Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC202319S
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00:00 [theme music playing]
00:03 ♪♪ 00:47 >> Welcome to It Is Written 00:48 Canada. 00:48 Thank you for joining us. 00:50 Olena Didenchenko did not know 00:53 what to do or where to go, but 00:54 she just knew that she had to 00:56 leave war torn Ukraine to save 00:59 her family. 01:00 >> Her older daughter pleaded, 01:02 "Mom, just let them shoot me." 01:05 Olena and her daughters couldn't 01:07 live like this any longer. 01:09 They kept waking up throughout 01:11 the night, the alarms going off, 01:13 and they didn't know when they 01:15 would stop. 01:16 [MIKE] And when they did get a 01:17 chance to relax, it only lasted 01:19 a few hours and then the alarms 01:22 went off again. 01:24 Today, our special guest is 01:26 Olena Didenchenko, who has 01:28 agreed to share her incredible 01:30 faith-building story with us. 01:33 >> Olena, thank you for joining 01:35 us on It Is Written Canada. 01:38 >> I thank you for inviting me 01:40 here and giving me a possibility 01:41 to share our story. 01:44 >> Olena, what do you remember 01:47 about when the war first began 01:49 in the Ukraine? 01:51 What kind of things did you see? 01:53 >> Okay, it was 24th of 01:56 February, 2022. 02:00 It was Thursday, just usual day 02:04 as we were... 02:07 ...expecting, nothing unusual. 02:10 I woke up around nine-- around, 02:13 sorry, 5:00 in the morning from 02:16 loud sounds and I thought, "No, 02:18 it cannot be a war," because 02:21 nobody believed it could happen. 02:24 Everybody knew that something is 02:27 happening, but, you know, nobody 02:30 believed that war would start. 02:34 People are very mixed. 02:36 Like, my grandfather is Russian, 02:39 you know? 02:40 My mom has mostly Ukrainian 02:42 roots. 02:43 My father is Bulgarian and the 02:46 Russians, they are mixed as well 02:48 with Ukrainians. 02:49 And now to believe that they are 02:51 going to fight us, nobody 02:54 believed that they would dare 02:56 to do this. 02:58 And nobody believed that they 03:01 would destroy civilians. 03:04 People thought, okay, maybe they 03:05 want to take military stations 03:07 or, like this, but when people 03:10 realized they are going to 03:11 destroy cities... 03:13 ...it changed mind 03:16 for many people. 03:18 And... 03:20 ...at first your mind is 03:23 not ready to accept the 03:24 evidence. 03:26 You just refuse to believe 03:28 that this is real. 03:29 And this maybe took two or three 03:33 days and people started to 03:36 understand it's real and 03:39 it happened to us. 03:40 Our usual life stopped and 03:43 everything what we liked and did 03:45 before will change and would 03:48 never be again the same. 03:50 So... 03:52 ...at this point we had to 03:55 decide to leave or to stay. 03:59 And first time I decided to 04:02 stay, even if I come to Europe, 04:05 what to do there? 04:06 I have two kids and this was 04:10 kind of threatening to me 04:13 because, you know, if you're 04:15 responsible just for yourself, 04:17 it's one thing, but when you 04:19 have to go, you don't know 04:21 where, with kids, you have to 04:24 think twice. 04:25 So I postponed it maybe 04:28 two weeks... 04:31 ...and already decided maybe 04:33 it's better for us to stay. 04:35 We will pray and... 04:38 ...we will stay. 04:40 We are not going to leave 04:41 Ukraine. 04:42 But I saw on condition of my 04:45 kids that they were too 04:48 stressed. 04:49 You know, all the time they 04:50 have to... 04:54 ...be aware of these alarms. 04:57 They cannot go to playground 04:59 because it is forbidden, yeah? 05:01 It is too dangerous. 05:03 They... 05:05 ...their life is dependent 05:08 on alarms. 05:10 We were living from alarm 05:11 to alarm. 