Photo: Meeting with Commanders of Ukraine’s frontline hospitals and triage mobile hospitals in Kramatorsk, Ukraine October 8, 2019
Prior to my arrival in Kramatorsk I was asked to schedule a meeting with military medical personnel who work on the front lines of the war. These are involved nit only in treatment of those wounded by Russia’s evil but they have been very involved in securing a safe-lane for those trapped in the “grey zone” to receive essential commodities. These include a number of elderly homes whose residents cannot be moved. There is also a handicapped home for hundreds of children located five kilometers from the front line. Due to a number of circumstances it is impossible for these to move. There are also a number of villages in the area and those living there are basically abandoned. The military has been carrying benevolent commodities into these areas ever since war descended from Russia.
We have benefited from the military’s assistance as critical medical supplies, nursing home supplies, and other commodities were distributed in our name by the military posted in the “grey zones” of the east. Those of you who have been reading these posts since Russia’s invasion will recall my reporting of those driving trucks with relief food items were killed by Russian snipers. We lost two good men by that evil. The military is more prepared for that peril than we are and they are very eager to assist their vulnerable countrymen.
The efforts to offer such assistance to us have increased. The military is willing to cooperate in offering transport and security for the commodities shipped. The military will even distribute in those areas where danger is the greatest. Validation of distribution is assured.
The encouraging development is that this organization has recognized the impact that the Churches of Christ have made and are asking us to join with them and allow them to share the burden—we get the relief commodities to Odesa Port then they take over and provide transportation, manpower and security. This partnership will cut costs by half and will assist our efforts. This meeting also provided another opportunity to discuss the horrible problem with Kyiv’s Ministry of Social Policy’s TASK GROUP. I hope to offer a more complete report on this as developments lead us to the desired conclusion.
Good New from Kramatorsk!
I received several photos from Vladimir Paziy. Among those were a family with the father in a wheelchair. I emailed Vlad back asking for the story of the photo. He sent this reply: “This photo was taken yesterday as you were in travel. One of our brothers works as a taxi driver and he helped this man bring his old wheelchair to the third floor of a building. Seeing the bad condition of the old wheelchair, he offered him a new one from our stocks. He came with his whole family and said that he had long wanted to find a church. We help him with new wheelchair and wait on him with family like he promised next Sunday.”
The Dalraida Team is packing their bags tonight after the mid-week Bible study period. They are excited about coming. They will arrive via train early Sunday morning.
Pray for our on-going efforts!
John L. Kachelman, Jr. Kramatorsk, Ukraine
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