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ANCHORAGE, Alaska ā The war in Ukraine was just a few months old when I first met Zori Opanasevych in April 2022.
I connected with the mother of three young children at a prayer service at New Chance Christian Church ā a Pentecostal congregation that conducts Sunday worship in Russian with English translation.
I still remember Opanasevych resting her chin in clasped hands as she begged God to intervene.
Zori Opanasevych, with husband Nick, prays at New Chance Christian Church in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2022. (Photo by Bobby Ross Jr.)
In the heart-wrenching stories of ordinary families caught in Russiaās attack on Ukraine, the Alaska resident told me she saw herself. In the childrenās frightened faces, the Ukrainian-born Christian couldnāt help but envision her own kids.
āThat could have been me there right now in Ukraine,ā she said. āāāI could be using my body to shield my children from bombs right now.ā
Instead, Opanasevych ā whose family moved to the United States when she was 7 ā put her life on hold to organize a faith-based relief program for Ukrainian refugees.
READ: In Alaska, A Russian-Speaking Church Becomes A Hub For Helping Ukrainians
At first she thought the effort might last a few months. But more than three years later, sheās still at it ā serving as executive director of the United Relief Program, a nonprofit arm of the New Chance church that helped more than 1,300 people fleeing the war resettle in Alaska.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the war, which began with Russiaās full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The attack forced almost 10 million to leave their homes, including 5.6 million displaced abroad, according to the United Nations.
In the early days, Opanasevych and other volunteers worked 18 to 20 hours a day to help refugees travel to the U.S. and buy pots and pans and mattresses āand all the necessitiesā to establish new lives.
A cross outside the building where New Chance Christian Church worships in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Bobby Ross Jr.)
āIt was just a miracle, just seeing Godās goodness make a beautiful restoration out of the ashes of the war,ā she recalled.
But now, as the war drags on, refugeesā temporary protected status faces uncertainty. Their humanitarian parole, as itās called, is in limbo as President Donald Trump ends legal pathways for immigrants to come to the U.S. The families with whom Opanasevych has become so close could be forced to leave ā and some already have.
In light of Trumpās recent visit to an Anchorage-area military base to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, I decided to catch up with Opanasevych, 34, whose children are now 13, 10 and almost 9.
These highlights from our interview have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity:
On all thatās happened since the first time we talked
āItās been quite a whirlwind, to be honest. Weāve had so many changes, so much growth, so many opportunities to serve people. And amidst all of that, we have got to see lives transformed and saved and rebuilt.
āAt the same time, thereās been a lot of heartache. A lot of tears. ā¦ Just to say the least, itās been a lot.ā
On originally telling her husband, Nick, that the Ukrainian relief effort might last a few months
"I said, āI can see myself getting really busy with this. But Iām thinking about two to three months.ā ā¦ He said, āThis is very important. God bless you. Go do what you need to do. Please help these people. Weāre praying for you. We got this.āā
Zori Opanasevych, with her parents, Sergey and Alla Ilnitski, at New Chance Christian Church in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Bobby Ross Jr.)
On how her life is different than it used to be
āI used to make sourdough bread. I used to have chickens. I used to homeschool my kids. Now I need help in every aspect.
āAnd I get takeout. I used to make a three-course meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner from scratch. Everything. And now the Costco frozen section is where Iām at. So itās definitely changed.ā
On the new normal in her family
āI wouldnāt even say that it took a toll on our marriage. It didnāt. It made us stronger. And my kids ā it was just different where Mom wasnāt a stay-at-home mom and readily available.ā
On what keeps her moving forward with the ministry
āFirst of all, I teach this to my kids: If you start something, you finish. You donāt quit on a project. And right now I am fighting for, advocating for, pushing for Ukrainians to find stability and permanence.ā
Dmitry and Oksana Vakulich and others, including Yuriv Tarankov, center, pray at New Chance Christian Church in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Bobby Ross Jr.)
