Peter Wooding & Vera Bonderanko in Kiev
Wednesday 31 Dec 2008
Vera Bondarenko’s Return to Ukraine
KYIV, UKRAINE (ANS) -- Vera Bondarenko, daughter of Christian dissident, Joseph Bondarenko, returned to Ukraine recently to attend the Russian Ministries Forum in Kiev as a special representative of Safe Worlds IPTV and the Missionaries News Service.
Vera said on her return that she was “nervous, apprehensive, but excited” to see the country that her parents left many years ago, to escape religious persecution.
“It was particularly meaningful to me because in Kiev in 1966 my father was arrested and sentenced by Soviet trial to 3 years in maximum security prison for his involvement in organizing a protest in Moscow against unjust imprisonment of believers of all denominations, unjustly treating them and their families.”
An ordained Christian minister who now lives in America, Joseph Bondarenko was three times imprisoned by Soviet authorities for his beliefs.
“Although I never lived in Ukraine, I have Ukrainian blood in my veins, as both of my parents are Ukrainians,” Vera told ANS.
“They were uprooted from Ukraine because of their religious beliefs that went against the mainstream of Soviet society at that time. The atheistic propaganda had a big effect on people’s minds that contrasted sharply with my father’s and my mother’s Christian beliefs.”
Vera says she “loved the architecture and historic buildings in Kiev, including the great, Russian Orthodox churches such as Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra.
“The history of Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra goes down many centuries and its beauty is amazing.”
Political and Financial Uncertainty
Vera says that “along with the beauty and the history” of Kiev and the other parts of the Ukraine that she visited, she saw “uncertainty in the hearts of the people over the political and financial crisis in the area.
“I have to say however, that where there were negatives, there were also many positives. It was particularly wonderful for me to hear the beautiful Ukrainian language spoken everywhere I went.”
Visiting with Ukrainian Orphans
Vera said “a life-changing experience” for her was to visit two foster families of children in the villages on the outskirts of Kiev.
“The Missionaries News Service team and I went with Irina Skrypnik, a director of East European Outreach (EEO) in Kiev and her husband, Yuri. The first family we visited, the Tsibulsky family, had 12 children, 4 of their own and 8 foster children.
“The mother of the house, Irina, is a petite young lady, 32 years of age, who I could hardly believe could support such a large family. Irina’s challenges have also been increased because her husband recently left the family.”
“Now she is really in need of our support and prayers.”
EEO Work in the Ukraine
“Irina’s case is not an isolated one however,” Vera said. “We visited another family also of 12 kids in another village close by and we know there are many more in need of our prayers and support.”
Vera said that she was greatly impressed by the work that East European Outreach (EEO) does in the Ukraine to help needy families. “They are doing an incredible job helping families, like Irina’s, financially and otherwise.”
“I was very impressed. I have come away with the highest respect and admiration for Jeff Thompson and the EEO team. Without programs like those provided by EEO, life would be very hard for these families.”
Despite the hardship, Vera said that she was also struck by the determination of the Ukrainian people.
“To my surprise, the villages haven’t changed a bit, and neither has the courage of the people. Everywhere I went people are working hard to survive and support their families, and are very grateful people. I love their spirit.”
Russian Ministries Forum
Vera said that the primary reason for her visiting the Ukraine on this occasion was to attend the two-day International Evangelical Mission’s Forum organized by Russian Ministries at their new “Peter Deyneka” training center located in Irpen, a suburb of Kiev, on the weekend of October 24-25, 2008.
“I was there to hear from the church leaders, missionaries and representatives of educational institutions, in the region, who gathered together in Kiev for this event, at this very strategic time, to analyze missionary work today in the former Soviet Union and find new ways of partnership with Western missions and charitable organizations.
“I must say however that I was delighted also to meet Mrs. Anita Deyneka and to hear of the work of her husband Peter in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Peter Deyneka and his father before him; and Mrs. Anita Deyneka, have done wonderful work taking the gospel to this part of the world and helping many thousands of people.”
Vera said that Peter Deyneka passed away some time ago, but Anita is bravely keeping his memory alive and providing valuable spiritual leadership for Russian Ministries.
“The forum began with the dedication ceremony of the new Peter Deyneka facility, which is the national center for Russian Ministries’ national affiliate, the Association for Spiritual Renewal.
“More than 200 delegates attended the conference, including representatives from the United States, and the United Kingdom.”
The Irpen Location
Vera said that a number of speakers at the conference referred to the Ukraine as a missionaries’ country.
“It should be understood however, Kievskaya Rus’ adopted Christianity by the official act of public baptism by Prince Vladimir I in 988. True, Christianity was suppressed during the Soviet area, but since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has witnessed unprecedented of religious freedom.
“Many Christian organizations, like Russian Ministries, have taken advantage of this and now have their headquarters there. In the small town of Irpen, there are now seven Christian organizations.”
A Spirit of Cooperation
Apart from the sheer joy of being able to return to the homeland of her parents after so many years, Vera said she was impressed with the spirit of cooperation in the Church in the region, and even among Christian media organizations from CBN and TBN who were also at the conference.
“It was very encouraging for me to meet the CBN and TBN media people and to see that they were eager to help and work with us. That was particularly encouraging.
“I know that the Russian Ministries people regard this event as historic – it could not have happened only a few short years ago. People are aware that there are problems in the world, and they have their share, but I found that there is great enthusiasm to move on.
“The word ‘crisis’ was a key word in discussion during the first day of the conference, but then I was impressed by the fact that delegates decided to move on and look at new opportunities that are created by crisis.”
Vera explained that, Pavel Bak, a delegate from Moscow said, "Crisis is a continuation of life by new means."
She said Pavel is "a very bright and sincere man who I later interviewed for The Missionaries News Service.”
The Outcome of the Forum
Vera said that four strategic directions were emphasized from the forum: (1) social evangelism—being open to a changing society and responding to its needs; (2) founding new churches, not simply dressing up old churches; (3) informal approaches to education—motivating and training students without removing them from their ministries; and (4) developing a new missiology.
Vera said that the importance of partnership between missions and churches was also a topic of considerable importance and discussion.
