'If every church could sponsor just one person… what a difference it could make.'

Ukrainian couple finds safety through a church’s community in Utah

Amid the destruction of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Yana and Artem created a slice of normalcy. The couple moved to Dnipro, a city along the river in central Ukraine, and on Yana’s birthday in the spring of 2023, Artem planned to buy her an engagement ring from their local mall.

Everything changed that day, when a large bomb struck the shopping mall.

“I was supposed to be at that shopping mall an hour after the bombing happened,” Artem recounted.

The couple, who had never been outside of their home country, had hoped to remain in Ukraine. They had lived through air raids and missiles that hit very close to their home, but that moment at the mall was the last straw.

”I kept thinking about that,” Yana recalled. “He could have been gone.”

During their outreach to different churches, they connected with Pastor Phil Hughes and his American Fork Presbyterian Church community in January 2024. Phil and his congregation answered their hopes and prayers. After just a few email conversations with Yana and Artem, Phil knew he wanted to help.

After Phil chatted face-to-face with Yana and Artem on Zoom, he said the situation “became real… real people and real feelings and a real experience.” In March 2024, Phil officially accepted Yana and Artem’s request for sponsorship and submitted the applications to begin their journey to the United States.

In preparation for the couple’s arrival, Phil rallied his congregation for support, and they relied on their available resources to create a welcoming plan. They saw their church as the perfect community to welcome newcomers.

“I think it's a perfect place if you're going to have a humanitarian outlook and a group of people already in place,” said church member Marcia Hartman. “You have the similar faith group, the similar morals of what a good person does. That's already set up.”

To prepare, the group used the resources available on the Welcome.US site. With the aid of checklists, guides on various aspects of the sponsorship process, and other resources, Phil divided up the responsibilities across their congregation by creating teams of volunteers to cover needed services. From finding housing to healthcare to English classes, the congregation shared the necessary work to ensure that the newcomer couple would be welcomed successfully.

“The people of our church have stepped up to help them with whatever needs they have. It's brought a lot of energy and affirmation to our church,” Phil said.

Yana and Artem arrived in American Fork, Utah, in May 2024, and have since been settling into their new lives. The church has supported Yana and Artem with everything from finding an apartment in neighboring Provo to assisting them with transportation to and from appointments. The couple also began attending church services, and Yana shared that she was moved to tears by the beautiful music from the first service they attended.

As the couple adjusts to the new culture, they are focused on finding employment and building an independent life in the United States. Although their journey has been marked with painful challenges, Yana and Artem have found hope, love, and security in Utah.

“We want to explore the culture and nature. We are thousands of miles away from our home. Everything is new. But the main aspect is to work to become more independent,” Yana shared.

They remain concerned about their family and friends in Ukraine. In the future, the couple’s hope is to sponsor other Ukrainians and help them find safety, just as Yana and Artem were helped by the church in American Fork.

Phil and Marcia said that sponsorship has been an extremely fulfilling and educational experience. From taking the couple skiing to visiting a local Ukrainian grocery store near Salt Lake City, they and their fellow church members have also benefited from their experience as sponsors.

“If every church would just sponsor one person, one family, one couple, what a difference it could make. I mean, if we can do it, a lot of places can do it,” Phil said.