14 days afterwards, longtime church frontrunner and you can theologian Igor Kozlovsky, exactly who invested almost two years as prisoner of pro-Russian separatists, died from a coronary attack. He had been 70.
‘The guy protected his family unit members, the country’
Born ily inside the an outlying Ukrainian town, Vinogradar’s parents broke up when he try younger. His mom remarried, and his reference to his stepfather try burdened, told you Alexei Kalchuk, an old minister in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and long time buddy.
“When his mommy offered delivery in order to their stepfather’s son and you can de entirely superfluous within happier relatives,” Kalchuk informed The Religious Chronicle. Vinogradar went along to a good boarding university inside the Poltava, where a teacher ingrained in the him a love for their nation. The guy turned an excellent cadet of your own Ukrainian Cossacks.
“During his last a couple of years away from investigation within boarding school, Christians about Church away from Christ started to look at the school,” Kalchuk said. “These individuals taught classes regarding the significance of ethical and you can spiritual viewpoints within the individual existence, and you will Artem in the near future made family members that have Christians and you may started initially to sit-in church group meetings.” He was baptized for the 2018.
He graduated in the many years 17, “and you will kept the latest structure which had heated your in recent times,” Kalchuk said. “Not knowing what direction to go next and where to go, he turned to the chapel, and this currently noticed Artem to be you to definitely a unique.”
The guy resided witch chapel users and you may turned into next to Christians together with Fedor Chernichkin, a minister toward Chapel out of Christ just who moved to Poltava immediately following expert-Russian separatists grabbed control over his homeland when you look at the east Ukraine’s Donbas region within the 2014.
“He had been young and you can computed to help you serve regarding church and you can become dedicated to help you God,” one of Vinogradar’s household members, Artur Lytvynenko, advised Suspilne, Ukrainian social broadcast. “I remember gratis thailändsk dating-app him as the a young, stubborn and you may fearless people having a really hard core.”
Vinogradar went to the fresh new Ukrainian Bible Institute – which had relocated of eastern Ukraine towards nation’s funding, Kyiv. The college was in the Texas-depending Sundown All over the world Bible Institute.
“He had been a-sharp college student, and i also will always think about his a good characteristics, his smile and his choose to laugh,” said Brandon Speed, manager of one’s Ukrainian Bible Institute. “He’d overcome much inside the past, and his awesome upcoming is bright.”
His girlfriend, Valentina, and had overcome an emotional early in the day, Kalchuk told you. Orphaned at the years step 3, she was raised because of the her sibling and possess got read during the a boarding college.
“Artem will involved Valentina’s domestic and you may aided his girlfriend and you may their (aunt) on housework to become close,” Kalchuk said. “He was educated about chapel just how a good Christian should look immediately following good girl … Soon Valentina acknowledged Christ towards the her existence plus they started initially to sit in group meetings of your own Chapel out of Christ to one another.”
“Artem and you will Valentina planned to end up being the most readily useful parents for it little one,” Kalchuk said. “They wanted to provide your just what no-one offered all of them … It succeeded. However in February, the battle first started.
“Artem, currently a youth commander on the chapel, helped when you look at the offering immigrants and you may refugees. The guy registered the newest ranking regarding volunteers just who evacuated people from towns that have been about battle area and you will transferred as well as basic aid to areas where discover no energy, communication and liquids, but you will find death and you can depletion. Their spouse try waiting around for your at your home and prayed one it mug do violation out of him.”
“Whenever Artem titled their partner and you will family members, the guy usually asserted that he failed to need certainly to kill some one and (which he) expected that the combat carry out stop before he accomplished his training. However, the guy also mentioned that he was called to guard their country, domestic, family – referring to different because there is no greater like than just when some one provides their lives to own their family,” Kalchuk said, citing John .
Vinogradar served since an effective sniper on the airborne violence product, Suspilne claimed. The guy passed away in combat Aug. 15 around the village regarding Verbove.
Valentina was expecting and their second child. System getting Humanitarian Help, a good nonprofit backed by congregations including the A good&Meters Chapel away from Christ within the College or university Route, Colorado, paid the latest couple’s rent as they supported brand new church.
“Artem try a high school students – and you may section of PHA’s ministry for a long time,” told you Wes Hawthorne, invention officer to the nonprofit and a person in brand new An effective&M chapel. “The guy concerned all of our summer camps for quite some time.”
Preacher-Turned-Soldier and Tortured Theologian Mourned during the Ukraine
His partner and you can child moved to Greece with Chernichkin with his family relations. Ukrainians across the European countries mourn, as well as Kalchuk, whom spent 51 months involved on Mariupol church’s strengthening having other believers since the severe fighting raged exterior.
“My cousin is actually murdered,” said Kalchuk, now inside the Poland. “He secure his loved ones, all of our country, his children. Artem, we are going to definitely see you! People from inside the tranquility, my pal.”