05:13 When you hear siren, you have to 05:15 dress up quickly, you have to 05:17 go down. 05:18 Well, our new area had no 05:21 shelter, so we were going to 05:24 underground parking. 05:26 You stay there for two hours, 05:28 then you hear that 05:31 alarm is not working anymore 05:34 and you come back. 05:36 Maybe in two hours you hear it 05:38 again and it would be all 05:41 the time. 05:42 And when it came to maybe 05:45 three, four times per night 05:46 already, it was too difficult 05:50 because you have to wake up your 05:52 kids several times per night 05:55 and we have to go somewhere. 05:58 I decided not to allow them to 06:00 sleep in their beds because we 06:01 had a very big window and in 06:04 the case of explosion, 06:07 this glass, broken glass can 06:09 just cut people and many 06:12 perished like this. 06:13 So they were sleeping in 06:16 closet, small place like this. 06:20 Two of them. 06:21 They are quite big already and 06:23 they were sleeping, like we say, 06:25 fish in a tin, you know, without 06:28 possibility to move. 06:30 And the stress was 06:32 coming on and on. 06:34 And in two weeks my daughter 06:36 told me, "Mom, let them 06:37 shoot me. 06:39 I'm not going to sleep like this 06:41 anymore." 06:42 Because it was 06:45 rule of two walls. 06:47 You have to be in a place where 06:49 you don't have windows because 06:51 it would be somehow protection 06:53 of missile. 06:54 So... 06:56 ...in this point, I realized 06:59 that we have to leave. 07:02 >> You are a teacher at a 07:03 Seventh-day Adventist school and 07:06 it's in Odessa. 07:07 You have a very vibrant school 07:10 director. 07:11 Tell us about her and how she 07:12 helped you, your family, and 07:14 other families. 07:16 >> Her name is Tatiana, Tatiana 07:19 Arkhangelskaya. 07:21 Actually her surname means... 07:25 "...archangel." 07:27 And in that time she was 07:30 like angel for us. 07:31 You know... 07:35 ...I like one song just from 07:37 my childhood. 07:38 If you go to friend and you are 07:41 not sure what kind of friend he 07:43 is, you bring him to the 07:46 mountains and then when you are 07:48 in troubles, you can check and 07:51 you will decide, can you trust 07:54 this person or not? 07:56 She could survive herself. 07:59 She had... 08:01 ...U.S. visas for all her 08:03 family and she could leave 08:05 Ukraine. 08:06 And... 08:07 ...in this time everybody has 08:10 to be responsible for himself. 08:12 But she cared about all the 08:16 school and cared about everybody 08:19 to leave Ukraine and to be safe. 08:22 And this is how we, with her 08:25 help and encouragement, 08:27 and even she paid for our 08:29 tickets and she brought us 08:32 to Czech Republic. 08:35 Tatiana is a person who can move 08:37 mountains by faith. 08:39 And she told, 08:42 "I will start the school in 08:44 Odessa, even my daughter would 08:46 be the one, the only one 08:48 student there." 08:50 And... 08:52 ...she came back to Ukraine 08:54 because she clearly understood. 08:57 And all of us, we knew that 09:01 without her, school won't 09:03 survive. 09:04 That is why she came back to 09:06 Ukraine and ran it 09:08 in 2023. 09:11 And that time 09:13 when we knew that 09:16 war is real and it's not going 09:20 to stop in just a couple of days 09:22 or weeks and even months... 09:27 ...we saw how people 09:30 were leaving. 09:31 You just see through your window 09:33 and you'll see car is packed. 09:35 People are putting their 09:37 suitcases and leaving, leaving, 09:39 leaving. 09:40 Our area is very big. 09:43 We lived next to the school, 09:45 around 40,000 people. 09:47 And in two weeks it was 09:49 almost empty 09:51 because people were leaving. 