Photo: Children in a village in the Carpathian Mountains received some of the Family Buckets and Hygiene Bags that brethren collected, loaded and shipped into Ukraine. These were distributed by the Church of Christ in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Ivan Skoleba helped coordinate the reception of the container and distribution into various locations.
The gratitude of hundreds of thousands in Ukraine is expressed by these three children giving us a “thumbs up”! THANK YOU is much too simple to express the amazing response to the crisis that exists in Ukraine because of Russia’s unprovoked aggression. Millions are living in uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. The relief items being shipped have helped in so many ways—many of these avenues of assistance are unbelievable! If I was able to share with you, you would be incredulous, asking “Now tell me that again?”
At this point we have coordinated EIGHTY-SEVEN shipments and a number of these have had huge loads of 350+ and 150+ pallets but are counted as one shipment. Never before have we approached such a number of shipments. And the year is not yet completed.
Charita is working non-stop in coordinating the logistics and Tanya is 24/7 in Poland coordinating the essentials on that side. We continue to receive amazing donations from sources that have heard of our efforts and have confidence in our integrity. That is a wonderful compliment. This week we are to receive 52 pallets of new bath towels from Orlando, FL. These will be included in containers with Family Buckets, medical supplies, hospital furnishings, and other commodities. The distribution schedule is functioning smoothly. Some reports are below. Other reports are received but we are asked not to post because of details that can expose the recipients to danger.
We are thankful to many who are working tirelessly to route our runners, provide military security, contact those in the most urgent areas, and navigate the perils of war to get critical commodities to the most needed places.
Our FAMILY BUCKET#2 push is underway. We have been awed by the response and fruits of these buckets. An endless list of grateful expressions and anecdotal reports are saved for future disclosure. We are issuing a plea for more to join us in collecting, packing and shipping these Family Buckets. We initially thought this would be a first-step action leading to subsequent levels of relief. However, the need was underestimated and consequently we are pleading for Family Buckets once again!
Thank you for your partnership in this historic action. Please read the comments below and rejoice in the great good being accomplished in the name of the Lord and His Church!
John L. Kachelman, Jr., Montgomery, AL
The Clarkson and Lehman Avenue congregations (KY) partnered to pay expenses for a container full of urgently needed medical supplies. It arrived in Ivano-Frankvisk and was unloaded. Photos and news from that will soon be made. Prior to that we airlifted 150 pallets of medical supplies. Some of these went to Lysets where Vova and Julia Didukh received and distributed through the congregation that Clarkson, KY supports. Here is Vova’s report on the airlift pallets:
Hello dear brother John. Regarding the medicines that Charita sent us. We contacted a military doctor who forms parcels and sends them to hospitals that are geographically close to the front. He has already started collecting parcels with these medicines and soon they will go to where they are most needed. We will have more photos when they receive them. Thank you for your help and prayers. Your brother Volodya
Vova & Julia Didukh
From Ivano-Frankivsk comes these reports:
Greetings John! I’d like to write a few words concerning humanitarian aid. I’ll begin by passing big thanks onto you from those that received it, such as military units, hospitals, displaced. I sent a few pics to Tanya not long ago. I feel sorry I didn’t have many pics but I’ll do better next time. Many people have received aid and know of Church of Christ. So, we would like to continue working with us in this area. Big thanks to you personally for you don’t give up and continue working with humanitarian aid. Ruslan
Ruslan Skoleba
Greetings dear brothers and sisters! Things are in progress here, thank God. As you know, we have moved to our meeting place and had our worship service in the multi-purpose room last Sunday. Before that we had met in the hall. We get all involved in worship, cleaning and evangelism. We are excited and we thank God and you for your support which makes it all possible. We believe that pretty soon we will assemble in the big auditorium. With God’s mercy and your prayers, we continue serving in His vineyard even at this trying time. There is some inconvenience associated with the change of the meeting place but this is something we have to go through. We ask God to help us adjust. Please, keep us in your prayers. We need it so much. Greetings from the church here. May God be with you and your families.
