14 days afterwards, long time chapel frontrunner and you will theologian Igor Kozlovsky, just who invested almost two years while the prisoner of pro-Russian separatists, passed away regarding a heart attack. He was 70.
‘He safe his relatives, our country‘
Created ily within the an outlying Ukrainian town, Vinogradar’s moms and dads split up as he try more youthful. Their mommy remarried, along with his reference to his stepfather is actually strained, said Alexei Kalchuk, an old minister from the Ukrainian town of Mariupol and you may longtime pal.
“Whenever their mommy offered birth so you can their stepfather’s son and you will de- entirely superfluous in this delighted family relations,” Kalchuk informed Brand new Christian Chronicle. Vinogradar decided to go to a good boarding college inside Poltava, in which a teacher instilled inside your a love for their nation. The guy turned a cadet of the Ukrainian Cossacks.
“Throughout the his history 2 years regarding studies from the boarding college or university, Christians in the Church regarding Christ started to go to the school,” Kalchuk said. “These people coached courses about the dependence on ethical and you may spiritual values for the person lifetime, and you may Artem in the future generated relatives which have Christians and you may began to attend chapel conferences.” He was baptized within the 2018.
He finished within many years 17, “and you can remaining the wall space which had heated him in recent years,” Kalchuk said. “Being unsure of what you should do 2nd and you may where to go, the guy turned to the latest church, and therefore already sensed Artem to-be you to definitely a unique.”
The guy existed witch chapel participants and became near to Christians including Fedor Chernichkin, a great minister into the Chapel regarding Christ which gone to live in Poltava just after professional-Russian separatists grabbed control over their homeland from inside the eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region from inside the 2014.
“He had been younger and determined in order to suffice from the chapel and you can as faithful so you can Jesus,” among Vinogradar’s nearest and dearest, Artur Lytvynenko, told Suspilne, Ukrainian public broadcast. “I remember him while the an earlier, persistent and you may brave man with a very hard-core.”
Vinogradar attended the latest Ukrainian Bible Institute – which in fact had relocated of east Ukraine with the state’s money, Kyiv. The school are with the Tx-depending Sundown Globally Bible Institute.
“He was a-sharp scholar, and that i will always be consider his a characteristics, their laugh and his awesome want to laugh,” said Brandon Price, director of your Ukrainian Bible Institute. “He had overcome far in the previous, and his awesome upcoming is actually bright.”
His girlfriend, Valentina, plus had defeat a difficult previous, Kalchuk told you. Orphaned on many years step 3, she was raised from the their unique sis and possess had learnt at a great boarding school.
“Artem tend to concerned Valentina’s household and you may assisted his girlfriend https://internationalwomen.net/sv/kanadensiska-kvinnor/ and their unique (aunt) towards the cleaning to be close,” Kalchuk said. “He was coached about church how good Christian should look just after an excellent girl … Soon Valentina acknowledged Christ into their particular existence plus they started to attend group meetings of your Chapel out-of Christ to one another.”
“Artem and you may Valentina wished to become the greatest moms and dads for it little one,” Kalchuk said. “It wanted to offer your what no-one provided all of them … It succeeded. In March, the battle first started.
“Artem, currently a teens leader from the chapel, aided within the serving immigrants and you will refugees. He joined the fresh ranks away from volunteers who evacuated folks from towns which were regarding the battle region and you can transmitted food and earliest help to help you places where there was no power, communications and you can water, however, there’s death and you will exhaustion. Their wife was awaiting him yourself and you can prayed one to which glass carry out solution from your.”
“Whenever Artem titled their partner and you can family, he usually asserted that he don’t need certainly to kill somebody and you can (which he) hoped the combat do prevent ahead of the guy complete his training. But the guy and additionally mentioned that he was titled to defend his country, household, loved ones – referring to more because there is no greater love than simply that when anyone gets their lifetime getting their loved ones,” Kalchuk told you, citing John .
Vinogradar served because the an excellent sniper throughout the airborne violence product, Suspilne stated. He passed away into the handle Aug. fifteen around the community out-of Verbove.
Valentina is pregnant with regards to 2nd child. Program having Humanitarian Help, an excellent nonprofit supported by congregations such as the A&M Chapel out-of Christ when you look at the School Station, Colorado, paid off the new couple’s lease because they offered the new chapel.
“Artem was our students – and you can section of PHA’s ministry for many years,” said Wes Hawthorne, creativity administrator into the nonprofit and you will a person in the latest A great&M chapel. “He found our very own june camps for quite some time.”
Preacher-Turned-Soldier and you will Punished Theologian Mourned from inside the Ukraine
Their wife and you can child relocated to Greece with Chernichkin along with his household members. Ukrainians across the Europe mourn, as well as Kalchuk, whom invested 51 weeks trapped throughout the Mariupol church’s strengthening with other believers due to the fact severe assaulting raged outside.
“My buddy are killed,” said Kalchuk, now into the Poland. “The guy safe his friends, all of our country, their college students. Artem, we will definitely view you! People in tranquility, my pal.”
