Eyewitness’s notes or how the biggest “hospital” of Dnepropetrovsk works

One can say every Dnepropetrovsk resident knows Vladimir Muntyan, the pastor. It seems he has healed more sick people than all hospitals and oncologic clinics did together.
We don’t mean to insult or offend anyone. We just tell about personal impression we got from our try to cure chronic rhinitis with help of Holy Spirit and its agents.

Act one: Ice Palace
Another Muntyan’s sermon took place in Ice Place on June, 21. The hall was full of sick people standing and sitting on stairs and I aisles. All of them were eager to get into the “first line” (a row of chairs near the stage). Most of miracles are told to happen there.
“A man was healed from gullet cancer after the previous sermon in Ice Palace. There were cases when women, who had there organ, you know female ones, out, had them grow again in their bodies. Isn’t it a miracle?” pastor Muntyan says cheerfully. The audience also cheered up. Some ladies, who seemed to be too sensitive to hear that, fainted at once. The security carried them out of hall. But I wonder why they didn’t bring them on stage, so that pastor could heal them at once. I guess if someone can easily cure cancer, he can heal the nerves…
Pastor blessed everyone sitting in the first line. Then he blessed some people o stage, but I failed to see any surprising or, at least, visible miracles. I don’t think hysteric screaming are miracles.
The advertisement told about pastor’s knack to destroy family curse and heal lung, breast skin cancer, etc. To prove his talent, a story about a girl called Granush was published. She got cured from her broken spine, but after a surgeon operation in hospital.
According to pastor Muntyan, divine powers are quite modern guys. They tend to have financial relations with congregation, just like managers in some shops.
“Saving people’s lives is very expensive. Divine revelation depends on power of your donations”, told pastor once and again. He stressed that one should take into account a very simple, yet effective knowledge: the more you want to get from God, the more you are to donate. So, people were eagerly putting their money into the special envelops distributed before th sermon and putting them into plastic buckets. They were supposed to write their names on envelopes so that God could clearly see who is who; and so that thrifty ones got no divine grace from the Lord. After that the security took away the buckets. I think they were going to send money to divine powers…
Right over my head I heard the following conversation between a mother and her son:
- Mom, I’m so bored (the kid dropped a stick under stairs).
- Listen to pastor, sonny.
- I don’t want pastor, I want my stick back.
A child started weeping. People sitting nearby were angry with such an evident spiritual impoverishment of a young generation.
Meanwhile, pastor was telling the most intimate thing to his audience:
- The Lord met me in my room and I got revelation. My relationships with Holly Spirit are very intimate.
After such a “medical” sermon the audience is in euphoria. One jolly women gaught my hand and told
- Oh, look! There are lots of miracles here! Come to our group, you’ll like it!
I found out that “the group” includes prayers of smaller group of people. The woman was so persistent and inspired that I even felt like going there.

Act two: Shinnil Cultural Palace
The hall is half empty. Victoria, pastor Muntyan’s vife, was preaching, regardless the fact that according to bible women may not preach. Victoria was heartily and easily talking with audience. Here is a quote:
- Dear Holly Father, I pray you to set out and destroy financial curses!
That might be a good anti-crisis idea, but words leaved much to be desired. The flock didn’t pay attention, though. Everyone was happy to know the main news:
- Bible clearly tells us that “Meteor Sport Palace” is too small for us. The Lord wants us to rent a stadium.
I still feel surprised with the fact that Dnepropetrovsk stadium was mentioned in Holly Script. But at that time I longing for miracles had been announced previously. Before making miracles the tithe rising was held (while all traditional churches gave up this tradition long ago).
Then a solemn moment came. All people with chronicle diseases were invited on stage. I went there too. I was lucky enough to get into first line to get miracle. Victoria seized my head, shook it and pushed me in my breast. Then she muttered something like “I heal you”. Other people were treated the same way. Many of them started falling on floor, as if they were half asleep. I guess, if they fell they were successfully healed. But those people, who came there with sticks went home holding their backs. They looked crooked and unhappy. It turned out that “healers” coped neither with backaches, nor with my chronicle rhinitis. It was a disappointment indeed. After the pray the novices were given the application forms. We were asked to write our first name, second name, phone number, address and current problems (so that pastor could pray for us). Some friendly girls were helping to fill in the forms. They also asked some personal questions about our interests and place of study or work.
I tried to be as naïve as possible, and tried to know whether there were cases of regeneration of organs. The consultants became confused and told there was nothing like it in their centre. And this was quite opposite to what pastor told us. But she said they healed dozens of cancer patients. I asked her to tell soma names of those people who were healed from cancer. But there was no reply. The healed people were told to come from other cities. So it was impossible to see their medical cards.

Epilogue
My friend Ivan was waiting for me near the palace of culture. He was speaking with his foreign partner on phone. Unfortunately for him he spoke in English. As soon as he stopped talking a girl, who told her name was Marina, ran up to him and in poor English suggested him to enter the building and pray there. Ivan pretended to be a foreigner, just for joke. He told his friend was supposed to come soon, and they will come together. The girl was translating the friend’s phone conversation for the security officer:
Security: - So, what’s up?
Marina: -we’ll wait for his friend and get both of them. They’ll make donation in church. Maybe, we should make them, er…?
Security: Come on, don’t waste your time!
Marina: hey, lay back! I just do my work!
Te girl tried to find out Ivan’s religious concerns. He told he was an atheist. Marina was quick-witted enough to tell the following:
- You know, scientists wanted to prove that there is no God. Instead they proved opposite.
Ivan went away being astonished with this logical argumentation. He decided to wait me in a quieter place.
And I was very upset. It seems miracles are afraid of journalists are hide from them.

Xenia Chubuk                                                                                                                                                   (o 9)