Ruslan Skoleba
HI! These are pics of distribution that General Nicholi has sent. This is Lviv Territorial Medical Complex “Intensive Therapy and First Aid Clinic.”
Dear Mr. John! A small comment. This is the first letter of thanks from the medical institution for the receipt and distribution of medical devices and means from container No. 171. I would like to inform you that this container was distributed between military and civilian medical institutions, which we will report on after receiving the relevant letters at our address. I am very grateful for the prompt response to our correspondence, with the hope of further cooperation.
Sincerely, Mykola
Distribution in the battle targeted city of Mykolaiv with relief sent from Ivano-Frankivsk
People from Mykolaiv are thankful for aid. They live in the basement and are afraid to go out. They are scared of the shelling of apartment buildings. They are sending big thanks to you and to American brothers and sisters for help and prayers.
Ivan Skoleba
From distributions in Kyiv, Rivne, Dniepro, Zaporizhia, Kharkov, and Cherkasy
Dear All, Please find attached report for first distributed container – with rice meals. It was delivered to Ukraine on 14th of July (long journey due to extreme queues on the Polish-Ukrainian border) and till today 37 pallets out of 40 are distributed. Once again thank You very much for help and we are honored to have Your trust. That’s our first report so if You want us to change anything – please let me know. Could we get more containers? Could we pay for the delivery from US? We have large group of volunteers asking for food and hygienic products and we will cover the costs. Please let me know if that’s possible? When it comes to other projects here’s a brief summary:
183/UKR4422 / TCLU4128718 (Hygienic products, buckets, medical supplies, shoes and blankets) is now in Przemyśl in bounded warehouse and will be delivered into Ukraine next week approx. on the 27th of July – we will deliver it to Rivne to shorten the distribution path for most of the organizations – ASAP I will come back with report. For that project we will also distribute more to hospitals and in general to Dniepro region. We will also deliver buckets to internally displaced Ukrainian people in Cherkasy region.
217745857 178/UKR3922 – laundry detergents and soap – we expect it to be delivered to Ukraine approx on the 28th of July – also to Rivne – we will consolidate deliveries to: Dniepro, Zaporiza, Kharkov, Kyiv and Cherkasy – for both deliveries – laundry detergents, soap and hygenic products.
143/UKR422 / HASU 471 040 – medical stuff – still not transferred by Taras – we would like to have it in Lviv latest 30.07 – we have rented a secured space for this project as it’s very high value and we need time to sort it together with doctors to make sure we will make best use out of it.
SEKU5881249 174/UKR3522 – we are awaiting for Bogdan to release both containers and we take one – with meals and distribute same way as we did rice meals.
I’m sorry for delay in reply – last two days we were distributing ice creams to temporary refugees camps in Poland. We were given ice cream and we though that it’s great to give it to kids. Please find some pics out of that small project:) Have a good weekend and God bless You all.
Marta Małecka
From the Ivano-Frankivsk congregation
Greetings, brother John. Thank you for prayers and support. We have finished the main auditorium today. Masha and the women from the church cleaned and got everything ready for Sunday. So, we are all set up for Sunday and look forward to it. We thank God that together with you we have accomplished what seemed impossible. BIG THANKS TO YOU!
On Wednesday, the men planned the order of worship. All men agreed to take turns giving thanks for the bread, the fruit of the vine, and contributions. Everything is going as planned. You can tell the elders that we have done everything they suggested. Every man takes part in worship service and has his own responsibility. Starting Monday, we plan to run off invitation to the Church with the new address. We haven’t had time to do that this week. Sveta is working with women and children. She is also in charge of women’s payer group. I work with the men and with those who have just started visiting the Church. Those are displaced and some local. I will give more detail in my monthly report. The box of many surgical instruments sent by brother Chris Wood has arrived. I handed it to Dr. Denys at the warehouse in the church building. May the Lord protect you! Love to the church there.
Ivan Skoleba
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