Daily Update – 3/2/2022

Just because a day passes without a report does not mean nothing happened—it means our phones were blowing up and constant action consumed every moment! Yesterday was such a day and we are getting such an outpouring of support and involvement from all over the United States. Many want to join us in helping those displaced by the senseless Russian aggression.

Many thanks to all who are jumping in and helping with this effort! Thousands of dollars have been donated to help with costs and so many churches and areas are putting together Family Buckets and Personal Hygiene Bags. It is truly incredible how many have joined together!

Here is a brief summary of things that have been scheduled and accomplished so far:

Upcoming Loadings/Shipments

• March 8-10 – Three (3) containers will be loaded in Holly Springs, MS with clothing and family buckets
• March 8 – One (1) container will be loaded in Montgomery, AL with assorted medical supplies. (This container will be airlifted to a dedicated flight to Gdansk, Poland with containers of food below)
• TBA – we are arranged shipment of two (2) containers of food—one from Waterville, OH and one from Montreal, Canada

Activities

• We have had bucket packing parties in Columbia, TN (with the Graymere & South Gate congregations)
• We have arriving TODAY (March 2) 10,000 buckets that the Nashville, TN area congregations will fill.
• We have had numerous media events highlighting what is developing.
• We have had constant contact with elected political officials from many states with no success—in fact yesterday I received word that the current Administration has stopped all government assist efforts to Poland and Ukraine! According to the current Administration there are no longer any government officials “in place” to supervise the relief efforts and that any space available was being reserved for “future” purchases by the government from those sources “approved” by the Administration. You read between the lines and understand the messaging!
• We have prepared, in less than a week, the following commodities—these have been secured by donations that many of you have made to the relief effort:
  • 3 High Cube Containers of food (40ft x 8ft x 9.5 ft)
  • 100,000+ meals ready for delivery via aircraft
  • 100+ pallets of misc med supplies
  • 20,000+ Family Buckets will soon be ready
  • Unknown number of personal hygiene bags for Refugees/IDPs
  • 2 container of emergency bedding
  • 1 container of NEW children’s underwear and socks
  • 1 container of laundry detergent

Special appreciation is to be given to Ukraine International Airlines who has offered us a dedicated flight that we can airlift medical supplies and food into the region quickly!

There are other special commodities that have been requested and we are in the processing of getting them purchased and scheduled.

There are many locations working to collect items and transport to the locations where we will load containers with donated Family Buckets (try to imagine in your mind what 20,000+ buckets in containers might look like!).

Logistics and Scheduling

• Our logistics have come together very well (THANKS to Charita, Maria and a host of others!). Here is where we are:
• We have secured a large warehouse in Gdansk, Poland where our shipments will go, be divided and then distributed to refugees in Poland and inside Ukraine to displaced persons, hospitals and triage centers.
• We have secured the pledge from the Counselor of Ukraine’s Embassy in Gdansk that green lights our shipments and offers secure land transportation to wherever we wish the relief items to go.
• We have secured some transportation and are working each day to firm up more agreements. We definitely will ship via containers but we are continuing to seek sources for airlift support of the critically needed commodities.
• We have secured the full cooperation of several foreign governments to assist our efforts BUT have secured an absolute rejection of cooperation by the current USA Administration.
• We are receiving generous donations that help us purchase commodities, pay for transportation, and provide basic needed items for the impacted in Poland and Ukraine. We THANK YOU for these donations and solicit them. We are just beginning and a mountain is facing us! If you wish to give please send a check or give online at the Dalraida Church of Christ (https://www.dalraida.org/helpukraine).

