In the Ukraine

The following letter, published with the permission of Bro. Alan Eyre, provides a fascinating insight into the spread of the gospel into the former Soviet Union.

Dear Don & Ellen,

Joyful greetings in our Master’s service.

Did you ever see my booklet The Original Gospel Comes to the Ukraine published by the Christadelphian Office? Even if not, I am sure you will recall my two visits to the Ukraine and perhaps read the article in the November, 1992 Christadelphian. In the article, reference is made to Natasha, the young girl from the old Christadel­phian Danilchenko family who was half-blinded by Chernobyl. No doubt you can share my own joy, and that of the angels in heaven, that in a few day’s time, young Natasha will put on the saving name of Christ.

Natasha was the one by whom we were first guided to the old ecclesia in Tsepeleff and began to learn the real fate of the old members there. When we first met Natasha, she had never set eyes on a Bible. She knew that her family had been destroyed by the KGB; but, until we visited, she never really knew it was because they be­lieved the Truth. One of the most emotional moments of my life was when Bro. Victor Sluczewski and I presented her with a Ukrainian Bible inscribed, “To the memory of those of your family who gave their lives for this Faith. May God guide you to make their faith your own.” Our prayers of that day have been wonderfully answered.

Almost simultaneously with the news of Natasha, I received a letter from Leonid Mikhalchuk, a prominent Ukranian historian and writer. It seems that Mayor Gregori Mishok of Kiselin (site of a large center of 17th century brethren in Christ) told him about us and our interest in the old Academy in Kiselin. (Gregori himself had much information as to the history of “The Brethren” and was most helpful in our research).

Leonid, the historian, believed that the Bible faith of the Brethren was just past history and rebuked Gregori, the mayor, for being taken in by a group of sly foreign evangelists. The historian reckoned our only interest in the old Academy was to dupe the mayor so that we could seek control over it for our own purposes. While visiting Kiselin, however, Leonid found a copy of The Original Gospel Comes to the Ukraine that had been placed in the town library. He was startled and amazed.

When the Mayor showed him a copy of the November, 1992 article in The Christadelphian, Leonid realized the belief of the Brethren was not just a fact of ancient history, it is a living faith. “There were no limits to my astonishment” was the historian’s reaction.

Leonid goes on to explain in his letter to me that he is writing a major book on the history and faith of the Brethren in Christ in the Ukraine. He has searched for and found many fascinating documents that have been lost for decades. He says: “There was practically nobody who studied this historical question about the existence of the Kiselin Academy.”

Now, in other places in the Ukraine, he has discovered a couple of ancient cemeteries with the inscriptions giving many names of the Brethren. “If I have health, I hope to find out everything that is connected with the historical past of these [anti-trinitarian] believers.” He earnestly asks that I join him in this quest for information about them. More particularly he wants to know about our faith and our community today and how they can be effectively re-established in the Ukraine, to the glory of Almighty God.

With love in Christ our Savior,