Imagine, you are having lunch with your friends after church. There is a tension in the air: What would happen to our country? Are the rumors true, are the Russians going to invade? Some thought it was just fear, others were preparing to leave their country. Lika Roman shares her personal experience with us about the war in Ukraine.
Rumors about war
Lika didn’t know what was going to happen to her country, but God gave her instructions about this season of war. Even though it didn’t make sense in the moment, the prophetic impressions seemed to be accurate about the following season.‘ It started in December 2021, when I asked the Lord for a word for the coming year. God gave me words for the church it Ukraine. He told me it would be a year of action, unveiling and purification. Jesus told me that I needed to step out of the boat. Since then I started to pray about leaving Kiev for some time.’ Lika shared this with friends during a retreat, but their responses were divided. Rumors were already spreading for months, so potentially this would just be a political tool of the Russians. Also, Christians didn’t want to give into fear. Some people thought Lika didn’t have enough faith, because she was considering to leave.
In the tension of many opinions and of her own conviction, Lika decided to leave Kiev. When she cancelled a speaking arrangement for a conference in Melitopol , God spoke to her about Ukraine. ’ I had a vision of a grape that was ready to be harvested. The grapes were squeezed, it was a messy picture. Then the gardener poured new wine into a clear and pure cup. He lifted it up and said: This is what I will honor.’ This vision got into a whole new light when Melitopol, Mariupo and Bucha were targeted at the start of the war. The grapes now looked like destruction and blood. However, Lika doesn’t believe God is the creator of wars, the end of the picture was ‘glorious’ according to Lika. God turns for good what the enemy wants to destroy.
‘I felt so unsettled to hear the news and to be out of the country, I cried a lot. This was not only an invasion into the country, this was an invasion into my home and life. I physically felt rockets hitting Ukrainian soil devastating buildings, people and families.’
Lika RomanThe night before the war Lika and her mom travelled to western Ukraine. Because millions of people did the same, there was no place to stay. They had to move out of the country into Slovakia. ‘I felt so unsettled to hear the news and to be out of the country, I cried a lot. This was not only an invasion into the country, this was an invasion into my home and life. I physically felt rockets hitting Ukrainian soil devastating buildings, people and families.’ Lika had to deal with the fact that friends felt peace about staying in Kiev, while she knew she had to leave. When Lika left Ukraine, she experienced confusion and felt betrayed by Russian friends. I asked Jesus to take my pain and heal my heart. Immediately I encountered Jesus as a blanket of peace. ‘I wouldn’t know how you deal with these things if you don’t know God. ’Peace doesn’t always lead you out of danger, it helps you when your city gets bombed or when your friends leave you.
Helping Ukraine
Lika had to do something to help her country. She joined several organizations like Awakening Europe to help with translation, practical needs and to share the gospel. Many woman were prone to be trafficked. She organized busses to help them into a safe place. Even though she saw a massive need, at one point it was necessary for her to leave the country and take a moment of rest. Miraculously, her mom received a visa to spend time in the US, it was a chance of one in a 100. At the beach of Miami she had to deal with the situation in her homecountry. ‘I was at the ocean at such a beautiful place while my country was suffering. Friends reminded me I had to rest, but my heart was still in Ukraine. Then I received a call from a Texan pastor, who asked me to be a voice for my country in the USA. In this way I could still help Ukraine while being in the United States.’
From that moment on Lika got invited by churches, TV programs and businesses to speak for her country. She got invited by the grandson of Billy Graham to share with his support group about the needs of Ukraine . Someone called and donated 100 000 dollars. It was not only Christians who supported her mission, many people realized Ukraine doesn’t only need practical help, they need hope. They invested the funds in generators for churches in Nikolaiv and they are building tiny houses in Kiev for people who’s homes are destroyed . Lika visited Ukraine recently:’ I came back to Ukraine to give hugs and pray with people that I supported before. The suburbs and villages around Kiev are for 80% destroyed which leaves people staying in cars, in tents or under trees. They lost their family members, and some have sadly seen people blow up in front of their eyes.’
‘When christians come to help and give humanitarian aid, Ukrainians tell them: ‘We are thankful for your help, but we need to know about God.’
Lika Roman‘It is amazing to see people leave their businesses to come and help the country. We still need generators and humanitarian aid. However, this is not the biggest need, Ukraine needs the gospel. ‘When christians come to help and give humanitarian aid, Ukrainians tell them: ‘We are thankful for your help, but we need to know about God .’ The revival in Nikolaev is a good example of what is happening in the hearts of people. Even though it is dangerous to gather in groups, church services are held. Some churches can contain 350 people, but 1800 people show up. People try to open the doors shouting: ‘Please! Tell me something about God, I don’t know if I’ ll be alive tomorrow.’ The average of people being born again on a Sunday is around 60 till 70 people. Lika says the Pastors of Nikolaev don’t pray for revival anymore, revival is happening! ‘We need ministers to come to Ukraine to disciple the church. People can’t wait to get baptized, they are so hungry for God.’
