Russia has weaponized the brutality of winter in its evil invasion and occupation of Ukraine. Their regular briefings continue on the inhumanity of Russian troops in the occupied regions and those atrocities are being exposed as the occupied areas are liberated. The harshest cruelty is ahead during December-March when the temps will fall to MINUS 30!
From Ivan…
Greetings everybody! Despite all that’s going on in Ukraine, we have enough food for our members at Church. And we thank God. However, this is not true with the electric power. Everything is electric and the power goes off more often and stays off for a longer period of time. Thus, we are concerned that looters might come around and destroy the Church building. Also, if bad freezing weather comes then the heating system could freeze.
Ivan Skoleba
On Friday, I will have a meeting with our Deputies. They are asking the Ivano-Frankivsk Church of Christ to help 350 displaced people that are housed in one of the administrative buildings not far from Ivano-Frankivsk. Those people need food, generator, linens, blankets and mattresses. I will provide more details after the meeting with those people.
Displaced Christians often ask us for help. At this time, it is Maxim and Olexiy from eastern region, as well as Olya and Lena from Bakhmut. Olexiy and Maxim are Christians and they are in dire straits. They have to travel 70 kilometers to come to Church. They are always involved in worship. Olya and Lena also come to Church but they have not been baptized yet. These two families live together with their kids. We gave them our washing machine that was not destroyed by the fire for they could not wash clothes. Also, other people from Church of Christ call us but we do not have resources to help them. Used to be that runners would bring food from Europe that churches and other people donated. But there were a few of those who were given permission to cross border that fled and did not come back. They abused the trust that was given to us. So, this avenue has shut down for us.
I cannot always use the money from our monthly support to assist all requests because then our Christians will suffer. Now with power shortages many additional problems are arising. We need additional financial support for the cold season. We will greatly appreciate the help thanking churches and our Lord.
In the photo I attached, you see children wrapped in blankets. These are the blankets that you sent. They keep children warm in the shelter when air raid alarms go off. Lviv was bombed today. A few bombs hit the city and they were out of power and mobile connection. We pray to the Lord for mercy and peace. Thank you for support and prayers. We have to endure these severe winter days.
Update on the heating situation at the Ivano-Frankivsk Church building
We had a boiler installed and working that heats with wood or any other fuel. It heats with hot water that is circulated through the floor. The problem is that the water circulates by an electric pump. With the electrical outage because of Russia’s bombing on Ukraine’s infrastructure, there is now neither heat nor electricity at the Church building. There are IDPs staying at the Church building. We are arranging for food and have received some funds to help with feeding the IDPs (Thanks to the Glen Allen Church of Christ!). The formidable problem was to secure a generator capable of suppling the needs in the church building. They needed a 24kw. Ivan had told me he could find one in Ukraine but any available generators have long been taken.
Thankfully Charita sourced a supply and found me several from which to choose—a 30KW, 60KW, and 100KW. Due to cost I opted for the 30KW. I told Charita to get it and I would somehow send the money to cover it. I sent a note to Ivan about this and he responded with the touching rely below. On Wednesday Charita secured the 30KW generator and on Thursday it was loaded into a container shipping from New Jersey.
Here is communication on the action…
Hello John, I took an engineer and went to get your generator in PA. I ended up getting a better unit for the same price. We will include this in tomorrow’s container. Hopefully, Ivano-Frankivsk will never need to use it. Best Regards,
Charita
I sent Ivan news of this and here is his reply…
Oh, my dear brothers and sisters, this is God’s grace! Thank you for your help. We are very concerned because cold freezing weather is coming and there are power outages. At this point, we cannot purchase any generators. THANK GOD! BIG THANKS TO YOU, OUR DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
Continued efforts showing God’s compassion in these evil times…
Just dropped these off at Dalraida’s church office. They are hygiene bags from ladies’ group and Nancy Sockwell with the Sylacauga Church of Christ.
Chip McEwen
From the Glen Allen Church of Christ and my brother Tommy South regarding a donation so the Ivano-Frankivsk Church of Christ can help the brethren displaced by the war…
So thankful we could help out. I don’t know if I’ve explained this or not, but once the war started, we began receiving money from churches and individuals all over the U.S., most of whom we don’t even know. They just heard by asking around that we work in Ukraine, and wanted to help. From the start we made it clear that our focus is helping Christians in Ukraine, not refugee relief. There were plenty of people, like you, doing a good job of that. We mostly wanted to do what we could to provide for the folks we know in Rivne and Zhytomyr. Well, that expanded (due to connections) first to Uzhgorod, then to Irpen. So far, we have been able to transfer donated funds to Christians in Ukraine. As a result, they have been able to stockpile food, make repairs on their homes, buy winter clothing, help IDPs who come their way, transport food and people in and out of conflict zones, and a host of other things. We are also giving some help to an orphanage not too far from Zhytomyr, and have been involved with them for years. So, God just keeps providing the funds, and the Ukrainians just keep praising Him, which is how it’s supposed to work, I think. Blessings to you in your good work.
Tommy
Distribution report…we continue receiving distribution reports on an almost daily basis. Here is one that was loaded out of Montgomery. You will recall me sending a report stating this was the 100th container shipped since March. Here are reports on this action.
Hello John, the attached invoice is for the final delivery of 238; this balance is being paid by WOCP medical fund. Please issue a check. This cargo is mostly going to Kherson; I already asked them to thank the Churches of Christ, not me. 😊
Charita
INSERT VIDEO FROM FB…
Yesterday, we sorted a huge amount of medical equipment and supplies to be sent to the hospitals of the frontline and de-occupied cities. In reality, you sent a whole mountain of vital things. And as I looked at this mountain of great supplies, I thought that it was amazing and unfathomable. It is most surprising that during 9 months of full-scale war, you do not get tired of helping us from abroad, and even on such a huge scale. At the end of the day, my phone started going off with an “Airborne Alert” signal, and we decided to leave the warehouse. A few minutes later a missile flew nearby and exploded. In the warehouse, windows and doors flew out, and the gates were deformed. And worst of all, people died in a nearby building. We miraculously avoided being hit. But all parcels survived the bombing and we can continue our work. Many thanks to Alex Golubenko and Gennady Bratslavsky from www.helpfreeukraine.com and Charita Shteynberg from World of Connections and especially Churches of Christ for this invaluable help! With God’s help, everything will be delivered to the medical facilities that need it the most. Details in reports later.
Natalya Lyutikova
And…there are MORE good reports that can be published…
The project to fund feeding the children continues and we should give you an updated report next week. Many are involved in this but I especially want to give a shout-out to the Dalraida Church of Christ children’s Bible classes and the 5th graders and Middle School at Alabama Christian Academy!
On Thursday (12/01/22) the Bible Majors from Faulkner University sorted a huge number of items donated by CVS and packed boxes that will be shipped in our next container. A special THANK YOU to Gif for coordinating this project!
On Friday (12/09/22) a container will be loaded by the Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ in Florence, AL. They have been partnering with a number of other congregations and groups to make this shipment possible.
In the midst of evil’s presence, it is assuring to recall the Almighty’s assurance to Habakkuk, “Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days—You would not believe it even if you were told!” (Habakkuk 1:5)
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
(Montgomery, AL)
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