09:53 And I decided where to go? 09:56 I have no place to go. 09:57 And she called me and told, 09:59 "Okay, you have chance 10:02 to leave now. 10:03 If you leave now, I help you. 10:05 I know you have no money, no 10:08 relatives in Europe. 10:10 I will help you. 10:11 We will find everything. 10:13 Don't worry." 10:15 I'm sure in that time she didn't 10:16 know how to organize all these 10:19 things as well, 10:21 but I told you, 10:23 she has a great faith. 10:25 And if somebody would tell, 10:27 "You can't do this, it's just 10:28 impossible," she would say, 10:31 "Okay, my Heavenly Father is 10:33 rich and He can do everything. 10:35 We can solve all the problems." 10:38 [MIKE] So she started this 10:39 school with just a few students. 10:41 How many were-- are there now? 10:45 [OLENA] Now 72, if I'm not 10:47 mistaken. 10:49 You know... 10:51 ...our worry was that 10:53 school will stop its existence. 10:56 And first time when we left 10:58 Ukraine, we... 11:01 ...taught through Zoom 11:04 to finish the 2022 11:08 school year. 11:09 But during the summer, 11:12 we have to decide... 11:15 ...what to do later, 11:18 to run school or to stop it, 11:20 how situation is going to be. 11:23 And to the end of summer 11:26 it was already... 11:29 ...decided that they are 11:31 going to come back 11:34 and continue to run the school. 11:37 And, you know, many kids 11:39 who had prejudice... 11:42 ...for Christian education, 11:45 in that time, people already 11:48 didn't think about prejudice. 11:50 They thought about... 11:54 ...real safety of their kids. 11:56 They thought about Christianity. 11:59 In that time, you know, God 12:01 wasn't already something they 12:04 were ashamed about because when 12:06 real danger came, prejudice 12:08 are not working anymore. 12:10 You think about your kid, about 12:12 your safety, about your life, 12:15 and you don't think about all 12:16 these things. 12:18 She came back and some of the 12:19 teachers came back to Ukraine 12:21 and ran the school again. 12:23 And many unbelievers 12:26 came to school. 12:27 And now in danger, 12:30 they are continuing 12:32 their work... 12:34 ...encouraging people. 12:37 Sometimes they have to... 12:40 run their lessons in parking 12:43 during the alarm, 12:44 it's too dangerous. 12:46 Now they have a dream 12:48 to build 12:50 school after the war is going 12:52 to finish. 12:54 I'm just amazed how God worked 12:57 through all the church, how ADRA 13:00 is helping people. 13:01 ADRA was bringing people out of 13:04 occupied territories. 13:06 ADRA is feeding a lot of people. 13:09 ADRA is helping our school in 13:11 Odessa as well. 13:12 People... 13:15 ...starting to turn their hearts 13:17 to God. 13:17 They are coming, churches are 13:19 full with people who would never 13:22 come in peaceful situation. 13:24 So these troubles pushed them to 13:27 believe in God because 13:29 now they understand. 13:31 Never mind how much money you 13:32 have, never mind which position 13:34 you have, never mind how big is 13:36 your house and how good is 13:39 your car. 13:40 Everything can end just 13:41 in one minute. 13:43 [solemn orchestral music] 13:45 ♪♪ 14:05 ♪ Oh, when shall I see Jesus ♪ 14:09 ♪ and reign with Him above ♪ 14:12 ♪ and shall hear the trumpet ♪ 14:15 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 14:19 ♪ And from the flowing ♪ 14:22 ♪ fountain ♪ 14:23 ♪ drink everlasting love ♪ 14:26 ♪ And shall hear the trumpet ♪ 14:28 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 14:32 ♪ Oh, shout glory ♪ 14:35 ♪ For I shall mount ♪ 14:37 ♪ above the skies ♪ 14:38 ♪ When I hear the trumpet ♪ 14:41 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 14:48 [solemn instrumental music] 14:52 ♪♪ 14:56 ♪ Gird on the gospel armour ♪ 15:00 ♪ of faith and hope and love ♪ 15:03 ♪ And you'll hear the trumpet ♪ 15:05 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 15:09 ♪ And when the combat's ended ♪ 15:13 ♪ He'll carry you above ♪ 15:16 ♪ And you'll hear the trumpet ♪ 15:19 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 15:24 ♪ Oh, shout glory ♪ 15:27 ♪ For I shall mount ♪ 15:29 ♪ above the skies ♪ 15:30 ♪ When I hear the trumpet ♪ 15:33 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 15:39 [hopeful instrumental music] 15:42 ♪♪ 15:55 ♪ Our ears shall hear ♪ 15:57 ♪ with transport ♪ 15:58 ♪ the host of heaven sing ♪ 16:01 ♪ And shall hear the trumpet ♪ 16:03 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 16:07 ♪ Our tongues shall chant ♪ 16:08 ♪ the glories ♪ 16:09 ♪ of our immortal King ♪ 16:11 ♪ And shall hear the trumpet ♪ 16:13 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 16:18 ♪ Oh, shout glory ♪ 16:20 ♪ For I shall mount ♪ 16:22 ♪ above the skies ♪ 16:23 ♪ When I hear the trumpet ♪ 16:25 ♪ sound in that morning ♪ 16:42 [OLENA] When we came to Czech 16:44 Republic, we all met again by 16:46 our brothers who didn't know us. 16:49 At 1 a.m., they came to... 16:52 ...pick up us. 16:54 They brought us to 16:56 a safe place and this is the 16:59 time our kids go to sleep. 17:01 First time how much they want, 17:04 and nobody would disturb them. 17:06 You know, this time silence 17:09 was even unusual because we got 17:12 used to danger. 17:14 Later... 17:17 ...we got invitation from 17:20 president of Czech Republic 17:22 and Slovenian Conference, 17:26 Brad Mikulà膭nd he allowed us 17:28 to stay in... 17:32 ...Adventist seminary in 17:33 Sol⸜, very nice place. 17:35 They were very helpful. 17:37 I am very thankful to them. 17:39 After this when I already made 17:41 my documents, it was the 17:43 beginning of June 17:45 and I wanted to 17:48 get three tickets. 17:50 Because for me and my kids, 17:53 it was too expensive. 17:55 We hadn't this money. 17:56 It was the time of the year when 17:58 the tickets are most expensive. 18:01 So... 18:03 ...around $5,000 it would be 18:05 for us to come to Canada. 18:08 We started to pray and it was a 18:11 program when you-- where you can 18:13 register to get tickets. 18:15 But I realized that over 18:18 a million people are trying to 18:21 register for these tickets and 18:24 you would never succeed. 18:25 We started to pray. 18:27 "Okay, God, I have... 18:31 ...visas and we cannot stay in 18:33 seminary for a long time," 18:34 because they are going to start 18:36 the school year. 18:38 They would bring the students 18:40 and we cannot come back 18:42 to Ukraine. 18:43 "We cannot stay here. 18:44 We have to leave to Canada, but 18:46 we don't have money for Canada. 18:48 So, God, please solve our 18:50 problems." 18:51 And I prayed, 18:54 "Please, God, bring us to 18:56 Regina, to Saskatchewan." 18:58 It was no program in that time. 19:01 It was not even implied 19:04 that Canada would bring 19:06 people to Regina. 19:07 In two weeks after 19:10 our prayers and our friends were 19:12 praying for us as well, 19:14 I opened bulletin. 19:16 My friend who told me about this 19:19 program, she sent me bulletin 19:20 from Regina and news from Regina 19:23 and it was mentioned that it is 19:25 opened, the program, 19:28 from Poland to Regina, 19:30 direct flight, free tickets, 19:33 and we easily could 19:36 register for them. 19:37 So as for me, God opened 19:39 the program... 19:42 ...according to our prayers. 19:44 He knew that we don't have 19:45 money, He knew that we cannot 19:47 stay there, we cannot come back, 19:49 and He found a new home for us, 19:51 a new home in Canada. 19:54 >> We first heard about Olena 19:56 through her friend, who was a 19:58 member of our church. 