Like many other women in Ukraine, Nataliya Aleyeva was fleeing her warring country. Her husband and a couple of adult children had been drafted into combat, and she decided to seek a safe place in Hungary.
Halfway there, a peculiar situation arose: a man she had never seen before appeared and asked her to take his two children as well—a boy and a girl.
The man, 38 years old, could not leave the country, as citizens between 18 and 60 years old must stay in Ukraine to fight. His wife was already in Hungary, and for her to go back to get the children would be too risky.
He chose to trust this complete stranger, who accepted the challenge of crossing the border with his children.
Can you imagine what went through this father's mind when he made such a decision? How insecure must he have felt when he handed over his greatest treasures to someone he had never seen before, in a place where there’s a real risk of falling into the traps of human trafficking?
But surely faith spoke louder than his concerns, and he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, who sent this honest and caring woman at the moment he needed her most.
A happy ending
The father, who must have been heartbroken, entrusted the little ones to the woman, along with their documents, passports, and a piece of paper with his wife's contact information. Nataliya, in turn, wrapped the boys up warmly and set off on her journey.
Upon arriving in Hungary she delivered the children safe and sound to their mother. Her emotional reunion with her children and the stranger was featured in the American news outlet Inside Edition. In the video, we can see the feeling of gratitude that undoubtedly has marked the beginning of a true friendship in the midst of war:
