Above Photo: “Bears of love” are being sewn by brethren in Waynesboro and Columbia, TN. Others are joining this effort. The bears will be included in our containers and distributed to the fatherless children! This effort is being coordinated by the Lord’s People in Columbia, TN.
In appreciation of a childhood literary friend and in defiance to the prevailing idiocy of our progressive cancel culture, let me start this report with this quote: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
I have arrived! The snow that Gif left was waiting for me but some melting has occurred. Ruslan and Tanya were waiting outside the airport to greet me as they could not enter due to COVID restrictions.
Most reading this know how I feel about the scamdemic. I think it is a real virus and threat to any who are vulnerable but not as fatal as the entire world has been duped into believing. This conclusion continues to be validated (the CDC recently admitted they “enhanced” the numbers by 1,600%). I have become even more firm in my position. There is absolutely no definite protocols in place, no absolute foundational facts, and each is left to do his “own” thing about this scamdemic! The following experiences adds validation…
I was told that I had to have a negative COVID test 72 hours prior to leaving the USA. I did that on Friday. I went to one of the test stations and was asked why I needed the test. I told them travel. I was told that since I had no symptoms and had not been around an infected person the government and insurance would not pay. But if I wanted to pay $150 then I could get the test. What choice did I have? I paid the money and as paying asked, “If this is positive will I get a refund?” The reply was simple, “Since you are paying for the travel negative you will have no problem.” So, I paid $150 and as promised received a negative test that was to get me through travel restrictions.
Upon departure from MGM I was more than happy to produce the advised negative certification. The counter clerk said, “Oh I don’t need to even see that as it’s not required.” I was disappointed as I thought I would have a bravo moment with the certificate. Little did I know that this was the first in a string of COVID moments for this trip.
I was connecting in Atlanta to fly Turkish Air to Istanbul then Lviv. I get into Atlanta and needed to claim my check thrus and then recheck at the Turkish Air counters. I went to get my bags and asked where I would go to Turkish Air counters only to be told by numerous people they did not know and had never heard of Turkish Air. Finally, one lady told me that she thought I should go to the international terminal because I was in the domestic terminal. I asked where that was and she said it was located in another place and I needed to take the shuttle but she was not clear in her directions as to where this shuttle was. All I could think was that I had 150 pounds of baggage weight and somehow, I was expected to find this shuttle and travel “a good piece” to the international terminal. One gave me these directions to the shuttle pick-up—“Go out these doors, make a u-turn, turn left, make another u-turn and look for signs.” Now an Alabama boy evidentially is not any good at understanding Georgia directions. I looked for another source of directions. Another told me, “Go in this direction straight ahead and I think that’s where you’ll find the shuttle.” And I looked at the 150 lbs of baggage…
Finally, I got to the shuttle and a line was in que but all had either no bags or small rollers—I had 2 trunks, a roller and a backpack. Eventually I got it all onboard and the shuttle drove for 15 minutes to the International Terminal. All the time I was riding all I could see was that 150 lbs of baggage on only me to move it. On the shuttle I didn’t have to move it but I knew it was too good to last, and end it did. I had decided the moving strategy and thankfully the shuttle driver helped me off-load the bags. One trunk had rollers the other did not. I decided to use my roller to piggyback the other trunk and wore my backpack. I made it into the terminal when the piggyback trunk slid off and the other wheeled truck turned over. Amazing good—I looked up and I was in front of the Turkish Air counters! But no one was there. No clerks, no lights, no nothing! I moved the bags to one end where I thought check in would occur but was told by a security guard that I had to move the bags past 20 check in counters because that is where I would start. And, he noted, they will not be here for 3 more hours. He added, “If you put your bags here you cannot leave then unattended for any reason. You have to stay with them.” So, I sat.
Three hours later I started observing people presence. One-half hour later I was invited to approach the counter where I would FINALLY unload the two check thrus and be left with only my back pack and roller. I was asked if I had the COVID documentation and I proudly pulled out the form only to be told “Well I really don’t need to see that so you can put it away. You may need it in Ukraine.” I was disappointed again—bravado deflated!
I had some apprehension because I had seen posted the carry-on box stating that rollers could only weigh 8 kilos (I was to find out that mine weighed 18 kilos). The first thing I was asked was to put my carry-on roller on the scale. “Well this cannot go.” I told her that was not an option—it had to go. I was told that because of COVID there was a restriction on carry-on bags but if it had to go I would have to pay an extra bag fee. So, I paid an extra baggage fee of $200.00. After paying that amount I was directed to go through security and to the departure gate. Masks were everywhere…on chins…on tops of heads…even on ears. Some were very inventive…I saw one person wearing 3 face masks with a face shield and ear plugs! The epidemiologist would love to have everyone walking about in a bubble or a hazmat suit and their dream is comically illustrated by the crowds in an airport. (Again, I am NOT discounting the reality of the virus only the folly advised for avoiding infection—which often none works).
