Authors

Oleksandr Bohun was born on June 20, 1991, in the city of Berdychiv in the Zhytomyr region.

Since 2009, he has been a member of the local Evangelical Christian-Baptist church.

In 2011, he graduated from Berdychiv College of Industry, Economics and Law. He received higher education (master’s degree) at the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.” Currently, he works as a production preparation engineer at LLC “Kostal Ukraine.”

Despite his technical education, he has been writing poems and epic poems for many years, in which he tries to express his love for God and for his Motherland.

Mykhailo Cherenkov is a preacher, teacher, and pastor of the “Revival” Church (Vancouver, Washington). Author of books and many articles about the social position of evangelical churches and current issues of Christian worldview. He grew up in the Donetsk region in a large family.

For twenty years, he was responsible for coordinating missionary and charitable projects in post-Soviet countries. Doctor of Philosophy.

Father of four cheerful girls.

Mykola Muchynskyi was born on January 2, 1961, in the village of Hnizdychne in the Ternopil region.

In 1984, he graduated from Ternopil Financial and Economic Institute. He worked as head of the planning and economic department of a forest enterprise, as an economist, and later as chief accountant of a collective farm and greenhouse operation; later as senior accountant of a food base and chief accountant and store manager of a private firm.

In 1999, he repented and received holy water baptism according to faith. At that time, he began writing children’s works, which were published in collective collections: “Tales of the Christmas Angel,” “Easter Miracle,” “Snow-winged Angels,” “Before God’s Manger,” “Tales of God’s Garden,” “Winter Stories for Children,” the “Christian Reader” series – Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn books, in the Preschool Educator’s Anthology in the “Nature” sphere of life activity.

His short prose was published in collective collections “Missionary 2016,” “Missionary 2018,” “Missionary 2020” and Christian magazines “Herald of Truth,” “Voice of Truth,” “God’s Vineyard,” “Herald,” “Herald of Galicia,” “With Love and Prayer,” “To Christian Volyn,” children’s magazines “Little Angel,” “Little Angel’s Learning,” “Living Spring,” internet publications, and poetry in the “Almanac of Christian Poetry of Galicia.”

Mykola Muchynskyi is one of the winners of the John Bunyan Literary Competition in 2017 and 2019, respectively for the collections “Bitter Plums” and “Through Doubts.” Author of the collection of Christian stories “The Trace” (2018).

Currently, he works as chief accountant in a homeowners’ association and the Evangelical Church of Jesus Christ. He has two daughters: Iryna and Yulia, as well as a granddaughter Amelia.

Volodymyr Sad was born on January 1, 1956, in the village of Velyki Telkovychi in the Rivne region. He studied at Rivne State Music College and at Rivne Bible Institute.

He serves as a pastor in the “Light of Life” Church in the village of Pidhaitsi, near Lutsk.

He is married. Together with his wife Liubov, they raised nine children.

Author of three poetry collections: “The Tablet of My Heart” (2007), “Summer of My Autumn” (2012), and “View” (2020).

Olha Velihan is the author of poetry collections “A Moment Like Eternity,” “Golgotha,” “Communion,” “Insight,” and the book “Heaven,” which includes poems from different years in Russian and Ukrainian languages. These are reflections on the meaning of life, on the greatness and mercy of our Lord, on eternity in Heaven, which the Savior gives to all who have loved Him.

In 1992, Olha Velihan was baptized by water according to faith. Until 2000, together with her daughter Iryna, she hosted the TV program “In the Beginning Was the Word,” and was a senior editor of Ternopil State Television. She is the literary editor of the magazine “God’s Vineyard” of the Pacific Association of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

Olha is a mother of three children. She has six grandchildren. She lives in Sacramento, California, and is a member of Grace Avenue Bible Church.

My life’s paths began in October 1959 in a small mining town, Novovolynsk. The town was founded in 1950 and grew before my eyes.

I fell in love with poetry since childhood. This was probably from my father. I remember, when I was little, I recited poems in church. In general, poetry was closely woven into the worship rituals of that time, alongside sermons and singing.

My first attempt at writing was a poem about Armenia, which I wrote in co-authorship with my father. It was a school homework assignment. I remember with what inspiration I recited:

Вірменія славна моя,
Твоє поле в бавовнику біле.
І краса твоя дуже ясна,
Бо всі люди беруться до діла.

