Christina arrived at Father’s House with two little lives beside her.

Anton was only four years old. Marcel was just three months old.

They were still at the very beginning of life, still meant to be surrounded by safety, tenderness, warmth, and peace. But Christina knew too much about what life can become when love is absent and home is not safe.

Like many women who come to Father’s House, Christina grew up in an unstable environment. She had not been given a clear picture of healthy love or strong, safe relationships. And when abuse became part of her own story, she carried not only the pain of what was happening to her, but the growing awareness that her children were being shaped by the same brokenness.

Then one day, something rose up inside of her.

A mother’s courage.

A mother’s protection.

A mother’s refusal to let violence have the final word over her children’s lives.

Christina ran.

She ran not because she had every answer, but because she knew she could no longer stay. She ran toward safety. Toward help. Toward a place where Anton and Marcel could breathe, grow, sleep, and be children again.

That place became Father’s House.

When Christina arrived, tears filled her eyes. They were not just tears of exhaustion. They were tears of relief. Tears of gratitude. Tears that come when a person has been holding her breath for far too long and finally realizes she is no longer alone.

When I met Christina and photographed her with her children, what moved me most was the tenderness between them. Even after all she had endured, I could feel how deeply she loved Anton and little Marcel. There was something beautiful in watching her hold them, comfort them, and stay so close to them. Her love was not loud or polished. It was quiet, protective, and deeply real. As I looked through my camera, I saw not only a mother who had suffered, but a mother who was fighting for a different future for her children. That touched me deeply.

At Father’s House, Christina found more than a roof over her head. She found refuge. She found people who would walk with her gently. She found a place where her children could be cared for, where their days could begin to feel safe and predictable, and where her own weary soul could begin to rest in the presence of God.

Her journey is still just beginning.

Healing does not happen all at once. Trust is not rebuilt in a day. Hope often returns slowly, like light coming through a window after a long night.

But Christina is beginning.

She is learning to trust again. Learning to hope again. Learning that love can be steady. Learning that her life and her children’s lives can become something different from what they have known.

Anton and Marcel may be too young to understand all their mother has done for them, but one day they may look back and realize that their story changed because their mother was brave enough to run toward life.

And at Father’s House, that life is being nurtured.

One mother.

Two children.

One fragile new beginning.

And a future that can now be shaped by safety, faith, healing, and hope.

About Father’s House — Kyiv, Ukraine
Father’s House is a Christian ministry in Kyiv that has been serving vulnerable children and families since the 1990s. Founded by Roman Korniyko, the ministry began as a refuge for children rescued from the streets and abusive environments, providing rehabilitation, counseling, and a path into loving families.

Today, under the leadership of the next generation, Father’s House continues its mission through programs like Restored Life, serving families displaced and devastated by the war in Ukraine. By offering a holistic approach, spiritual, emotional, and physical care, they walk alongside families as they heal, rebuild, and move toward independent life.

At its core, Father’s House exists to live out a simple calling: to love God and love people, restoring lives one family at a time.

To learn more about Father’s House and their work, visit: http://www.o-dim.com/en/

About Capturing Grace
Discover the story behind Capturing Grace and how my daughter Christina’s life continues to inspire this work at capturinggrace.org/about-us.