When God Opens Doors: How We Found a Home and Family in Canada

For some, the existence of God is a matter of doubt, but not for me. I could share numerous stories – confirmations from my own life -- but I will describe just one. It begins with our journey to a distant, unknown, yet wonderful country: Canada. The very fact that we left the borders of our homeland on February 12, 2022, just prior to the invasion, is already a sign or perhaps just a stroke of luck (you understand what I mean).

So, there we were: my husband and I and our six-year-old daughter – lost and scared, with neither knowledge of English, nor any relatives or acquaintances in this part of the world -- standing at Toronto airport, desperately searching with our eyes for a person we had never seen before, not even in a photograph. Yes, someone was supposed to meet us: Shortly before our departure, I had connected on Facebook with a wonderful young woman, Svitlana Stoiko, who had responded to my post. Together with many other kind-hearted people, she organized our arrival and initial stay in Canada.

Only by the large sign reading “Welcome to Canada” and our names did we finally recognize whom to approach. Geza Wordofa and volunteer Bekal Bedassa, from the Multicultural Association of Perth-Huron, greeted us with warm hugs and comforting words of support. They didn’t leave us for a moment -- helping with all the paperwork, and essential items, and staying in touch at any time of day or night. We will never forget them.

The first month and a half we spent in the cozy town of St. Marys. We were hosted by people with incredibly kind hearts -- Barbara and Ross Scriver. This amazing couple, despite their challenges, helped us with everything. They have now become our close family. Other volunteers also cared for us, including Pamela Robson -- a kind and tireless woman who somehow found time to bring gifts and even let our daughter ride her wonderful small horses.

Two people, in particular, have held a special place in our lives since our very first days in Canada and continue to help us today: Halyna Maksymchuk -- a wonderful woman originally from Chernivtsi, who has lived in Canada for about 25 years -- and her friend Evelyn Robson. Evelyn, who spent most of her life in figure skating and years coaching children in Chicago, inspired our daughter Iliana to take up this amazing sport. We love and respect them dearly; they are now our Canadian family, and we are inseparable forever.

We met many people and organizations in St. Marys and later in Cambridge, all of whom were kind, patient, and caring toward us. This includes Grassroots Response, a volunteer organization in the Waterloo region. Grassroots supported us and many other newcomers; their work and dedication are vital to all of us. Without such volunteers, it would have been very difficult for many to adapt to life in a foreign country. We are deeply grateful to all of you for your kindness, time, and care.

I am briefly describing what I feel, though there are many more names I’d like to highlight and thank from the bottom of my heart. So, in this country Canada, far from Ukraine, people from different corners of our beautiful planet have come together with incredible, open hearts in which God lives. God is goodness. God is love for one another. What more proof of His existence do we need? He is all the beauty that exists in the universe and beyond. A part of Him lives in each of us, for He created humanity in His image and likeness. Let us always remember this and create our heaven here and now.

Written by Oksana Pryyma.