20:00 So one day Sabbath afternoon she 20:03 approached me with her husband 20:04 saying, "Can you put my friend, 20:06 Olena, who's in Ukraine, and, 20:09 because we wanna bring her to 20:10 Canada, can you put her in the 20:13 prayer chain?" 20:14 And so we did that. 20:15 So we have a prayer group that 20:17 meets every night at 9 p.m. so 20:19 we葦een praying for her, 20:21 you know, for several months. 20:22 And we went as a board and say, 20:25 "We should raise some money for 20:26 her and so when she comes then, 20:28 so that she can settle 20:29 in better." 20:30 So we started announcing to the 20:33 people and the members and we 20:35 started collecting donations for 20:37 her, the family. 20:38 And it started pretty slow, but 20:41 money kind of trickled in and we 20:43 thought, our goal was to raise 20:45 at least $2500 so that will pay 20:47 maybe two months of rent and 20:48 little bit of food. 20:50 But the last year, she sent us 20:53 the video message and so we 20:55 played that to all the members 20:56 and they were happy to see 20:58 actually the family that we've 21:00 been praying for. 21:01 And the donation never stopped. 21:03 They kept on coming in and 21:04 coming in and it surpassed 21:06 $2500 and $3,000, $4,000, and 21:08 $5,000, and I think we ended up 21:10 raising over $8,000 for 21:13 the family. 21:14 >> Olena, what kind of 21:16 possessions did you have to 21:17 leave behind? 21:18 Because it's quite a sacrifice 21:19 to leave your country now to go 21:21 to another, but you did it. 21:25 >> Actually, we came just with 21:27 suitcases because we knew... 21:32 ...it's not easy to carry all th 21:35 luggage and I was going with 21:37 kids, they were not very helpful 21:39 in this. 21:40 So we just took our things. 21:43 Many people in Ukraine perished 21:44 because they didn't want to 21:46 leave their places. 21:47 They are trying to protect their 21:49 houses but perished together 21:51 with them. 21:51 I am so thankful for 21:54 church here in Regina. 21:55 They helped me a lot. 21:57 Before I even came, I already... 22:00 ...knew that they are preparing 22:02 something for us and they are 22:05 really very, very, very caring. 22:09 >> When I first saw that, I was 22:11 so blown away because they were 22:14 so happy, they were jolly. 22:15 They were-- seems that they're 22:16 more happier than my daughters 22:18 who lived in Canada all of 22:19 their life. 22:20 Knowing what they have gone 22:22 through, my expectation of them 22:23 was very shy and quiet and 22:25 reserved. 22:27 And because they're in a strange 22:28 land, everything's strange for 22:29 them and they had to quarantine 22:30 in the dormitory for ten days, 22:32 not being able to move around. 22:33 But when I saw them, they were 22:35 so happy. 22:36 I realized God has been truly 22:38 blessing them and even though 22:39 they went through 22:42 difficulties, but God was 22:44 blessing them and in their 22:45 heart, in their life. 22:47 And they somehow, they knew that 22:49 this life, the new life they're 22:51 going to live will be 22:52 better, right? 22:54 >> My kids are visiting 22:57 Adventist School here as well 22:58 and I'm happy that they are 23:00 continuing with Adventist 23:01 Education. 23:02 And we live on the 23:05 south-- north part of Regina 23:08 and school is on the south 23:11 and... 23:13 ...it is a long way, 23:15 but bus is not coming. 23:17 And you know what, church even 23:19 helped us to buy a car... 23:23 ...so we could, I could bring 23:25 my kids to school. 23:27 They are just amazing, really 23:29 helping a lot. 23:30 Church and conference, I am very 23:32 thankful to them and to all the 23:34 Ukrainians whom they help now. 23:37 >> What is your dream for living 23:38 here in Canada? 