On a mission for Jesus

The year was 1991. The Hubble telescope launched, the number of internet users reached over one million for the first time and the Soviet Union dissolved. It was also the year that Dolly and her husband moved overseas, motivated by a passion for sharing the gospel with the people of the former Soviet Union.

At the time, Dolly felt that “the field was ripe. People were probably more ready to hear there than they were in the United States, and so we just wanted to go so badly.” Together, with their four children, the couple was eager to reach people from the former Soviet Union — to “disciple and walk alongside them.” It took six years to prepare and leave the USA, and at that time, the door to Russia closed. However, a door opened for the family to go to Ukraine, specifically Simferopol, the capital of Crimea. So, in 1997, Dolly and her family moved from the USA to Ukraine. Ten years later, their youngest child, Annie, graduated from high school, and Dolly and her husband returned to the States for a short furlough so that Annie could get established and situated in university. During that furlough, her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour and passed away eight-and-a-half months later.

This unexpected loss was a lot for Dolly to process, but she remembered “waking up the first morning and just starting to thank God for all the good things in my life and being grateful. It was so important to be grateful and have that attitude and to focus on the good memories, focus on the positive, and then to serve — because when you're serving, you're not focusing on yourself in your loss.”

During her healing journey, Dolly “felt freed to share my story, and just a passion to help other women. I have a passion for mentoring, discipling and helping women realise they can be free of their past and of bondage.”

As Dolly served in the USA, she found that her grief was not so oppressive. She focused on growing her relationship with Christ, and becoming free of different lies she had believed — just as she saw the women she worked with break free of lies.

Dolly remembered a time in the past when “my relationship with God had been as master-servant. I loved the Lord, and I served Him because I loved Him. However, I didn’t have an intimate relationship with Him. It was eye-opening when I realised that I could, that it was what He wanted.”

Returning to Eastern Europe

Years later, in 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. “All my kids thought of Ukraine as home, and they all would have gone back in a heartbeat.” Two of her daughters did. Stephanie and Annie immediately started gathering goods to take to Ukraine. After being in Lviv for only a few days, Russia started shelling the airport and they ended up going to the Polish border where they helped with translation. Before the two sisters headed back to the States, they knew that they would return to Poland as soon as possible to continue helping.

Dolly saw an opportunity to once again serve and minister to her beloved Ukrainian people. “I have some health issues, so I told the Lord if my cardiologist, my nephrologist and my pastor give me the OK, I'll go. And they all did.” With that confirmation, Dolly sold her house and belongings and flew to Poland.

In Warsaw, Dolly began attending the International Christian Fellowship, where one day, a young man came up to her and said: “I hear you're here to work with refugees. We go to a camp on Saturdays,” and invited Dolly and her daughter to go with them. The government-run refugee camp where OM team members also volunteered would be the beginning of Dolly's connection with OM.

Dolly and Annie began volunteering at the camp, and Dolly noted, “There were not a lot of Ukrainians, but there were a lot of people who spoke Russian, and they're from all over. The first day that I went, no women came to the programme, and I was in Poland specifically to work with women.” The very next week was International Women's Day, however, and OM planned a special event at the community centre they run, and women from the refugee camps were invited.

Doubting whether she could truly make an impact, Dolly asked herself: “I’m only one person… how am I going to make a difference?” She then remembered the words a friend had said to encourage and reassure Dolly before she left for Poland: “She said that sometimes we don't realise the value of reaching one person.” Dolly thought about it and prayed, “Lord, if one woman comes and commits to attend on Saturdays, I will also commit.”

Four women attended the event, and Dolly has served with the OM team ever since. She also leads small groups and participates in women’s ministry in her church in Poland.

A solemn surrender

There have been many ups and downs since Dolly returned to Eastern Europe. “I felt the loss of my husband after coming here more than I had in the last 15 years, because the last time we had done this together. I've left the United States nine times for a long term, and last time, this was the hardest.” Through all the challenges, including grieving her husband’s absence, Dolly has felt the Lord’s presence all the more. “The loss felt bigger than it had been, and so that makes God bigger. He’s my protector and provider. “

Despite all the challenges, Dolly asserts that she is surrendered to whatever God wants to do with her life and is determined to serve those who have made their way to Poland from faraway places. God is there to guide Dolly and use her as a blessing to those who, like her, had experienced great loss.

Join with us in prayer for those who left Ukraine and other countries because of conflict. Pray that God would continue to connect those searching with dedicated Jesus followers like Dolly. Please pray also for the Lord to continue to stir a passion for Jesus followers to pursue the ministry they are called to, whether that is in their local community or across the globe.