Later, when I entered my youth, I began to write poems on spiritual themes, poems-reflections about life and wedding poems. Unfortunately, the notebook with my first poems has not been preserved. Only a few poems from that notebook went into independent life. I want to share the story of one of them.

In my youth, I had musician friends who created a musical group that was called simply – “Army Men.” Once, before the wedding of Viktor and Svitlana Matushevsky, they learned a new march and asked me to write a short poem-invitation to the newlyweds. We were then sitting at a “rehearsal” in the house of one of the musicians. May 1980 was blooming outside the open window. Across the road from the window, in the neighbors’ yard, they were preparing for a wedding and pre-wedding bustle could be heard. A sheet of paper and a pen appeared before me. In half an hour, I wrote a short poem:

Заходьте, любі молодята!
У вас сьогодні гарне свято.
Союз сердець скріпивши словом,
Наблизили майбутнє нове.

Ви поєднали нині руки,
Щоб щастя двоїлось, а муки
Ділились порівну на двох.
Хай вам поможе в цьому Бог.

А синє небо так ясніє!
За вас природа вся радіє!
І повняться простори співом,
Щоб ви завжди жили щасливо.

Погляньте, як гостей багато
Зібралося, щоб вас вітати.
Заходьте, любі молодята,
Розпочинайте своє свято.

Since there were several days left until the wedding, I gave the poem to my friends in such a “raw” form and hoped to work on it after the wedding.

But after the wedding, it was already too late. The poem spread throughout Ukraine… I often joke about this: I let an unwashed child out on the street for a moment, and it broke free from control and went walking among people. This incident served as a good lesson for me: now I try to polish poems before sharing them with others.

In 1991, my husband and I and our children moved to permanent residence in Sacramento, where we still live. I hope that readers will be interested in getting acquainted with my work and together we can glorify the Creator who gave us such great wealth: the Word.

Yaroslav Mykolaiovych Velihan was born on July 28, 1935, in the Buchach district of Ternopil region.

In 1975, he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Lviv State University named after I. Ya. Franko.

In 1992, he repented in the Evangelical Christian-Baptist church and was baptized by water according to faith. He served God with his talents: sang in the church choir, read poems. In various years, Yaroslav’s poetry was published in the magazines “Ukraine,” “Bell,” “Morning.” As a Christian journalist, he worked for the newspaper “Good News,” edited the magazine “Evangelical Voice,” the book of preacher Stepan Bilak “Sermons of the Messenger of Truth,” Fedor Roshcheniuk’s “Evangelical Movement in Ternopil Region.” He was editor of the magazine “Christian World” and radio host of the program “Light for the World” on Ternopil Regional Radio. His articles and poetry were published by local newspapers and magazines in Sacramento – “Word and Deed,” “Diaspora,” “View.”

In 2005, Yaroslav Velihan moved to permanent residence in the USA.

In 2019, the joint poetry collection “Insight” by the couple Yaroslav and Olha Velihan was published. Several songs that glorify the Lord have been written to Brother Yaroslav’s words (composers Yuriy Heletiuk and Mira Velihan).

On October 22, 2021, at the age of 87, the Lord called Yaroslav Velihan to heavenly dwellings.

Mykhailo Kozubovskyi lives in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine. He began writing poetry in his youth. He received his first lessons in poetic craftsmanship at the literary studio of the Writers’ Union of Ukraine, and it was then that his first publications appeared. Then there was study at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University at the Faculty of Journalism.

He was a member of the working poetic group at the music department of the All-Union Council of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, whose task was to work on texts for musical works, as well as prepare for publication the first poetry collection “Christian Lyre,” which also included the author’s poems. He was published in the magazine “Fraternal Herald.”

In 1989, he stood at the origins of the newspaper of the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Ukraine “Christian Life,” which he edited for seven years. After the transformation of the newspaper into the magazine “Evangelical Field,” he was the editor of the magazine until 2012. Then he worked on the series of books “Preach the Word.” During a long creative period, he was the editor of many Christian publications.

Member of the Union of Journalists of Ukraine.

Many of the author’s poems have been set to music.

Dmytro Dovbush was born in 1987 in the city of Lutsk in a working-class family. After school, he graduated from the philological faculty of Lesya Ukrainka University. Today he works as a correspondent for the magazine “Herald” and the newspaper “Voice of Hope.” By faith – Protestant.

He wrote his first poem while still in preschool. During his studies at school and university, written creativity was something like a hobby. He began to take poetry more seriously after getting acquainted with the creative team of the magazine “Herald” and the “Word” studio.

