{"id":42038,"date":"2022-04-19T14:00:37","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T05:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=42038"},"modified":"2022-05-26T16:50:14","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T07:50:14","slug":"vomk-report-201","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/04\/19\/vomk-report-201\/","title":{"rendered":"UKRAINE: MARIUPOL MARTYRS LAID TO REST"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”42016″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Five Ukrainian Christians who cared for 200 people living in a church basement until a grenade hit their car were remembered by Mariupol residents at a memorial service earlier this month. Four of the men were buried in a shared grave in the courtyard of a church near the burned remains of a house where several of the men had days prior been involved in rescuing a man trapped inside and then leading him to the Lord.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]\u201c<\/span>These <\/span>brothers in <\/span>Christ<\/span> were <\/span>managing to gather <\/span><\/span>food, medicine, and supplies <\/span><\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>200 <\/span>or so <\/span>people <\/span>who <\/span>took <\/span>shelter <\/span>for several weeks <\/span>in <\/span>the basement of Central Baptist Church <\/span>in Mariupol,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley<\/span>. <\/span>She says <\/span>residents of the makeshift shelter included <\/span>members of <\/span>the church <\/span>as well as <\/span>church members\u2019 <\/span>relatives<\/span> and<\/span> neighbors, <\/span>including some non-<\/span>Christian<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”42020″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The<\/span> five <\/span>men <\/span>not only cared for the shelter community but also <\/span>responded to the needs of those they met as they were out gathering the supplies,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>For example, it was not strange for them to find some writing on a nearby fence which said, <\/span>\u2018<\/span>Help us. There is a baby that needs food.<\/span>\u2019<\/span> These five men would spring into action <\/span>and<\/span>, by the grace of God,<\/span> find and deliver baby formula<\/span> even as the area faced constant bombardment<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Of the five, two were from <\/span>the Central Baptist Church in Mariupol<\/span>: <\/span>Deacon Ni<\/span>c<\/span>olai <\/span>Sem<\/span>e<\/span>k<\/span>e<\/span>n<\/span> (<\/span>survived by his <\/span>wife and three children) and <\/span>Stan<\/span>e<\/span>slav<\/span> Burdun<\/span>, who <\/span>married six months <\/span>ago<\/span>. His <\/span>body <\/span>has <\/span>not <\/span>been <\/span>found.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The remaining three were from <\/span>Bethany Church in Mariupol<\/span>: <\/span>Serge<\/span>i<\/span> Savelev<\/span> (survived by his wife and two <\/span>children<\/span>),<\/span> his younger brother <\/span>Roman Savelev<\/span> (<\/span>survived by his wife and two children), and <\/span>the youngest team member, <\/span>Stan<\/span>e<\/span>slav<\/span> El<\/span>e<\/span>seev<\/span> (<\/span>survived by his wife)<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”42046″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Photos of the five Mariupol Martyrs and their families.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On <\/span>March 4<\/span>,<\/span> several <\/span>of the <\/span>men went <\/span>out to <\/span>the <\/span>church <\/span>parking lot to check on the cars at night<\/span>. N<\/span>eig<\/span>h<\/span>bors told them that <\/span>the owner of the home <\/span>two doors down from the church<\/span> was trapped in his basement<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Three of the <\/span>brothers <\/span>and one of the wives responded<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The house had been shelled multiple times by the Russian Grad Multiple Launch Rocket System<\/span>, so it was smoldering and finally burst into a <\/span>full blaze.<\/span> There were no firefighters and <\/span>little <\/span>water available, so they just improvised ways to fight off the fire while they worked to rescue the man<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The <\/span>men <\/span>sawed <\/span>through the floor to get to the basement, where the <\/span>owner<\/span>, whose name was Vo<\/span>v<\/span>a,<\/span> was <\/span>unable to move,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cHe was buried up to his waist, with<\/span> one <\/span>leg <\/span>pinned <\/span>and one arm broken.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Victoria <\/span>Burdun<\/span>, who had accompanied her <\/span>new<\/span> husband <\/span>Stan<\/span>e<\/span>slav<\/span> to the home as part of the rescue team recalls her husband <\/span>calling out to <\/span>Vo<\/span>v<\/span>a<\/span> as <\/span>they<\/span> dug him out, \u201c<\/span>You will live. Do you believe that God will save you?<\/span>\u201d <\/span>The team carried Vo<\/span>v<\/span>a to the church using the door of his home as a stretcher.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42026″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42023″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Actual footage of the three Ukrainian Christians rescuing a man from the basement of his home days before they themselves were killed by a direct hit from a grenade launcher.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cVo<\/span>v<\/span>a had been buried from 5PM to 3AM, so he was frozen,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201cThe team had to douse him with water several times to extinguish <\/span>the <\/span>flames from the fire <\/span>that had reached him. <\/span>They gave him tea, washed him, changed his clothes and took him to the hospital in the morning. Later, the brothers visited him again in the hospital. He was alive and he believed in God.