When Liudvih Minikh flew to the United States in February 2022, he didn’t realize he wouldn’t be able to return to his home near Kyiv, Ukraine. He was visiting the U.S., with a full itinerary of preaching and raising support for the ministry he worked for in Ukraine.
When he became stranded in the U.S., he traveled to Denver, Pa., where friends who supported the ministry he represented, lived. He connected with Westminster Presbyterian Church’s Refugee Outreach program to acquire the paperwork he needed to begin life in the United States. His wife and two daughters came to the U.S. in April of that year.
Through Westminster’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program in November 2022, Liudvih met Dan & Cecilia Correnti, Garden Spot Village residents since November 2020. As he was meeting with Dan weekly, Liudvih was also slowly building a life in Lancaster County. He started working for a small painting company. He and his family settled in Brownstown.
When Dan noticed that the Garden Spot Village Maintenance Department was looking for a new team member in the spring of 2023, he suggested Liudvih apply.
“Since I worked for a Christian organization in Ukraine for 17 years, it was a great blessing to work at Garden Spot Village,” Liudvih says.
“I was very pleasantly surprised that so many people at Garden Spot were praying for our country,” Liudvih adds.
Liudvih enjoyed his job so much, that he encouraged his wife to work at Garden Spot Village too. Nadiia started in the Central Kitchen as a dining server. Today, Liudvih’s family is settled in their new community.
“The United States is a very blessed country,” Liudvih says. “Many people don’t understand how blessed they are to live here.”
“I had no idea that my trip to the U.S. would end this way,” Liudvih reflects. “God knew, though. Today, I am better than good. I have a life. I have a future.”
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In an effort to support Liudvih, Nadiia and other refugees who are looking for employment in Lancaster, Garden Spot Communities’ human resources department developed an ESL program that partners residents and team members who are developing their English skills.