Today was the last Lord’s Day in Ivano-Frankivsk for this trip. It was a delightful day that was filled with worship and fellowship. We continued having visitors come and participate in our Bible classes and join us in worship. The above photo shows you the wonderful number assembled for our worship!
Brother Emmanuel brought four of his colleagues from the Medical School. I believe all of these were from Ghana. They were able to go with us for the fellowship meal this afternoon.
Altogether we had 41 adults present and 6-8 children so our attendance today was just under 50. The meeting room was full and we had every extra chair sitting out. It was truly a joyous assembly and uplifting worship.
Following worship we went to a park where we grilled out pork, beef and chicken. Pieces of meat had been prepared yesterday and were kept in metal pans and plastic containers until they were ready to be put on the skewer and roasted. While the men prepared the fires and the ka-bobs the women worked on veggies, pickles, salads and other items.
It was a delightful ending to my visit here!
Early in the morning I leave on the plane to Kyiv. I am scheduled to arrive in Kyiv and be transported to an IDP location where children have been housed. These are the evacuated children who lost homes and parents because of Russia’s EVIL invasion and occupation of sections of Lugansk and Donetsk.
In May this war will begin its third year and I am hearing more and more from those in the occupied regions that things under Russian occupation are getting worse. Today I received word that even one of the strongest voices that encouraged the invasion and occupation by Russian forces now says it was much better when they were under Ukraine’s rule. In Crimea the occupation has oppressed the people and living conditions have deteriorated significantly.
Russian propaganda tried to spin this invasion as a “civil war” but no one with any brains ever believed or accepted that lie.
Because of the Russian EVIL the death toll is approaching 10,000 and those displaced by Russia’s invasion and occupation is now around 3 million. The IDPs have fled into surrounding nations and to western regions of Ukraine. At the beginning a large number went into Russia accepting Putin’s lies that they would be welcomed. But the majority has since returned to eastern Ukraine saying they were scorned and treated shamefully in Russia.
Tomorrow I will see one of many camps where the displaced children have been housed. We have shipped one container to this location and I am to discuss shipping the second on the visit tomorrow. I hope that I will be able to send you photos but in other visits I was asked not to take photos because the Russian forces will use these photos to punish relatives of the children if these relatives are still in the occupied territory.
Thank you for your support and encouragement in our efforts to assist those suffering from evil’s ruin.
Pray for our efforts as we continue this trip!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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