CGN Voices Ukraine: Resilience, Resolve and Refuge - A Testimony from Tanya Kotelenets

[00:00:00] Today, we at CGN Media are honoured to present to you an episode of a new podcast from CGN called CGN Voices. This show is a glimpse into the hearts and minds of leaders from all across the Calvary Global Network, where they share insights, perspectives and best practices.

[00:00:16] In today's special episode, we dive into a mini series hosted by Pastor Nick Kady, who conducts interviews with leaders and missionaries based in Ukraine. These are stories of resilience, unwavering faith and sheer Christian spirit in the face of war.

[00:00:30] They're compelling their humbling and we believe they will move you, if you enjoy what you hear today, there's a lot more where that came from. CGN Voices is working on some great upcoming episodes, including some insightful post-CGN conference discussions and Q&A's with our conference speakers.

[00:00:46] So, make sure to subscribe to CGN Voices to stay updated and join us on this journey of discovery and faith. Without further ado, here's the special episode. The goal of this podcast is to give you first-hand accounts from church members who have faced unimaginable challenges.

[00:01:30] We will explore how their faith has sustained them and how God is at work and the gospel is moving forward, even in the midst of adversity. Along with how you can be praying for the future of the world, we will explore how the world is going to be.

[00:01:46] We will also explain to them and how God is at work and the gospel is moving forward, even in the midst of adversity. Along with how you can be praying for them and supporting them as part of the body of Christ.

[00:02:05] Welcome in this special podcast where interviewing people within the Calvary Chapel family of churches in Ukraine, asking them to share about some of their experiences over this past year since the Russian invasion.

[00:02:18] So, they're going through right now and how we can be praying for them and standing alongside them. So today I'm joined by Tanya, Kotolonets and Tanya Melnik and they're both from different cities in Ukraine.

[00:02:32] Now the reason why they're both here is because Tanya Melnik is going to be translating. So please introduce yourselves where you're from a little bit of your backstory. Good afternoon, I'm a lot of praying for you. Hello, I'm pleased to be here and fellowship with you.

[00:02:49] I'm a great host of Tanya, I'm from Serenia, in Chernia, in the region of the region. It's a place where you can be in the city of Chernia and you're translating. But introduce yourself to her.

[00:03:13] My name is Tanya Melnik, I'm from Ternopil, I'm working with Calvary Chapel in Ternopil. I'm a church administrator and translator. And just helping with whatever needs help. Tanya, Kotolonets, tell us what was it like for you when the war began?

[00:03:30] Well, in 2013 we had already been working with the United States and the 23rd of February, but we felt that it's going to happen. And we were so young today, as we were in our second online.

[00:03:45] And so we decided to have a prayer meeting online but some of our friends. So it was a lot of work that we had already had, like, adrenaline and we were lucky to have been here for three years.

[00:03:58] I was very nervous, I remember my adrenaline and ups and downs that my hands were shaking. We could totally sense that something is coming up. In 2014 we were already going to school, there are backpacks where all the radians prepared because of COVID.

[00:04:27] They often met school and it was online but they just decided to make that kids could come physically to school building. I was just saying that we were just going to do something, we were going to do something like that. We were going to do something like that.

[00:04:49] We will come up to many messages on our vibrant chat that just message after message saying that kids are not going to school. And then from the news I found out that the full scale was actually started. But in our place it was a very important thing.

[00:05:16] And in our life there were already bombing happening. The airport was bombed and the whole day we were not going to sit and we could go to the other side. We were not going to sit and we were not going to sit.

[00:05:35] And actually I can say that he was my childhood friend. He was working there and so he was killed on the first day of full scale war. We were going to be a new member of the company, we were going to be a new member of the company.

[00:05:51] A to clock in the morning we decided to get together with our church and vibrant and all of us we were so frightened and crying.

[00:06:02] We were so happy that we decided that it's probably better not to stay in the city but to go outside and stay in the village. We went there and we decided to go outside and we decided to go outside and we decided to go outside.

[00:06:23] So all of us together we met, there was about 19 of us, most of us were from our church, three of the people in our group were non-believers. We were going to be a new member of the company, we decided to stay in the village.

[00:06:41] So we went to stay in that village, we stayed together there for five days. There was ten adults and nine kids.

