. Thank you, God, for accompanying us all the way and for giving selflessly. How can we repay You? Only by worshiping You! Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

Zhang MuyangMarch 2022