Featured Photo: Sveta, Gif, Nate and Ivan standing outside of the temporary Children’s Shelter in Ivano-Frankivsk. Gif is holding the thank you certificate that was given by the Shelter’s Director Vasil Serdenko.
The first working day of the last week of this mission trip has ended with good actions in Zaporozhe and Ivano-Frankivsk.
My day in Zaporozhe was spent with the group that receives our shipments and distributes the commodities as directed. We discussed the current situation and the problems that have stalled a container shipped five months ago. While I am irritated and frustrated and a whole lot of other mal-attitudes, the folks here are confident. We spent considerable time discussing future shipments and the items that will be best received here. It was a beautiful autumn day and a cool breeze was blowing.
Further northwest the actions were just as busy but the temps were much cooler. Gif and Nate were taken to a number of places by Ivan and Sveta. The stop highlighted in this report was the Children’s Shelter that I reported on last week. Before leaving the USA, I had suggested to Gif that he make a plea to the Dalraida congregation for personal hygiene items the children need as well as new socks and underwear. I also had given Gif the money to buy the large kitchen sink that the Shelter needed to complete its renovation. The cafeteria needs new tables and chairs but the Director said that what they have now can work until they save more money. But they were wishing for new tablecloths for the tables. Sveta found some that would work and we bought them (a total of $25 for ten tablecloths!). I also gave enough money for the winter supply of medicines that the Director said were needed for the children’s health. Last week I had asked how much the winter supply would cost and was told that $100 would be enough. I asked Gif to give $200 and if the need arises we will be positioned to do more. Once again Sveta found the medicines and bartered for the good price!
In the photos below, you can see the activity of the visit as they gave out school supplies, personal hygiene items, socks and underwear. They also were able to finish giving out the “Bears of Love” to those children who did not receive one last week.
As we give these items to various institutions we always tell them that the churches of Christ have generously donated these things because of the Lord’s compassion. Usually an official thank you letter is given but it is written in Ukrainian. As Gif and Nate were going to be there I asked if the Director could put it into English. He was very eager to do this and here is a scan of Vasyli’s letter:
Ivan sent a report on this visit and he revisits some of the points I had already mentioned but he adds more information that helps each appreciate the scope of this facility:
Greetings brother in Christ, John! Today was a good day, Gif Nate, Svetlana and Christina and I visited the orphanage. It was a wonderful time to see children’s faces. The children were happy and joyful with the gifts that Gif and Nate gave from the Church of Christ with Dalraida. The Director of the orphanage, Vasily, thanked for the help and support. I was asked by him to convey gratitude to the congregation for the allocated funds for medicine and assistance in purchasing sinks for the kitchen, tablecloths for tables in the children’s dining room.
Ivan and Svetlana
Sveta and I were amazed that Vasily and his mother Maria, for the first time in many years, began to express interest to hear about the Gospel and about salvation. Vasily said that he would definitely come to Church and worship and study Bible.
Now Vasily and their orphanage have big problems. Local authorities want to take away the territory of the orphanage in order to build a multi-story building. Vasily asked us to pray that they could stay with the children in this house. He and his mother have done a complete reconstruction of the orphanage over the years. This now support 35 children who are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
These children are kept in this house throughout the year. After the children finish treatments they are adopted by willing families.
The fates of these children are different, some of the parents have died, and some have drunken parents and parents who love dope more than their children, some children are traumatized with various diseases, colds, head lice, and much more.
In this home children undergo rehabilitation and treatment. Here is an example, it is a boy named Sasha to whom Nate in the photo gave a bear. This boy is in bed and has a bad headache for the third day. At home, he was mocked by a drunken father who kept the child in a cold basement. Now the police and psychologists are working with the father.
We are also very grateful to the elders and the congregation for your help, materially and spiritually. For the brothers Gif and Nate, they are good Christians and they have good hearts. They are a good example for our Church. Thank you everybody. We love you!”
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is another travel day for me. I will be leaving Zaporozhe and traveling back to Kyiv. I will remain in Kyiv until I depart on Saturday with Gif and Nate and arrive back in Montgomery late Saturday night.
Thank you for your prayers and financial support that makes this mission trip possible!
John L Kachelman Jr.
Zaporozhe, Ukraine
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