[00:06:51] We were going to be a new member of the church, we were going to be a new member of the church, but we were going to be a new member of the church.

[00:07:03] It was kind of interesting time because we would wake up because of explosions, we could hear explosions. It was hard to sleep at night and even if we would fall asleep we would wake up because of explosions.

[00:07:16] We approached the machine and we were going to be a new member of the church, we were going to be a new member of the church. So we were staying, we could hear the tanks and all the machinery the weapons being moved,

[00:07:34] them moving on the road and we could hear all the noise. We were pretty small and most of the people from the church were there with the group. There was a lot of people who were there, we were going to be a new member of the church,

[00:08:06] but we were going to be a new member of the church, we were going to be a new member of the church. The living conditions were not the greatest, we were in the old house, we were sleeping on the floor,

[00:08:16] we only think that could warm the house was the old stove, wooden stove and that's how we kept heat in the house. But we were already in the house, we were not even going to be there, we were not going to be there.

[00:08:32] We were not going to be there, but we were still stressed out, we were thinking about cooking food and eating. We decided to finish the food, but we couldn't stay there any longer because our food would be brought to us finished and there was no electricity.

[00:08:59] We had only one car for all 19 of us. We could have been in the same car as we had already had. And the only way we could go back is through the field and it's winter so it was all like dirt, soft soil.

[00:09:20] So we put all the kids in the car, but all the adults we walked by food through the field. We went to the 12 km away from the forest, and we walked to the forest.

[00:09:34] And we were not going to be there, but we couldn't stay there for a long time. In the end it was really miracle and even from just to think about that right now it's scary.

[00:09:47] We were going to go to the house and then we went to the house. When we were near the town, we found out that the field was covered with mines. And we went to the house and we were walking on the path following each other's footsteps.

[00:10:10] And we went to the first place. First it was teenagers who were walking. I was the last one. I was the last one. I was the last one. I saw one soldier, our Ukrainian soldier running towards us so fast. And he was yelling something to us.

[00:10:40] He put him, I called the person who was in the front and I asked, Do you know what happened? He asked, he told us to walk on the side because that path was covered with mines. And we were going to the place where we were going to go.

[00:11:09] And our kids who were the first ones to walk this side because it was so close to us. But we all made it alive and one piece. So you made it out of that place and then where were you when you came out of there?

[00:11:28] Were you in a safer place where you could then get somewhere else? We went to the place where we just returned to the place where we were going. We did not go back to safe place. We didn't have any more food.

[00:11:45] And then we went to the place where we were going. And we were going to the place where we were going. We were going to the place where we were going. And we were going to the place where we were going.

[00:12:01] So we had lunch, we were all tired and hungry. And we were going to go and have some rest. And we just went to the place where we were going. And so we were outside and we heard the airplane flying over us.

[00:12:18] We didn't scream at the moment but we were going to the place. And we saw the plane and it was a war plane and it dropped the bomb. But it wasn't in the city but near the city.

[00:12:33] It was very difficult because our ears kind of popped and my kids ears were popping. Because of the noise. And we didn't know what to do next. So at this point you're still in the nation. What happened after that you were able to leave the city?

[00:12:58] We decided to go to the place where we were going. We were going to the place where we were going. And we were going to the place where we were going. And on the night of March we made it to the airport.

[00:13:19] It was a big space for us to go to the airport. It was a blessing because even though the air raid was on, often we were able to just relax and get some sleep. How long were you in Chernobyl? How long did you stay there?

[00:13:37] We were going to the airport in Chernobyl. We were going to the airport. We were going to the airport and we were going to the airport. We were going to the airport and we were going to the airport.

[00:13:53] We stayed in Chernobyl for eight months and it was such a blessing that Calvary Chapel in Chernobyl. They accepted us, they received us, they provided a living place for us and gave everything necessary for our living.

[00:14:09] What I had heard about you from the pastor of the Chernobyl Church is that not only were you received by the church, but also you then began to serve at the church. The refugees who were coming in from Eastern Ukraine as well. What was that experience like?

[00:14:24] I was like, I'm not sure if I could be in the same place. It was a great blessing because we couldn't do any other way because we would be able to serve the help of the church. To be like Jesus is to be a servant.

