MAY 18, 2023 | VOL. 79 NO. 20
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Local Pastor’s mission to Ukraine
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Lead Pastor Oleg and Pastor Vadim share a smile, while enduring the church’s mission of renewal in Ukraine. . BUCK
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TW Buck Reporter/ Photographer Vadim Yurchenko is on a pilgrimage. The local associate pastor, alongside Tony and Sara Warriner of the Evangel Church in Fort St John began their two-week mission in Ukraine May 2. Evangel church in Fort St John is making a difference and has been partnering with a church in Ukraine since 2020. The relationship between churches had been nurtured through weekly connections made between Pastor Vadim Yurchenko from Fort St John, and lead Pastor Oleg from Ukraine.
However, since the beginning of the war that connection has shifted. “I am Ukrainian, I grew up in Ukraine and moved to Canada in 2009 to go to bible school in Edmonton, says Yurchenko. “I moved to Fort St John after and I was working in construction and the oil field, but I felt a calling to be a pastor.” Four years ago, Yurchenko was hired as a full-time pastor at Evangel Church and since then, Yurchenko’s been focused on full time ministry here in Fort St John. “Along the way we’re going to a few towns, stop and meet with church leaders. We’re going to help with whatever we
can, visit hospitals, seeing the wounded soldiers,” says Yurchenko. “This is why we’re going; we want to pour into the people who are serving others there, which is mostly pastors now. Specifically, we want to spread the message of church renewal.” Over $20,000 has been donated to the needs of the church in Ukraine. The money is going towards things such as helping with generators, as well as fuel which is fundamental in evacuating communities. Pastor Oleg is an official chaplain with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and he is the lead pastor for his church. He’s a volunteer and has done
tons of work since the start of the war in Ukraine. Oleg and his team have been setting up multiple distribution points in and around the city, where people could drop off and receive humanitarian aid. “Since the beginning of the war, we have travelled over 70,000 km!” Oleg says. Alongside his team, they have made 30 trips with 3 minivans to deliver humanitarian aid. Quite often they visit soldiers on the front lines, “We bring them medical supplies, and we make sure to cook them homemade meals every time we visit them.” Yurchenko’s sister fled Ukraine and is currently residing in Fort St John, in
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the care of her older brother and has been for the last year. She arrived from overseas on Canada Day 2022, after staying in Germany for 4 months while they waited for visas. “Our church sponsored her, they basically paid for her ticket to come here and to get out of Ukraine. We are super thankful for that, and this community is insanely generous and supportive,” says Yurchenko. Yurchenko will be returning from his mission on May 16, 2023, while the Warriners are set to come home on May 18. tbuck@ahnfsj.ca