Featured Photo: Mayor Lubov Zinovievna and John in the Mayor’s office Ugorniky, Ukraine
I have introduced you to Mayor Lubov in previous newsletters, mission trip reports and construction updates. She is always positive and joyful. She has a winsome personality and a positive personality. She has always been very encouraging toward the Church. Her position as Mayor has often hindered her assistance and support but with the decentralization that is happening throughout Ukraine, the previous hinderances are being erased.
Lubov was very supportive of our last big mission effort in 2019. She worked to secure the available places for the evening Bible classes and lectures in the city hall building. She was instrumental in working with the schools and facilitating the partnership between our team members and the classes taught each day.
Her daughter (Marianna) is a delightful mirrored image of her mother! She is gregarious, full of cheerful spirits and very adept at weaving together various forces to accomplish a great result. Marianna designed the village’s preschool building that is a new construction. It is amazing.
When we met Lubov thanks me for those team members I brought that taught in Marianna’s school. She especially thanks those who came with the 2018 group and worked with Marianna. Lubov said these ladies had brought materials and provided a new way of instruction that was very good. Marianna copied what our teachers had done and implemented that into her daycare facility. As a result of Dalraida’s coming, teaching and leaving teaching materials the school has gained a national notoriety!
Marianna has been selected as among the top three teachers NATIONWIDE of preschool children! Lubov says this is only possible because of those that came on our campaign trips introducing new teaching techniques.
And so, I want to give special thanks to Jill Johnson and Jan Welch. Lubov specifically mentioned these two but she also wanted to include EVERYONE that had come in our groups and had been involved in the schools in Ugorniky.
She invites those who came to return quickly!
I told her that Gif and Nate were coming and could come to the school. Lubov remarked that she remembered Gif and that the school children did not want to let him leave!
This brief conversation reminded me how some incidental, almost invisible action leaves the strongest impact. I recall Jill and Jan working and discussing prior to coming what they wanted to do. They diligently prepared for the mission. At that point none of us knew what to expect when we arrived since this was a brand-new program in our work. We thought it would make a good impression but we really had no idea. With the diligent preparation and concentrated focus by Jill and Jan, much more was accomplished than we imagined. I am reminded of this text: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:19-20).
Thank you for your prayers and financial support that makes this mission trip possible!
John L Kachelman Jr Kherson, Ukraine
