Update – 7/16/22

This week (July 10-17) has been another week crammed full with actions…we loaded two cargo containers with critically needed medical supplies. These were loaded out of Montgomery, AL and Topeka, KS. We unloaded 770+ Family Buckets, 50+ boxes of personal hygiene bags, and about 1,000 empty 5-gallon buckets and lids sent from congregations in the Birmingham area. We coordinated shipping of food from KY to TN for a future loading out of Healing Hands International into Ukraine. We confirmed a full container (44,000 lbs) of food to be loaded and shipped from Cherokee, OK. PLUS, many other actions that started before we awoke and continued after we dropped into bed!

Here are a few reports of the actions that YOU have had a significant part in accomplishing for the Lord.

Offers Continue

We continue receiving offers from all over the USA from those wishing to donate commodities to be shipped into Ukraine. All of these are offered FREE but we have to pay transportation. And transport costs and availability are crazy absurd!

With the mass migration of displaced people moving from east to west there is a crisis for lodging. And even when lodging is found, there are no available beds. This week the following was sent to us. Charita has been following up daily (sometimes hourly) in this action. At this point we have scheduled these for our consignee in Zaporozhe. This city has had a massive influx of IDPs.

Charita, We have 480 mattresses in Washington DC on or about August 4.  Are you interested, and if so can we help get shipping set up on such short notice.  I won’t offer them to anyone else until I hear back from you. They are nylon or vinyl covered.  Typical photos are attached, although they are not of these specific mattresses. We keep out any that are terribly ripped or stained. 210 fit in a 40-foot high cube. We will continue to reserve the mattresses for you.  I’m out the rest of the week, as is Martha.  If you need any help or have questions in that time, please contact Jim.  This must be a really, really tough time for you.  My thoughts are with you and yours.

Mark

Zaporozhe responded… “Thank you for your quick response, it seems that we will be able to send you one of these containers courtesy of the Dalraida Church of Christ. Charita”

Benevolence

Greetings brother John. Thank you for remembering about the body armor. It is a very high price. I know that you have a lot of things to take care of to begin with. Those body armors would be a very important help. The administration is collecting things for the medical group. They need light body armor.  It is very important for us to be involved as it is contributing to many positive decisions being made in our favor in Ivano-Frankivsk. The body armor that you sent was very good and medical workers are very thankful for it. Thank God and thank you, brother, and ALL who are helping us!

Although the situation in Ukraine is very complicated everything is going as planned – we help people, continue building our meeting place, mature physically and spiritually. All men try to be involved in the life of the Church.

Ruslan, our son, is in charge now and is responsible for worship services. Yesterday, Masha with Ruslan and Kolya cleaned and prepared the room for worship. Ruslan and Masha put together food bags and gave them away after services. Ruslan spoke at the beginning of services and said the opening prayer. Volodya Paziy preached. Thank you for help and prayers. Big thanks to all who help us and pray for us at these trying times. In a few days, we’ll put together a full report on humanitarian aid and will have a list of all the groups that received bucket and hygiene kits. 

Badym Vasyliovich who is in charge of humanitarian aid in the administration, is sending greetings and hopes to meet with you in the fall. He would like to have an official event to give awards for all the benevolence from the Church.

Thank God for opportunities He gives us to praise His name, by word and deed. 

Ivan Skoleba

Guatemala Mission 2k22

I will leave next week for a brief trip to Guatemala to assist in developing the network for shipping benevolence into that country to be distributed by local congregations that will be established in the northern regions. Brother Roberto (Beto) Santiago is the lead and is being assisted by Brian & Bekah Coggins, Anton & Amanda Santiago and others on the trip. This mission trip will introduce the children of the families going to mission efforts. Kinnley was asked at her last day of kindergarten what she was doing this summer and she said, “I’m going to Guatemala!” The children and moms will be visiting schools and orphanages taking food bags and other commodities for distribution.

Beto sends this brief message:

A group of 6 families will travel to Guatemala on July 21 to take the “hope of God to humanity” to many souls who have not heard the saving gospel of Jesus. Please pray for the safety of the team during our stay in Guatemala and may God bring many to us to serve. We are representing several congregations of God’s family in the USA. We hope to help start many church families in the northern region of Guatemala where the Gospel has not been heard. This is the first of many mission trips we are planning for the years to come, as long as there are souls who need to hear the good news!

Roberto Santiago (Nolen Hills Church of Christ)

Ivano-Frankivsk,Ukraine

Hello brothers and sisters! How are you doing? I am praying for you and your family. Thank God for your service and help to people. I want to share good news with you. We received the furniture I ordered, installed shower cabins and partitions in the toilets. The assembly hall was finished. We plan to hold a meeting there this Sunday. We also do all sorts of small jobs. We still have to work on a large room, a kitchen and other areas before the IDPs can begin living inside. But things are developing. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Ivan Skoleba

Chernigiv, Ukraine

I wanted you to see how the church building in Chernigiv is being used as a healthcare and relief processing center. Despite the fact that Chernigiv was extensively bombed and occupied early in the war, the building remained safe; ostensibly under God’s care! Through the resources of Hardin Valley and other congregations, we were able to provide a new roof, radiators for heating, interior remodeling, etc. for this congregation when they were evicted from their previous location. They purchased the building but lacked the money to refurbish it… HV, others, and UA Missions helped! Alexandr Zazhytko, minister, put a video together. Please view the link below. To view my file, click this link: https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aoic39xFplmYg5EE5i5VqzmKeiwGTg

Mike Lawson

Gratitude Expressed

Dear citizens of the United States of America, Mr. John Kachelman, Ms. Charita Steinberg and Help Free Ukraine!

On behalf of the Department of Health and Medical Services of the Cherkasy City Council, we express our sincere gratitude to you for providing humanitarian medical care to our Department, the First Cherkasy City Hospital, and the Fifth Cherkasy City Primary Health Care Center.

Good deeds do not go unnoticed they shine like beacons to those who are waiting for help. By providing help, you not only give material values, but also give joy and hope. You demonstrate the example of effective support of Ukraine’s foreign partners to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the free state.

May your kindness return to you a hundredfold. We wish you all the best, health, prosperity and warmth in your life.

Truly yours,
Head of the Department
Vsevolod KULCHYKOVSKYI

Videos

I often receive video reports on our efforts. Here are two reports that have recently been sent. The language is Ukrainian but the message spoke is an outpouring over and over of gratitude for the relief items you have helped ship!

Nikolaev—Food distribution from funds donated to purchase and our shipments

Hi John! We evacuate people from front line, and feeding them with your food and buckets (Ilya)

Thank you for your continuing donations that are used by the Lord to do so much for His Church! Please look at the amazing success and realize the incredible opportunities to do even so much more!

Please donate to help us continue! You can donate online at https://www.dalraida.org/helpukraine or snail mail a check marked for “Ukraine War Relief” to:

Dalraida Church of Christ
3740 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, AL 36109

We also are desperate to have more Family Buckets packed and provided for shipments. Please pass this information along to other congregations and let’s continue to work together as a brotherhood helping those in need!

John L. Kachelman, Jr.
(Montgomery, AL)