On her future with the relief program
āWe are not welcoming new arrivals. That program has been suspended. No more people are coming. And I thought that that would be it. I donāt want to run a nonprofit just to run a nonprofit.
āI think my last push ā¦ is if they can have the choice of having a green card, and if they can stay here, then Iāll be done. But I just need to make sure that what I began, I finish, and I finish well.
āIām happy just to go back to my sourdough bread and being a stay-at-home mom. But I guess itās just, you know, Iām willing to do what God wants me to do.
āIf heās going to keep opening doors, I will keep working. If it is done, Iām happy to be done. Iām just available.ā
On the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, followed by Trump welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to Washington, D.C.
āThis whole year, 2025, weāve been working with our federal delegation in asking for ā¦ Ukrainians to be able to adjust to permanency from humanitarian parole.
āWeāve been saying, āPlease talk to Secretary (of Homeland Security) Kristi Noem. Please talk to the president.ā ā¦ Weāre pushing for this, and all of a sudden, heās here. And Iām saying, āWe canāt get any closer. He came to us.ā And Iām full of hope. But nothing has come of it.ā
On her worries for the future of Ukrainian refugees in Alaska
āTheir status is in limbo. They canāt go back to Ukraine because they donāt have a home, and theyāve lost family members ā or their family is also scattered around the globe.
āThey canāt go to Europe because Europeās doors are closed to refugees now. And they canāt be here. So where do they go? Itās very unfortunate.
āAnd then the war in Ukraine isnāt over. We were so hopeful. It was this anticipation that, āThatās it. A deal is going to be made.ā And there was movement. And movement is good because (we thought) somethingās going to happen, because nothing has thus far for these three-and-a-half years.
āAnd now three weeks have passed with no change in the status of the war. It hurts. It hurts because we feel like itās just prolonging the kicking of the can. It was happening so quickly, and then nothing changed.
āUkrainians are continuing to die, and then the Ukrainians who are here are continuing to be chained to this limbo status. It hurts.ā
On relying on her faith when all hope seems lost
āThatās the only thing I have left. I think, as Christians, thatās where we end up. Itās, āOK, Lord, I have knocked on every door. I have pushed everywhere I could. I have called everyone I know. I just give this into your hands, and I know youāre in control.āā
On what she said in a letter to Ukrainian refugees inviting them to join her in fasting and praying for a positive resolution
āI believe in God, and I know that the work that weāve been able to do thus far was organized and led by God. So heās not going to leave us at this point. Whatever is going to happen, itās going to be good ā itās going to turn out.
āThrough this whole three-and-a-half years, my verse has been that God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). And I love God. I love his people. And Iām serving them. And he has turned everything out for the good. I believe that with all my heart.ā
On what else sheād like readers to know
āI think the immigration part is really important because we have a big need. If any of your readers have any influence or know someone, maybe that would help. That would be great.
āBut what Iāve learned is that God can do so much through somebody so simple. Like, I am just a mom. But when we say yes to God, he can do so much.
āAnd it has been the most incredible experience of my life to see so many kids, to see so many families, to see so much good come out of this. Out of the horror of war, good things have come. And I got to be a part of it. I got to witness it.
āAnd I got to play a very, very small role in these peopleās lives because I said yes to God ā to the calling in my heart ā and Iām just grateful for that.ā
Inside The Godbeat
āA growing number of people around the world are walking away from organized religion ā but that doesnāt mean theyāve abandoned spiritual beliefs altogether.ā
So reports Religion Unpluggedās own Clemente Lisi, detailing the findings of a new study by the Pew Research Center.
The Final Plug
Two weeks ago, I delved into George Schroederās journey from high-profile national college football writer to small-town Texas baptist pastor.
Hereās a little update: A new co-host has joined Schroederās āGridiron & The Gospelā weekly podcast: Dean Inserra, lead pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Florida. Baptist Press national correspondent Scott Barkley has the full story.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for Religion Unplugged and serves as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.