His works have been published in the collection “Autumn of Faith,” as well as in the aforementioned spiritual publications. He maintains a poetry blog “Territory of Words.”

Yuriy Vavryniuk was born in the village of Zymne, Volodymyr-Volynskyi district, in Volyn. Author of poetry collections “Waiting” (1997), “Bells of Eternity” (2005), “Silent Dialogues” (2017). Christian motifs predominate in his work, in poetry – religious, philosophical and civic lyrics. Member of the Union of Christian Writers of Ukraine, chairman of the Volyn branch of the Union of Christian Writers of Ukraine. He has been published in collective collections “In the Lord’s Meadow,” “Poetry of Faith,” “Golden Book: Poems,” “Autumn of Faith,” “Missionary.” Founder and administrator of the website “Ukrainian Christian Poetry” (“BogPoet”). He works as editor of the magazine “Herald.”

Galina Gumenyuk was born in the village of Zastavne, Ivanivsky District, Volyn Region. She first graduated from the Sokalske Vocational School, and then from the Faculty of Painting and Graphics at the Moscow Correspondence People’s University of Arts. She worked as a graphic designer in one of the divisions of the Volynbud trust and at the Pryluky Secondary School. She lives in Sacramento, California. She attends the Vifesda Church.

Alexander Savchenko was born in 1952 in Mariupol. From 1969 to 1975, he studied at the Leningrad Medical Institute (now the St. Petersburg Medical Academy). After graduating from the institute, he worked as a teacher and senior resident, and then as head of the department at the Gatchina Central District Hospital in the Leningrad Region. At the same time, Alexander Petrovich served as a preacher in the Leningrad Church (incidentally, at that time it was the only church in the entire Leningrad Region).

Recalling his childhood, he says: “I have been a believer since childhood. For this, I am grateful to my parents, who instilled faith in me from my mother’s breast.”

Child psychoneurology is Alexander Petrovich’s narrow specialty, but for most of his life he worked in a specialized ambulance team in Mariupol.

In 1994, he left medicine to become the director of the Christian publishing house “Svitlyk” and the director of an international non-governmental organization that works in 35 countries around the world and provides assistance to orphans, leprosy patients, and people with disabilities.

Alexander Savchenko is married and has six children: four sons and two daughters, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His wife, Tetyana Ivanivna, is a faithful helper in all of her husband’s endeavors.

Oleksandr Savchenko is a doctor, doctor of theology, and pastor of the Church of Salvation (where he has served since 1980). He is a poet and writer, author of the bestsellers “Diamonds of Thought,” “Companion of the Christian Doctor,” “Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge,” “Pearls of Experience,” and many collections of poems and stories.

Due to the war in Ukraine, he was forced to flee with his wife and the entire church community from Russian-occupied Mariupol to the Polish border. He now lives with his children in America (Spokane, Washington).

Petro Romaniuk was born on May 7, 1948, in the village of Muravytsia, Rivne region. He received a financial education.

He is the father of two children.

He is the author of the poetry collection Golgotha (2009) and the poem Malynska Tragedy, which was published as a separate book (2018).

Olga Mytsevska was born in Ustyluz, Volyn.

From 1994 to 1998, she studied at the Volodymyr-Volyn Pedagogical College and Volyn State University (now the Eastern European National University).

Her works have been published in the magazine Blagovist and in collective anthologies.

She is a member of the Union of Christian Writers of Ukraine. She lives in Lutsk.

She works as a journalist for the magazine Blagovist.

Shirinai Dosova was born in Southern Kazakhstan in 1957, in a Muslim family, but has been living in Moscow for 45 years.

By profession – accountant-economist. She came to believe in Jesus Christ thanks to a person who was convicted for his faith and spent 12 years in prison.

She has been working in the “Light in the East” mission since 1987. She has been teaching at the Institute for Inductive Bible Study since 2000.

Author of the book “My Eternal Spring,” which has been translated into seven languages. Articles and stories by Shirinai Dosova have also been published in the magazine “Faith and Life” and in the “International Christian Newspaper.”

With Shirinai’s direct participation, three churches were established: in Moscow (1991), in Uzbekistan (1999), and in Kazakhstan (2005).

Yaroslav Borsuk was born during the war on July 1, 1941, in the family of pastor Volodymyr Borsuk.

In 1965, he believed and was baptized by water.