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Victoria <\/span>Burdun<\/span> believes <\/span>God saved the man. \u201cThree<\/span> times it seemed that everything was in vain<\/span>,\u201d she says. \u201c<\/span>We prayed and God helped us put out this fire and save Vova’s life<\/span>.<\/span> There was no shelling during the <\/span>fire<\/span> and we thanked God that He gave us th<\/span>e<\/span> time to save th<\/span>is<\/span> person<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Bu<\/span>rdu<\/span>n<\/span> says the team had no fear <\/span>during the rescue <\/span>because <\/span>weeks before <\/span>they had already resolved to <\/span>lay down <\/span>their lives for the Lord<\/span>. <\/span>On February 28, she posted on <\/span>her <\/span>Facebook<\/span> page<\/span>, \u201cWe are not leaving <\/span>anywhere<\/span> and we are staying\u2026 My husband and I have no fear, and we are ready to die, if God wills!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42042″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The grave in the courtyard of the Central Baptist Church in Mariupol where the four men are buried.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42033″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Victoria Burdun, wife of Staneslav Burdun, who is missing and presumed dead.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea recognizes the five men as martyrs.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>M<\/span>artyr<\/span>s<\/span> are<\/span> Christian<\/span>s<\/span> who <\/span>make a conscious decision to lay down their lives in service to the Lord,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>They commit to making a faithful witness unto death, testifying <\/span>of <\/span>the Lord\u2019s grace to those <\/span>for <\/span>whom they lay down their lives.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that it is a mistake to think that martyrdom is the result of persecution. \u201c<\/span>We sometimes think that a person is a martyr because the<\/span>y <\/span>are persecuted<\/span>. <\/span>But biblically<\/span>,<\/span> the word martyr means \u2018witness\u2019<\/span>\u201d, says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Biblically, f<\/span>aithful witness\u2014martyrdom<\/span>\u2014<\/span>always comes first, <\/span>and the result <\/span>it produces is <\/span>often persecution.<\/span> Sometimes that persecution <\/span>comes <\/span>from other human beings. Sometimes it comes from the spiritual realm.<\/span> In the case of these Christian brothers, it\u2019s no<\/span> coincidence that they who <\/span>in Jesus\u2019 name <\/span>saved a man from two fires\u2014the <\/span>fire <\/span>of his burning house and the <\/span>fires<\/span> of hell\u2014were themselves burned alive<\/span> day<\/span>s<\/span> later<\/span>.<\/span> There is always a high price to be paid for faithfulness to Christ.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]On March 9, the team of five <\/span>left <\/span>the church basement<\/span> and drove off in a minivan <\/span>in search of <\/span>medicine and fuel <\/span>but <\/span>did not return. Later the<\/span> burned frame of the<\/span>ir <\/span>vehicle<\/span> was <\/span>discovered<\/span>, along <\/span>with <\/span>the bodies of <\/span>four <\/span>of the men<\/span>. <\/span>T<\/span>he car appeared to <\/span>have <\/span>be<\/span>en<\/span> hit by a <\/span>grenade launcher<\/span>. <\/span>\u201cAccording to those who found <\/span>the <\/span>4 men, it was a direct hit<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The bodies <\/span>of the three men <\/span>found in the back seat were burnt. The body of the deacon who <\/span>had been driving<\/span> was not burned <\/span>but was <\/span>found <\/span>about 5 meters away from <\/span>the van.\u201d<\/span> The fifth man, <\/span>Sta<\/span>neslav<\/span> Burdun<\/span> is still missing and presumed dead<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”42030″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Painting by Victoria Burdun of her husband and a Christian rescue team freeing a man from his burning home and then leading him to the Lord. Burdun\u2019s husband is missing and presumed dead.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>They bore faithful witness to Christ <\/span>unto death<\/span>, and we will have one more brother in heaven because of their ministry<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]V<\/span>oice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span> is supporting each of these five widows with an emergency gift<\/span> from its Families of Martyrs fund<\/span>.<\/span> \u201cThe most basic and important ministry of Voice of the Martyrs is to care for the families of those who are martyred or imprisoned for their faith,\u201d says Representative Foley.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that the organization is also continuing to administer its Ukraine Christian Emergency Relief project, in addition to making disbursements from its Families of Martyrs fund to the families of other Ukrainian Christians who are killed in the act of Christian witness. Those who are interested in making a donation to either fund can do so at <\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/en\/donation<\/a><\/span> or via electronic transfer to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span> (KB Bank) 463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span> (Account Holder): (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the word \u201cUkraine\u201d or \u201cFamilies of Martyrs\u201d with the donation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”42016″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Five Ukrainian Christians who cared for 200 people living in a church basement until a grenade hit their car were remembered by Mariupol residents at a memorial …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":42017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42038\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}