Belief goes a long way (From Gazette Series)

Belief goes a long way

Ukrainian Pastor Vitaliy Taranenko has seen it all - threats from the Mafia, left by his own wife and persecuted for being a member of a religious group. This week, as part of his church-organised tour of Wotton-under-Edge, he tells ALEX ROSS about how far he will go for his own faith.

STANDING at a train station with his heavily pregnant wife and two suitcases containing all that he owned in the world, Pastor Vitaliy Taranenko was on his way to start a mission to establish a Christian church in the Ukraine.

It was a quest that was to take him through many ups and downs. This was the start of Pastor Vitaliy's struggle to spread his own belief and help others.

Arriving at the station in Cherkasy, central Ukraine, Vitaliy was in trouble. In a dangerous area, where the Mafia was powerful, Vitaliy's only contact, a Christian guide, had disappeared. Now, with nowhere to go, Vitaliy was all on his own.

"I wanted to turn back," Vitaliy recalled. "I knew no one and no one knew me. But we prayed for help, and we were glad it came."

Using funds saved by Vitaliy, a former Mafia member himself, the family rented a one room flat to live in, a small, old and dark room which was soon to become their church.

"It was only two years after the Soviet Union had broken up and there was still a lot of persecution against Christians exercising their faith, so we set up the church privately," he said. "It was a risk I decided to take.

Now, 12 years on, Vitaliy runs a church, a disabled centre and orphanage in the town. It has been a real success for the pastor who is now recognised as a hero in some communities within the Ukraine.

A representative of Hope Now, an international Christian organisation, Vitaliy was invited to Gloucestershire by a group of Wotton churches to spread his own story in the hope that it would inspire others in the area.

The two-week visit, organised by Wotton-under-Edge resident Chris Gane, was partly funded by four churches in Wotton, which contributed over £300. Accompanied by an interpreter, Vitaliy gave eight talks to Christian groups around the area. "The talks were designed to spread Vitaliy's impressive story," Chris said.

"Through listening to his story, Christians were able to draw parallels between aspects of their own experiences and his life."

Pastor Vitaliy was in his early 20s when he became a confirmed Christian. He had initially made contact with a nearby church in order to facilitate his planned emigration to Canada, but instead, to his surprise, found himself drawn to the Christian faith.

"I was preparing to go abroad and was meeting contacts at churches nearby when I started to find something in church that was not there for me before," Vitaliy told the audience at one of his talks.

"Something clicked inside me and I felt so happy, I soon decided to stay in Ukraine and start working at the local church."

The Ukraine, which was still affected by anti-religious feelings created by the former Soviet Union, lacked churches and soon Vitaliy made the decision that would change his life.

"I came back from work one day and told my wife that I wanted to start a church up elsewhere in the country," Vitaliy said. "My wife, who was pregnant at the time, disagreed at first, but soon she changed her mind and we proposed to start a church 50 miles away in Cherkasy.

"My wife was very scared, she knew the Mafia were strong in Cherkasy and that we were going to be on our own completely. "Because of our Christian beliefs a lot of my friends and family became ashamed of me.

"At first we were only able to conduct services and prayers from the flat. We found ourselves very short of money and support."

Finishing the building of the town church brought Vitaliy one step forward in the project, but it was a step that proved to bring more trouble.

"The Mafia came to the new church pointed up at the ceiling and asked Vitaliy "Want this?" When he nodded they demanded money - money he needed for his growing family and the church funds. The family often had to go hungry. They were hard times.

While Vitaliy concentrated on his work, sorting out finances and giving the church his full attention, he began to turn his back on his family, including his wife.

"My wife came back one day and told me she was in love with another man, the same man who I told to look after her while I worked," Vitaliy said.

"She left me with the church and the children to look after. I had no one to talk to and no help from anyone, this was the worst time of my life.

"After a week of heartache, I went up the nearby hill and I prayed and sang. I didn't care if anyone heard me. I was talking to God.

"Then, amazingly, on returning home my wife appeared asking forgiveness and the nex me the next day the Mafia called telling me they would leave me alone.

"It was a miracle, a miracle I believe was from God." After surviving so many problems Vitaliy claims that he now believes he can go on and help others who are in need. "A year ago we started an orphanage in the town. There are a lot of homeless children who are in danger, no one cares if they go missing.

"So we decided, with help from German charities that we would try and look after these children, giving them hope and safety. I believe we are accomplishing that."

But Vitaliy, who suggested a possible partnership with a church in England, claimed funds and help are still desperately needed.

"We are struggling to keep the church and orphanage open because we have no state aid," he stressed.

"I have come to England, not only to help people understand Christian struggles abroad, but also to search for a sister church that could support us."

Looking back on Vitaliy's tour, Chris Gane not that the talks had been successful and that money and support had been donated to the Ukrainian project.

"All eight appointments Vitaliy has attended have all gone very well," Chris said.

"He has received huge support from those who have listened to his moving story. What I have found most extraordinary is the generosity of the elderly listeners who are not so well off."

Chris emphasised the benefits and lessons learnt for those who heard Vitaliy's talk.

"Everyone has learnt so much from the Pastor," he said. "Telling the story has given so many Christians in this area hope to succeed aims in their own lives."

"I am sure he will come back again," he added.

Chris, who has been to Cherkasy more than ten times, is currently raising money for facilities at the disabled centre in the Ukrainian town.

"Vitaliy joined me in a ten-mile sponsored walk last weekend as part of fundraising for a mini-bus for the disabled centre," Chris said.

"I really want to make a difference, just as Vitaliy does." "Together, with faith in God, we can all achieve our main aims," he added.

Anyone interested in finding out more, or donating towards Pastor Vitaliy's project can contact Chris Gane on 01453 842365.