God touched me, even though I did not yet know Him. I repented without planning it, without realizing how much it would change my life.” – Julia, Ukraine.

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For most of her life, Julia felt lost. By 19, she carried scars from broken relationships with her family, fear of being alone, hyperfixation on money and on people, and bad habits she couldn’t let go, like smoking and drinking. She had been baptized as a child and had a generally positive attitude toward believers, but only as long as faith stayed distant.

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The spark came unexpectedly in the summer of 2024. On one of the busiest streets in Khmelnytskyi, a street musician named Natan often played piano, drawing crowds with his beautiful music. Julia would pass by that street often and would stop to listen. She had always thought about singing with him, but fear held her back. That day, her friends pushed her, and she sang. She didn’t know that Natan was a member of the Steiger team in Khmelnytskyi.

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The very next day, she ran into him again — this time with his team, leading street projects and creative evangelism. They talked for four hours about life, relationships, worldviews, and eventually, God. Natan invited her to “Place,” the Steiger community hub, but Julia hesitated: “What if they don’t accept me? Who needs me there?”

But curiosity won. Julia came to a movie night and felt something she hadn’t in years: comfort, acceptance, family, and love. “I was not ‘just another one,’ I was special, and I was accepted as I am with all my flaws,” she shared. And yet, she still didn’t think about God: “I believe only in what I see.” She felt good, but she wasn’t ready to change.

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Then something happened: Julia had a dream of Jesus. He waved at her and said, “You wanted proof, didn’t you?” The dream stayed with her for a long time, but at the time, it felt just like a dream.

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Even before fully believing, Julia began participating in street evangelism actions with the team. She spoke in projects like “Why Don’t I Believe in God?,” where a large board displayed the question, covered with handwritten notes from people sharing their honest reasons for not believing. It created space for meaningful dialogue, where doubts, and personal experiences could be openly explored.

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“It was an interesting experience to talk about the Bible and God to non-church people, not being a believer myself, and to see people’s reactions.”

Half a year later, Natan invited Julia to his baptism. She went, not for God, but because of him. During the sermon, she laughed, joked, and even mocked. But then, during the call to repentance, something unusual happened. She was overwhelmed physically, her body trembling and her heart racing. The longer she watched people going to the stage to say yes to Jesus, the stronger God’s voice inside her grew: “You have to be there!”

She couldn’t resist anymore. Julia stepped forward, joined the others in prayer, and that night, she accepted Jesus into her heart. She repented without planning, without knowing how radically it would change her life. “It wasn’t my plan, but it became the beginning of my real life.”

God didn’t stop there. Julia’s life transformed quickly. She dove into courses and training to know God and His Word. In 2025, she was baptized, and now, Julia is a vibrant part of the Steiger team in Khmelnytskyi, serving as the Place’s administrator, mentoring and organizing. She’s living boldly and fully for God and is now preparing to attend the Steiger Missions School in 2026.