{"id":42820,"date":"2022-06-14T14:00:51","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T05:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=42820"},"modified":"2022-06-14T13:22:21","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T04:22:21","slug":"vomk-report-209","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/06\/14\/vomk-report-209\/","title":{"rendered":"UKRAINE: FORMER DRUG ADDICTS BECOME CHRIST\u2019S \u201cGREEN MARTYRS\u201d IN WAR-TORN SEVERODONETSK"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”42780″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”A church composed of twelve former drug and alcohol addicts, led by a pastor who is himself a former addict, are being hailed as heroes for staying to evangelize and provide aid to Severodonetsk residents as the city came under increasing attack. ” 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]Pastor Alexander <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and his Church of the Transfiguration <\/span>delivered food, diapers, clothes<\/span>, <\/span>medicines, and <\/span>New Testaments <\/span>and preached <\/span>to <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> residents <\/span>who were <\/span>hiding in basements<\/span> and<\/span> bomb shelters<\/span> from the outbreak of conflict in February<\/span>. <\/span>The group continued their work <\/span>even <\/span>after <\/span>a shell <\/span>struck the <\/span>building <\/span>which <\/span>hous<\/span>ed<\/span> the pastor\u2019s <\/span>apartment<\/span>,<\/span> where<\/span> church members<\/span> had relocated during the conflict.\u00a0<\/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=”42784″ 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

\u201cThe world calls Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and <\/span>the members of the <\/span>Church of Transfiguration \u2018heroes\u2019, but we call them \u2018green martyrs\u2019,\u201d says <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative <\/span>Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Foley\u2019s organization <\/span>operates \u201c<\/span>\u0413\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441<\/span> \u041c\u0443\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432<\/span> \u2013 <\/span>\u041a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u044f<\/span>\u201d, a Russian language edition of its popular Facebook page on Christian persecution<\/span>. The organization <\/span>also provides <\/span>emergency assistance to local <\/span>pastors and <\/span>church<\/span>es<\/span> like <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and his Church of the Transfiguration, <\/span>who <\/span>risk their lives to share the gospel <\/span>in <\/span>word and deed in <\/span>areas of<\/span> extreme danger for Christians<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42796″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The lighted window marks the home of Pastor Alexander Turgunov, where members of the Church of The Transfiguration stayed together as fighting reached Severodonetsk. A rocket damaged the adjacent apartments in the building.” 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=”42798″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Pastor Alexander Turgunov (tallest, in the back right) with members of the Church of the Transfiguration. ” 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

\u201cEarly in church history Christians recognized that there were different kinds of martyrdom,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c\u2018Red martyrs\u2019 were those who died for their faith in a bloody instant. \u2018White martyrs\u2019 were those who died to the world, living their lives in the desert or in monasteries. And \u2018green martyrs\u2019 were those who died to themselves, laying down their own lives daily as faithful witnesses to Christ.<\/span> According to this definition, Pastor <\/span>Turgonov<\/span> and his church members should be regarded as green martyrs.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span>, who is married and has five children, founded Church of the Transfiguration in <\/span>2016. He told Voice of the Martyrs Korea that<\/span> after ten years of addiction, he was \u201cdying from drugs\u201d.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42794″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Members of the Church of Transfiguration distributing aid as Severodonetsk experiences heavy fighting.” 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_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>In 2013, I went to a rehabilitation center <\/span>in <\/span>Kharkiv<\/span>.<\/span> I heard about Jesus Christ,<\/span>\u201d Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>In 2014, my wife<\/span> Yana<\/span> and I entered into a covenant with God. God gave me a new life, freedom from the slavery of sin, and I clearly understood that I had to return to my hometown<\/span> of <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span>, where I was <\/span>a <\/span>notorious scoundrel, drug addict and criminal, in order to tell many children that there is another life that is Jesus Christ, who gives freedom from addiction.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> returned to <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> and traveled throughout the region <\/span>for five years, <\/span>visiting hospitals, <\/span>tuberculosis <\/span>dispensaries, pharmacies, and <\/span>wherever he could find <\/span>drug addicts and alcoholics<\/span>, sharing his testimony and preaching <\/span>salvation in Jesus Christ<\/span>. <\/span>\u201d<\/span>Many<\/span> guys, after my personal testimony, went to a rehabilitation center and received freedom from addictions, <\/span>and <\/span>families were preserved and restored<\/span>,\u201d Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> also <\/span>spoke to <\/span>young people on the <\/span>dangers of drugs, alcohol<\/span>,<\/span> and smoking<\/span>, lecturing <\/span>in educational institutions in <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> while he and his church members also played<\/span> sports, lifted weights, and studied the Bible with <\/span>at-risk youth<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>One young girl who became pregnant was accepted into our family and <\/span>chose not <\/span>to have an abortion, <\/span>so <\/span>another soul was saved<\/span>,\u201d <\/span>Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of <\/span>the Martyrs Korea<\/span>. <\/span>The <\/span>girl named her son David, after King David, the pastor said.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and his church worked in <\/span>close cooperation with <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> city authorities and social services<\/span> to reach <\/span>low-income, large<\/span>, and at-risk<\/span> families<\/span>,<\/span> invit<\/span>ing the families <\/span>to <\/span>church <\/span>meetings<\/span> and <\/span>home groups<\/span> and distributing <\/span>food packages.