Points of Contact/Collection Locations

We are collectively working in various areas to collect and coordinate the relief efforts. If you need help or assistance, please feel free to reach out to any of these for guidance:

• Montgomery, AL (collection site) – Dalraida church of Christ (my overseeing congregation) is leading the relief effort. Contacts: John Kachelman Jr. (901-626-4538), Andrew “Gif” Gifford (770-596-6545), and John Kachelman III (334-868-1900).
• Searcy, AR (collection site) – Contacts: David Lawyer & BR Barden
• Holly Springs, MS (collection site) – Contacts: Jerry Morgan & jerry O’Neal
• Columbia, TN (collection site) – Contacts: Brian & Bekah Coggins
• Nashville, TN – Contacts: Gary Jerkins, John Durham and Ron Swang (coordinating in Nashville area and bringing donations to Columbia)
• Columbus, MS (collection site) – Contact: Kathy Cadden

Remember, that 100% of any donations that are given will go directly to the needs and relief efforts (we don’t use these funds for administrative, etc. uses!)

Recent Communications

Here are some recent communications showing the extent of our actions and the blessings of the Lord’s Church:

Received a communication today that there is a container of food at the port in Montreal, Canada that was destined to Kyiv, Ukraine.  Since this is no longer possible they offered it to us. Shipping is paid and we will be only responsible for fees at the destination. I already agreed to redirect it to Maria in Dorohusk, Poland. As soon as I have bill of lading, I will forward it to you.”

Charita

Hi! It has been quite a day today. We went shopping before lunch. Got groceries and some stuff for the apartment (had no dishes or spoons—all was lacking). By the time we finished shopping, Julia and Sasha arrived, so we met them, visited some and went to eat. Went shopping with Jul and Sasha as they were trying to find things to buy they need. As we were on the way back and crossing the main square, there was a crowd and a guy was talking about the war. He said he was from Belarus and didn’t support the war. He was urging people to resist Russia aggression and he accused Russia of many things. When he said that he was bowing down and apologizing to Ukrainians, Julia burst into tears, then I did and the rest of us had tears in their eyes. Anya videoed it and posted on Facebook. It was very emotional.

Also, Maria called me and we talked for a while. Eugenia had requested meds for Kherson and Maria and I talked about it. Vadim G has asked us to send emergency med supplies to Kosiv District, Ivano-Frankivsk Region. Maria wants me to come and help her in receiving and placing refugees. Friday I’ll see her and talk more about plans.

We are trying to open bank accounts here. We can get money from Ukraine banks at this point but there’s no guarantee they will continue working.

The children that Nicholi has are in a camp in Yaremche, about 2 hours away from Ivano-Frankivsk. I gave him the info about the group near Lviv that has food but need to ask him whether they were getting any food from them. Will check today. Lots of refugees here in Poland and many more are coming. Situation at the border is heartbreaking. And Poland is doing so much to help the refugees. It’s amazing. More from Ivano-Frankivsk arrived as Volodya and Kola brought those who had not yet left. Now we have 6 adults and 2 children in a one-room apartment. Big thanks to all our American brethren for help and support!! We love and appreciate you! T”

Tanya Zozulina (Wroclaw, Polan)

Below I have pasted info for David Tarjan, who preaches in Zurich, Switz. He is offering help to refugees from Ukraine, now that his country has relaxed their barriers to allowing Ukrainians to seek refuge there.”

Tommy South (Virginia)

Thank you dear brother John for the prayers! Fighting is going on in Kyiv, as well as in the east. Many saboteurs came to us in western Ukraine with refugees. They attack people’s cars and apartments. Disguised in police uniform. We are building fortifications against tanks. We help people. Thank God my brothers and I managed to bring children and women out of the Church. Volodya safely brought Julia and Olya with their children. Tomorrow he will return to Ivano-Frankivsk with Mykola. The road is very difficult. I can’t send photos, we are forbidden to take photos. Please pray for us. Thank you.”

Ivan Skoleba (Ivano-Frakivsk, Ukraine)

It has been humbling and exhausting for the past few days! But we are constantly encouraged and uplifted by the response of our Christian brethren and those in our communities and their desire to help Ukraine.

Please continue to remember those in Ukraine in your daily and hourly prayers!

John Kachelman Jr.
(Montgomery, Alabama)