We continue to receive reports validating that the Prime Minister’s “Task Group” is hindering shipments of critically needed benevolence commodities to orphans, widows, those in the occupied regions, the elderly and the disabled!
RECENT HEARTBREAKING COMMUNICATION…
Last week I received a touching email asking for help. This was a follow-up to a request that had been received several weeks ago.
This email came from central Ukraine and in part said: “I write you on behalf of our charitable efforts…Our operating zone is poor rural areas which are traditionally the least developed in Ukraine due to unstable economic situation. Residents of these communities suffer from unemployment, bad healthcare, bad education, contamination from Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Despite more than thirty years after disaster, people still have need in help. There are many disabled people affected by radiation and children continue born with disabilities…Our beneficiaries include internally displaced persons that have been increasing rapidly since the start of war in 2014, orphanages, multi-children families’, low-income families and veterans of conflict in the East of Ukraine, especially those who became disable during conflict…We have learned about your support to Ukraine. We are very grateful personally to you and all engaged with Ukraine Missions for assistance and support to Ukraine. We would be grateful for any help. We sincerely appreciate your dedication to Ukrainian people and to all Ukrainian society. God bless you for your generosity!”
Because of the corrupt situation that has existed in the Ministry of Social Policy since the inception of the “Task Group,” I sent this reply: “Thank you for the contact. I would like to assist your efforts but unfortunately actions from the Ministry of Social Policy have resulted in my shipments to Ukraine being suspended because of corruption in the Ministry and especially the ‘Task Group’ that has been formed by Minister Reva. If that Task Group is eliminated, I will resume shipments into Ukraine but at this point all shipments are being directed to other nations whose Administration are more cooperative in efforts to help their vulnerable citizens. If your organization has any influence in the Kyiv Administration please use it to inform Ukraine what evil tragedy is resulting because of the current Administration of the Prime Minister.”
A reply was quickly received: “Dear, John, Thank you for quick response and willing to help! We greatly appreciate your efforts to Ukraine. At the same time, we are very disappointed to hear that you have to suspend your shipments to Ukraine due to corruption in our government. We recognize Church of Christ as one of the largest philanthropists to Ukraine. Therefore, we realize, that your humanitarian assistance is crucial for contemporary Ukraine. We have heard much on bad governance and corruption within ‘Committee on recognizing of Humanitarian Aid’ that supervised by Ministry of Social Policy (Minister Reva). This situation is unacceptable and we are deeply concerned, that one of the largest humanitarian donors to Ukraine have to postpone his activity. In this regard we will address to NGOs, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders in aim to restore justice in Ministry of Social Policy. We want to convince you, that not all of Ukrainian public officials are corrupted. Many of them are ready to address people’s needs. I hope our joint efforts will help us to fix this situation.”
WE STILL NEED HELP!
I know a number of you have contacted your Senators and Congressional Representatives but we need MORE contact. This is an urgent situation that needs the focus of our national representatives who are in the midst of deciding the Federal Budget items as the great amount of your tax dollars that are sent to Ukraine and which appears to be feeding the greed of politicians who are unconcerned about the citizens who are in great need. IF Ukraine politicians greedily consume the small amount, we ship in humanitarian aid containers WHAT A FEAST they have with the huge amounts of foreign aid received from the USA! The generosity and goodwill of America is scorned and greed is fed!
ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION…this last week we received word of another stall on the approval of a container we loaded in Houston, TX on August 9! This time the Task Group and Ukraine Customs said we were sending in “brand name” clothing as humanitarian aid but we were suspected of smuggling it to resale. There was NO BRAND NAME clothing! The clothing was donated by a gym and had the gym’s logo. This objection means that NO logo or name can be on any clothing item—clothing with the name printed onto the item are seen as contraband. Amazing!
We have often received clothing from hospitals and businesses that had the logo. Many of these had been consolidated into a larger group (as many hospitals). Such clothing items will be thrown away because the logo is no longer applicable. But now we are told that shipping such discarded items is “smuggling.” UNLESS a bribe is paid so these silly questions are not asked!
NEWS REPORT FROM ZAPOROZHYE…Our consignee in Zaporozhye has worked hard to assist our efforts. But this is the Consignee that was targeted by the Task group and subjected to a grueling examination. This is the group about which I appealed to Prime Minster Groysman (see letter in Update # 2). I received this newspaper report that highlighted this suspected Consignee. The reputation and work of this Consignee is perfect but Prime Minister Groysman, Minister Reva, the Ministry of Social Policy and the Task Group all decided this group needed to be shut down!
ZAPOROZHYE-REGIONOnce again, I ask you to appeal to your elected Representatives in Washington, DC. Implore them to exam this travesty. Ask them to address this victimization of the vulnerable by greedy and self-serving politicians in Kyiv, Ukraine!
Look back in the posts of this Blog and reread the narratives of corruption (#1 and #2).
“Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow”
(Isaiah 1:17).