<\/span> In the months preceding the war, the group started a rehabilitation ministry in the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\u201cWhen <\/span>war broke out<\/span> the group had to <\/span>set aside its own ministry projects, but the skills they had learned through their work ended up being needed on a much larger scale,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>.<\/span> Church members prepared meals and fed <\/span>their neighbors while delivering food<\/span> and other aid<\/span> to addresses across the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42802″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Members of the Church of the Transfiguration prepare meals for neighbors in front of the wreckage of an apartment building in Severodonetsk.” 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=”42804″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Church of the Transfiguration, with some members now dispersed as far away as France, continues to meet for worship online. ” 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>Most importantly, when we distributed food to people, we distributed New Testaments and, of course, preached to people about Christ and called for repentance<\/span>,\u201d Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Since Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> lived in a first<\/span>–<\/span>floor apartment, several of the church members with children came to stay in the home, as did the pastor\u2019s non-Christian parents and <\/span>another non-Christian family in which the father was addicted to drugs<\/span>.<\/span> (<\/span>The father is now in rehabilitation in <\/span>Rivne<\/span> in<\/span> Western Ukraine<\/span>.)\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]O<\/span>n March 3, a shell <\/span>landed in another apartment in their building<\/span>. \u201c<\/span>Thank God, everyone survived<\/span>. O<\/span>nly glass fell in our apartment<\/span>,\u201d <\/span>Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span>. <\/span>The group <\/span>decided that <\/span>parents with young children, pensioners, and<\/span> those with health problems should <\/span>evacuate to Rivne. The remaining church members<\/span> cooperate<\/span>d<\/span> with <\/span>city <\/span>volunteer<\/span> groups and other<\/span> local Protestant <\/span>c<\/span>hurches <\/span>to <\/span>assist in <\/span>evacuation efforts<\/span> and deliver aid.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The guys went to those places where <\/span>even <\/span>volunteers were afraid to go<\/span>,\u201d Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”42807″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Some members of the Church of the Transfiguration, now in France, reaching drug addicts with the message of the gospel.” 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=”42810″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Members of the Church of The Transfiguration share their message of freedom from drugs and alcohol through the gospel. Pastor Alexander Turgunov is in the back left.” 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]Turgunov<\/span> says church members remained in <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> as long as<\/span> they could, but as the situation worsened<\/span>,<\/span> recently the last of the <\/span>church members w<\/span>ere<\/span> forced to <\/span>leave<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Now in <\/span>Severodonetsk<\/span> the situation is very terrible<\/span>,\u201d <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>We really want to return in order to restore the ruins of not only urban structures, but also the ruins of crippled souls due to the war, bringing the Good News to people.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]For n<\/span>ow<\/span>, members of the Church of the Transfiguration <\/span>are scattered.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Some of the <\/span>church members with children went to France to assist the <\/span>Transfiguration\u2019s <\/span>mother <\/span>church to reach alcohol and drug addicts in that country. Other members<\/span> are in <\/span>Kharkiv<\/span>, assisting Transfiguration\u2019s mother church with prison ministry and humanitarian aid distribution. The remaining members<\/span>, including Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and his family, are in Rivne.<\/span> Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> keeps the church connected through online worship services and other meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\u201c<\/span>The Lord continues to lead us and take care of us, but we, in turn, also want to be faithful to Him and fulfill His great commission, wherever we are<\/span>,\u201d Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> told Voice of the Martyrs Korea.<\/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=”42813″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Pastor Turgunov, his wife Yana, and their five children. ” 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\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea is providing emergency assistance to local church congregations and individual Christians who are continuing to engage in faithful <\/span>gospel-centered <\/span>witness during the present Russia\/Ukraine conflict. \u201cVoice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s calling is to help support the tiny churches <\/span>like Church of the Transfiguration <\/span>that are <\/span>risking their lives to <\/span>faithfully <\/span>witness to<\/span> Christ<\/span> in word and deed<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> she says<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>These twelve men and their pastor are making an impact for the kingdom from <\/span>Ukraine to France. <\/span>Christians around the world <\/span>can learn a lot from <\/span>Pastor <\/span>Turgunov<\/span> and his congregation<\/span>, as they<\/span> continue to <\/span>\u2018go <\/span>to those places where <\/span>others are<\/span> afraid to go<\/span>\u2019<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Donations can be made to the Ukraine Emergency Fund 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 phrase \u201cUkraine\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=”42780″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”A church composed of twelve former drug and alcohol addicts, led by a pastor who is himself a former addict, are being hailed as heroes for staying …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":42781,"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-42820","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\/42820","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=42820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}