14 days later on, long time chapel commander and theologian Igor Kozlovsky, exactly who invested nearly two years since the prisoner out of pro-Russian separatists, passed away from a coronary arrest. He had been 70.
‘He secure his family unit members, our very own country’
Born ily in the an outlying Ukrainian town, Vinogradar’s mothers split up as he are younger. His mom remarried, along with his experience of their stepfather is actually burdened, told you Alexei Kalchuk, an old minister regarding Ukrainian city of Mariupol and you will long time pal.
“Whenever his mommy gave delivery so you can their stepfather’s young buck and de- completely superfluous within this delighted family,” Kalchuk told The new Christian Chronicle. Vinogradar decided to go to good boarding university inside the Poltava, in which a teacher instilled inside him a fascination with his country. He became an excellent cadet of one’s Ukrainian Cossacks.
“During the his last two years from data during the boarding college or university, Christians throughout the Church out-of Christ started initially to look at the school,” Kalchuk said. “These people coached classes concerning importance of moral and you may spiritual viewpoints from inside the people existence, and you will Artem in the future made friends having Christians and you will started initially to attend church group meetings.” He had been baptized inside the 2018.
The guy graduated during the decades 17, “and leftover the new wall space which had heated your recently,” Kalchuk told you. “Being unsure of what direction to go second and you will where to go, the guy turned to the fresh new church, and that already believed Artem is you to its.”
The guy lived witch chapel people and turned into near to Christians plus Fedor Chernichkin, a minister on the Chapel of Christ which relocated to Poltava once expert-Russian separatists captured control over his homeland inside eastern Ukraine’s Donbas area within the 2014.
“He had been younger and you may computed to suffice in the chapel and you can getting devoted so you can Jesus,” certainly Vinogradar’s relatives, Artur Lytvynenko, informed Suspilne, Ukrainian societal broadcast. “From the your while the an earlier, stubborn and you may courageous people which have a really hard core.”
Vinogradar attended this new Ukrainian Bible Institute – which had relocated regarding eastern Ukraine to your nation’s funding, Kyiv. The college is actually associated with the Tx-situated Sunset Worldwide Bible Institute.
“He had been a-sharp college student, and that i will always be contemplate their a good nature, his laugh and his like to laugh,” said Brandon Speed, movie director of your own Ukrainian Bible Institute. “He previously overcome far in the earlier, along with his upcoming is bright.”
His girlfriend, Valentina, together with had overcome a difficult earlier in the day, Kalchuk told you. Orphaned at years 3, she spent my youth of the their own aunt and get got learned from the a great boarding college or university.
“Artem commonly involved Valentina’s house and you may aided their girlfriend and you will their unique (aunt) into the cleaning to be personal,” Kalchuk told you. “He had been trained regarding chapel how a good Christian need to look shortly träffa ensamstÃ¥ende kvinnor med barn after a girl … In the near future Valentina accepted Christ towards the their own lives and additionally they started initially to sit in conferences of Chapel of Christ to each other.”
“Artem and Valentina wished to become the top moms and dads for this little one,” Kalchuk told you. “They wanted to provide your exactly what no body provided all of them … It been successful. In February, the war began.
“Artem, already a young people chief regarding church, assisted during the serving immigrants and you may refugees. He entered the newest ranking out of volunteers whom evacuated individuals from towns which were on the war area and you will transmitted food and basic services in order to places that there clearly was no strength, correspondence and you will h2o, however, you will find death and you can exhaustion. Their wife are waiting for your at home and you will prayed that it glass perform admission of him.”
“When Artem entitled his partner and you can friends, the guy constantly mentioned that the guy didn’t want to destroy somebody and you may (which he) expected that combat would stop before he done his training. However, he in addition to asserted that he had been entitled to guard his country, house, household members – referring to more while there is zero greater love than whenever someone offers his life for their family unit members,” Kalchuk said, mentioning John .
Vinogradar served once the an excellent sniper regarding the airborne physical violence unit, Suspilne claimed. The guy died inside the treat Aug. fifteen nearby the village out of Verbove.
Valentina was pregnant making use of their next youngster. System for Humanitarian Aid, an excellent nonprofit backed by congregations for instance the An effective&Meters Chapel out of Christ for the College Channel, Tx, paid off the new couple’s lease as they served the newest chapel.
“Artem is a kids – and element of PHA’s ministry for many years,” told you Wes Hawthorne, innovation administrator for the nonprofit and you may a person in the fresh A&Meters chapel. “He found all of our summer camps for quite some time.”
Preacher-Turned-Soldier and you may Tortured Theologian Mourned in Ukraine
His partner and you will youngster moved to Greece which have Chernichkin along with his family. Ukrainians round the European countries mourn, also Kalchuk, just who invested 51 months swept up regarding Mariupol church’s strengthening that have other believers once the serious attacking raged additional.
“My cousin is murdered,” told you Kalchuk, now during the Poland. “He safe his loved ones, our nation, his students. Artem, we will definitely view you! Others for the serenity, my buddy.”
