Shostak Family

From: Berestove village, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region
Family Members: Anatoliy Viktorovych (66) and Tetiana Volodymyrivna (66)

A New Beginning at Miracle Village

The war irrevocably changed life for the Shostak family when they were forced to evacuate from their village on May 22, 2022. Anatoliy and Tetiana, both 66 years old, fled Berestove by volunteer bus to Dnipro, later relocating to modular housing in Brovary. Their journey took another turn when volunteers submitted an application on their behalf for housing in a special settlement being built for elderly displaced persons — “Chudo” Village in Kolonshchyna.

Their application was approved, and on January 18, 2024, the couple moved into what they now affectionately call “Paradise Town.” The Shostaks' original home in Berestove was completely destroyed during the fighting, leaving them with nothing to return to.

“Our life has changed for the better, ” shares Tetiana. “We never even dreamed that during wartime we would be living in such wonderful conditions. We are so grateful that a miracle-worker like dear Dell Loy Hansen has appeared in our lives.”

Finding Purpose and Peace

Finding purpose in their new community, Tetiana now works with the volunteer gardening group.

“Working in the greenhouse brings me great joy, ” she says.

The couple has found not just shelter, but a new sense of belonging and purpose after losing everything to the war.