I boarded and got situated on the aircraft. I had never flown Turkish Air and had heard good things about it. I was on it now because I was entering in Lviv and not Borispol. The flight was full but most had an empty seat between passengers, but not all. And then I was introduced to the COVID regulations for passengers.
1. Masks are to be worn at ALL times (but there are exceptions).
2. Exception #1—when you are eating or drinking you can remove your mask BUT if you have some one sitting next to you, you cannot both be unmasked at the same time. You are to take a bite/drink and put your mask back on. After your mask is on the other sitting next to you can take his masks off and take a bite/drink and then put his mask back on, and then you can take another bite/drink. This cannot be made up!
3. Exception # 2—Now this is my favorite. You know they always have announcements about the safety/emergency protocols if something goes amiss during the flight. There is always the announcement about oxygen loss and how passengers are to react when the oxygen tubes fall out of the compartments. And then, every time after the taped message concluded the pilot comes on the com stating, “If oxygen loss occurs be sure to remove your mask because you will need oxygen.” I guess we do not need oxygen when we follow the totalitarian dictates in every day life! If one cannot get sufficient oxygen from a source directly pumping oxygen when you are wearing a mask, where is the reason that you will get oxygen with the mask on at other times? As Isaiah lamented, “Truth has stumbled in the streets.”
4. Exception #3—This was not announced but personally observed. From Montgomery to Atlanta I was sitting behind this lady who evidentially became motion sick and lost her lunch just before touchdown in Atlanta. The flight attendant quickly helped her and I overheard, “You can take your mask off so we can help you get this cleaned up.”
During the flight leg to Istanbul I noticed there was never an offer of coffee or hot tea. I asked one of the attendants if I could have a cup of coffee. I was told that there was some Muslim holy regulation and they could not offer coffee/tea service, BUT “We will be able to offer it tomorrow.”
During all of this time I have clutched my negative COVID-19 documentation. I knew that it would surely be needed when I entered Ukraine’s Passport Control. We arrived and approached Passport Control. I passed a Customs Control agent who was checking temps. I have had temps check in the ear, behind the ear and on the forehead but she wanted to check my temp on my wrist??? I got into one of the Passport Control ques and had my negative documentation ready. Finally I was able to go to the Custom’s Officer. I gave her my passport and she looked at it and asked if I had any COVID documents. This was FINALLY the moment! “Yes I definitely do” and handed her those papers that I had guarded for the past 72 hours (actually less since Ukraine is 8 Hours ahead of CST). She looked at the document and said, “This will not work.” I thought I’d misheard so asked her to repeat it. “This will not do.” “Why will it not work?” “Well I must see test results within 48 hours and this does not work.” “But I was told 72 hours was the mark.” “Well we require test results within 48 hours. So this will not work.” “But I was told 72 hours in the international protocol.” “Well, you see you had this done in February and we are in March.” “But, it is March 1. How could I have a 48 hours negative test in March when today is the first day of March and not even 24 hours old?” “Even so, this will not work. You need to talk to that agent over there.” I went to this young lady who evidentially was the IT guru of Lviv Customs. I was told she needed to load a tracking program on my phone. I gave her the phone and she wanted to download an AP. She got to where I needed to type in my passcode. Now I have problems recalling my passcode in my normal mental state but at that point my brain was somewhere between Montgomery-Atlanta-Istanbul-Lviv. I tried three times and each failed. Finally, the agent threw up her hands and went to the first Customs officer and told her something and with an irritated glare I was told that I would have to be under quarantine for 10 days. I told her I was going to Ivano-Frankivsk and she said “Go!” so I went. She stamped my passport, basically threw it back to me and took my American phone number. Of course, my phone is turned off so any calls will go to voicemail. So, all my excitement about the negative COVID test was for naught—NO ONE wanted to see the documentation and the one who saw it said it was no good.
So, at the end of this extended report (which could have included a number of other irritatingly interesting facts) I can say…In defiance to the totalitarian dictates and the idiocy of authoritarian absurdity, I am in Ivano-Frankivsk. Tomorrow I begin teaching classes and following up on various actions that need my attention.
Here is a lesson to be learned from all of this nonsense…once you start making rules, you had better make sure ALL aspects are covered. The mark of true and sincere authority is consistency. This is the hallmark of Holy Scripture—it is thoroughly consistent in applied principles of God’s commands. Without a consistent rule of law all succumb to personal anarchy and the international 72 hours mystically turns into 48 hours. And, contrary to cancel culture, with an absolute rule of law, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
And so the spring mission trip begins! I’m jet-lagging so bear this in mind as you read this report!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
PS…Forgot to add that upon arrival Tanya was stewing about COVID regulations in stores…the mandate here is that if you go into a store that sells food and non-food items, you cannot mix the two! You either buy food items or non-food items. If you need napkins you cannot buy them if you have any food items. The “protocol guards” will literally take the items out of your hands and put them back onto the shelves because it has been decreed you can buy food items but not the napkins upon which to serve the food…the inquiring minds want to know do they sanitize those items before restocking?
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