23:39 You're here safely in Canada 23:40 now, you're left war torn 23:43 Ukraine and you're living 23:45 here now. 23:46 What would your dream be for 23:48 living here in Canada? 23:50 >> My dream is to continue 23:53 working for Adventist Education. 23:56 And probably I have to upgrade 24:00 my Ukrainian Education to 24:01 Canadian requirements, but I 24:04 really love to work with kids 24:06 and I want to bring them this 24:08 understanding of Jesus coming. 24:12 >> Is there a Bible passage, 24:14 maybe some Scripture texts, that 24:16 really encouraged you as you 24:18 have been going through this 24:19 experience? 24:20 >> Yes, I would like to 24:22 read one... 24:24 ...verse, which I like 24:27 most of all. 24:28 It's from Philippians chapter 24:30 four, verses six and seven. 24:55 So I believe that God is ruling 24:58 all our lives. 25:01 >> Olena, before we go, I wonder 25:03 if you could pray for our 25:06 viewers. 25:07 Perhaps they someone who is in a 25:09 crisis situation and they feel 25:12 like God is not able to help 25:14 them, He's not there, He can't 25:16 perform a miracle in their 25:17 lives. 25:18 Can you pray that they will see 25:20 that God is real and that He can 25:23 help them just like He helped 25:24 you in your life? 25:27 >> Okay. 25:29 Dear Lord, I am so thankful to 25:31 You for everything what You are 25:33 doing in our lives. 25:35 I'm thankful for You 25:37 that You brought us here 25:39 so safely. 25:40 Now I am praying for those who 25:43 are still in danger, in trouble. 25:45 I am praying for those who don't 25:48 know where to find their help. 25:51 I am praying for those who need 25:52 You tremendously, for those who 25:56 need You and maybe even don't 25:57 understand this. 25:59 Please help people in Ukraine 26:02 realize that their first need is 26:04 You and You can protect, You can 26:07 provide everything. 26:09 I pray for those who 26:12 started to believe in You 26:14 because of this war. 26:16 Please help them 26:19 to bring all their life 26:21 according to Your Word and to 26:24 meet You in happiness 26:26 and in joy. 26:28 I pray this in Jesus name, amen. 26:34 >> Olena, thank you very much 26:36 for coming and sharing your 26:38 story with us here on It Is 26:39 Written Canada. 26:40 >> Thank you for letting me 26:42 share my experience. 26:44 And I believe that people in 26:47 Ukraine now are praying a lot 26:50 and there are plenty of stories 26:52 how God helped to everybody who 26:55 is asking for His help. 26:58 Thank you. 27:01 >> As Olena shared, we can 27:03 clearly see how the state of the 27:05 world is just as the Bible said 27:08 it would be immediately before 27:10 Jesus returns. 27:12 >> If you haven't studied the 27:13 Bible books of Daniel and 27:15 Revelation, our free offer, 27:16 Focus on Prophecy, will help you 27:20 to understand these prophetic 27:22 books of the Bible and see how 27:24 the prophecies of Daniel and 27:25 Revelation will give you hope 27:28 for your life today. 27:31 By studying these free Focus on 27:33 Prophecy study guides, you will 27:35 experience a new hope as you 27:38 come to understand Bible 27:39 prophecy and God's plan for your 27:42 life in these last days. 27:46 Before you go, we would also 27:47 like to invite you to follow us 27:49 on Instagram and Facebook and 27:52 subscribe to our YouTube channel 27:54 and also listen to our podcasts. 27:58 And if you go to our website, 28:00 you can see our latest programs. 28:03 >> You, too, can experience the 28:04 fullness of life found in the 28:06 words of Jesus when He said, 28:08 "It is written, 'Man shall not 28:10 live by bread alone, but by 28:12 every word that proceeds out of 28:14 the mouth of God.'" 28:18 [instrumental music playing] 28:22 ♪♪ |
Revised 2024-02-01