Two years later, he married Maria. Together they raised six children.

From 1978 to 2000, he was the pastor of the Boryslav Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (Lviv region, Ukraine).

From 1990, he served as deputy regional presbyter, and from 1997 to 2000, he was responsible for prayer ministry in Baptist churches of Ukraine.

In July 2000, he moved with his family to the USA, to the city of Sacramento.

In 2001, he was elected pastor of the Ukrainian church “Source of Life” in Sacramento, and from 2006 – deputy chairman of the Western Association of Ukrainian Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

Fragments from the book “Real Life Examples” is the many-year work of Yaroslav Borsuk. These instructive living examples, collected by the author, illustrate how the Lord works, how a Christian should live to please God. The author wishes to serve with this book for the salvation of sinners, strengthening and growth in faith of Christians, to help young preachers, organizers of prayer ministry and Bible study.

Iryna Karkhut turned to the Lord at the age of nineteen. She graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Lviv State University named after I. Ya. Franko. For many years, she worked as a journalist at Ternopil State Television.

In 2002, she immigrated to the USA with her family (Sacramento, California). Member of Grace Avenue Bible Church in Sacramento.

Author of Christian television programs “In the Beginning Was the Word,” “House Built by Wisdom,” numerous publications, Christian radio and television broadcasts about heroes of faith. Creative website: http://www.heroes-of-faith.com

Iryna loves poetry and writes poems for God’s glory. Member of the editorial board and permanent host of the “Mission Today” column in the magazine “God’s Vineyard” of the Pacific Association of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. In 2022, Iryna’s poetry was published in the almanac “New Times.”

Together with her husband Mykhailo, they raised two children.

Svitlana Iotko (Zavhorodnya) was born on November 24, 1983, in the city of Dnipro, Ukraine.

She graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Construction Academy in Dnipro, and also simultaneously studied English and television journalism.

At the age of 17, Svitlana made a conscious decision to follow Christ.

The first collection of poems “I Am Free” was published in 2019.

Several of her poems were set to music and became songs.

In April 2021, together with her husband Svyatoslav and three children, Svitlana moved to the USA, to the city of Sacramento, where she started a motivational program “Beautiful People” on local radio.

In 2022, Svitlana’s poetry was published in the almanac “New Times.”

Yuriy Sipko was born on February 28, 1952, in the city of Tara, Omsk region, as the fourth child in the family of a presbyter of the Evangelical Christian-Baptist Church.

At 16, he entered the Omsk Construction Technical College. Four years after graduation, he was drafted into the army and served in the internal troops in the village of Tabaga in the Yakut ASSR, where he was involved in building the security system of the local camp. After demobilization, he settled there with his wife and children, working at the local timber mill.

In 1978, he returned to Kyiv with his family and was baptized in the Baptist church.

From 1981-1983, he studied at the Correspondence Bible Courses of the All-Union Council of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. In 1984, he was ordained for deacon ministry, and in 1985 – for presbyter ministry.

Since 1987, Yuriy Sipko has been the senior presbyter for the Omsk and Tyumen regions.

In 1993, he was elected as deputy chairman of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and moved to Moscow with his family.

On March 20, 2002, Yuriy Sipko was elected to the position of chairman of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, a position he held for two terms. On March 25, 2010, during the 33rd Congress of the RUECB, in accordance with the Union’s Charter, he resigned from his position.

Author of the book “Voice of One Crying” (2013).

Honorary Doctor of St. Petersburg Christian University.

Married, has 11 children and 12 grandchildren.

Oleksandr Vialov was born and lives in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He is married. Together with his wife Lilia, they are raising three children—Margarita, Veronika, and Oleksandr. He graduated from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Faculty of Physics, Department of Theoretical Physics. Since 1996, he has been working as a physics teacher in a secondary school. Since 2000, he has been the founder and director of the private institution Kharkiv Christian Lyceum “The Beginning of Wisdom.” Since 2010, he has been the pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church “Living Hope” in Kharkiv.

He is the author of the books “Scientists of God” and “Co-workers of the Creator.” He writes songs and poems. Alexander Vyalov’s book “Co-workers of the Creator” was recently published. It is a collection of biographies of outstanding people: scientists, composers, artists, teachers, doctors, and statesmen. Each of them is a fascinating testimony of how faith in God the Creator influences a person’s way of life, helps them realize their calling, develop God-given abilities, and bring joy and inspiration to many people.