Susie and I recently saw a production of “The Sound of Music.”
As touching as that story is, it doesn’t hold a candle to a similar, true-life love story that we want to share with you. It’s the story of Brad & Inna, one of the newly married couples that we were able to serve in our Starting Strong Marriages ministry. It’s a story of prayer and provision, love and hope “straight from the heart of God.”
Act I: Prayer & Provision
Once upon a time, in a land far away”… a beautiful young Ukrainian woman named Inna,
was praying about her future. She loved God and wanted to do His will. She also loved children, and when some missionary friends from the west encouraged her to consider serving as an Au pair, (nanny), she prayed about it. She said, “Lord, I want to be a blessing. I want to make a difference to a family that needs me”. Meanwhile, Brad, a faithful young dad here in the U.S. was also praying. With a heavy heart from the recent death of his wife and mother of his two young children, Parker and Josie, Brad was praying for help. With a busy job and two children under five, Brad was worn out under the weight of doing it all by himself. He needed help with his kids. (God knew he needed more than that.) A friend suggested an Au pair, and Brad began praying for a godly woman to provide regular care for his kids. Brad was picky. He set aside many applications but one kept coming back to the top of his list, Inna, from Ukraine. At first he thought she might be too young. But after reading of her background, her love for children and her Christian commitment, he felt led to call her. From their first conversations, Brad sensed that Inna understood him and what he and his kids needed better that anyone else. He prayed again and he offered her the job.
Act II: Love & Hope
While maintaining an appropriate professional relationship, Brad and Inna began to truly appreciate each other. Inna noticed how kind and respectful Brad was to her. His faith and care for his children were qualities she had prayed for in a husband. Brad saw the depth of Inna’s devotion to her role, even training the kids in their faith. Brad realized that she was not just serving his kids. Though Inna kept her own living quarters and had friends outside their home, she wanted to spend more time with the kids and Brad. She really began to help and care for him too. Day by day their friendship grew. They became best friends. Brad began to see her for the wonderful woman that she was. Then, all too soon, it was time for Inna to return home to Ukraine.
They were married and began their new family. Inna said, “I always wanted to have many children. To begin with two gives me a wonderful head start.” Brad said, “We hope our family will to be a blessing and a witness to the many families in our neighborhood.”
Act III: Foundation for the Future
When Brad & Inna joined our newly married couple’s study, they said they finally found the spiritual fellowship and support they needed. “Your ministry is exactly what we were looking for. We have the normal newlywed issues to work on along with the issues of our own unique situation. The kids still have some anxiety about us leaving or dying. There are some cultural challenges. It will be hard to go from Au pair to true mother.”
Brad and Inna are still working on their special challenges and now they are growing their family. They said, “We’re so glad to have found a young married couples group to learn and grow with. We really appreciated having an older couple to lead us in our faith through some of these issues, and help us prepare for the future.”