[00:14:42] There's an aspect of being a Christian, which we have to be willing to receive. We can't be so proud that we're unwilling to receive help and grace. Then in response to grace that we've received, then we become like Jesus

[00:14:55] in the sense that we learned to serve like Jesus serves. I've heard this story from many people that I've talked to that they came out of regions that were not safe. They were received, they were helped. Then in turn, then they joined in and began serving others.

[00:15:11] So tell me about what's going on in the life of you and your husband, your family now. Well, my wife, in the months of the war, she was not a single person, I was not a single person.

[00:15:22] I was a kind of a person, but I didn't know that I was able to help her, because I was a very strong person. In October of last year, we decided to go back. And it was really hard decision for us because

[00:15:37] many of our people from our church, they have moved from our city and so there were not many people who belonged to our church, were left in our city. But we were not able to do that, but we wanted to go back.

[00:15:58] Because it is the reason that really needs help and to be served. To make sure that there are also refugees, they have no money and a few of them. I would like to go there, go there, go there, go there,

[00:16:17] go to the other side of the church, go to the other side of the church. And the desire was to be there, to be with friends, even those families whose husbands and fathers went to the war.

[00:16:32] When we came to the church, we decided not to go back to our city. And the first thing that happened when we got back, we had to attend a funeral because we were not allowed to go to the church. So, he died near her son in spring,

[00:16:53] but only in fall, in October, they found the body and identified it was him. So, you just want to be with them and be a support to them. And before the war, they got really close. They had very good working relationships.

[00:17:54] You see, the other one was very good working. And this coworker and friend Roma, he went voluntarily. He was not required to go to fight, but he went voluntarily. When we came back home, we found out that he was in the army,

[00:18:17] but he wasn't taking to the front lines. He was still in our region. And we went to the gym, and we had to go there and get some time to go there. We were in the same room, but we were not allowed to go there.

[00:18:31] But we were in contact with him, knowing that he is in the army. So we were trying to help him, but whatever he needed, they found a close and things like that. Just knowing different volunteers we could have different contacts. You could have provided things he needed.

[00:18:48] I was very close to Roma, and I was very close to Roma, because many of you guys were getting like this. And before our friend died, his wife contacted us and asked for some medicine

[00:19:07] because many of you guys were getting like cold because of being outside all the time. I was very close to him, and he was very close to us. And he was very close to us. And he was very close to us.

[00:19:23] He didn't even have time to pass it on to him. The medicine because in short time we heard that he died in the neighborhood of the night. I don't know what this is. You know, as the body of Christ, when one part of the body suffers,

[00:19:37] the whole body feels the pain or should feel the pain. And I hope that our listeners will understand that. When we talk to you, Tanya, I mean, you guys are leading a coverage-appled church. We are family not just in the body of Christ, but even closer than that,

[00:19:54] even within the coverage-appled family. And so how can we as your church family around the world be joining you in prayer and support? I would like to thank you for everything you already have been doing. I know you've already done a lot of things.

[00:20:15] And I know and believe that you are constantly praying for us. It's a very important and we can feel it throughout this whole year we are feeling it. I know that you were able to help me to be close to the church.

[00:20:37] I was very close to the church, and I pray that you will be able to help me. And I pray that you will be close to the church. Because through the church you are helping us to go through these challenges and hardships and traditions.

[00:20:59] I would want to ask you to be praying for kids. Because for them it's a challenge. I don't know, I would act if I would be a child right now.

[00:21:21] I would want to ask you to be praying for teenagers, for kids that unfortunately they cannot have a good education right now. They cannot have a good quality education because they are not able to study normally.

[00:21:43] I would like to ask you to be a child and I would like to be a child. But I would like to be able to help my children and children.

[00:21:57] I know that I am a child and I am a child, but I would like to be a child. But I know there are so many things that I have to do in the teaching of the Deaf,

[00:22:12] but for some reason kids, teenagers, and kids, they are so heavy on my heart. I want to walk in our circle and see the circle. And I want to be leading our church and just all churches in your hand that God would be leading them in that ministry.

[00:22:33] I want to be a child and I want to give you a chance to live in circumstances where you are doing this work. And if it is not for you and not to lose hope, I am grateful to God that He is helping us.

[00:23:15] I want to encourage you if you want to support what is going on in any way.