Anna Savolainen moved from Kiev to Helsinki seven years ago. She first attended the Evangelical Free Church (EFC) one year after of moving to Finland, and today she regularly sings in the EFC worship team.
What was it like when you first came here?
– My life as an immigrant was full of challenges in the beginning. In Kiev, I had a good job at a bank, but in Finland I had to almost start all over again.
She started studying at Haaga-Helia and after her graduation in 2021, she faced the harsh reality of being unemployed.
– I would send out my CV and cover letters every day – over and over again. It was a tough period in my life, but fortunately, I had my spiritual family at EFC. I shared my situation with them, and they prayed for me and helped me move forward. I also experienced that every time I sang to God, my spirit was lifted up.
Today Anna thinks God had a purpose with her “waiting time”: she believes God wanted to develop her patience, grow her faith in Him and teach her to trust Him more.
– God wanted me to know that He is with me in every situation.
Anna remembers feeling more and more desperate as time went by with no job in sight. But, after eight months, she was offered a job.
– It was a miracle from God, and only with His help was I able to overcome all the difficulties.
– I was eight years old when my parents took me to a Pentecostal Church for the first time and I got baptised in my twenties. Since then I felt a very close relationship with God, but now I can really see that He turned the obstacles in my life into blessings, says Anna.
What do you want to say to someone new to Helsinki?
– If you feel lonely or hopeless, come to church! Here you can find people who care for you and pray with you, in both good and difficult times. Even though you might be far away from your family and friends, you can find a spiritual family here. You never know how life will go, but if you know God and have a close relationship with Him, it is forever, for eternity. Invest your time in God, and you will have a stable foundation, no matter what.
