Report 19

FEATURED PHOTO: Chip was presented a gift from Natasha’s language class.

I am now somewhere in Poland! The trip was to have begun at 11:00 am yesterday following a meeting and was expected to take a max of six hours—expectations were NOT met. We were to meet one of the logistics guys and pay some in-country costs and he was running late. He eventually came and we were off bouncing on the roads. No real issues until we reached the border and then all unraveled faster than you can imagine…

We reached the border and only about 20 vehicles were in front of us. So we sat and waited about two hours. We finally get waved through the first checkpoint and arrive at the border station of Ukraine and pass through it with minimal questions. Then we advance to the Polish checkpoint and it began…It was time for shift change which occurs first on Poland’s side then on Ukraine’s side. A nice schedule that actually gives then a double break for shift change while everyone else is stilling in que.

In order for cars from Ukraine to cross into Poland they need temp car insurance. That’s part of the transportation costs and is 900 grievna (about$25.00 USD). Valery has driven this route many times and had the car insurance BUT the car insurance coverage for Poland did not start until midnight. Valery tried to reason with the Border Agent saying that is the format he has used hundreds of times, but to no avail. So the option at that time was for Valery not to go into Poland and Tanya and I would be left on the roadside with all bags—not a comforting thought to me.

Thankfully another option surfaced…we had to turn around and go back through the border going back into Ukraine, passing a line of waiting vehicles that were now 40+in number. We drive to a booth that is located about a mile from the border crossing and they sell car insurance where Valery paid insurance for today.

We drove back and the line had doubled. We finally got through and passed the Border of Ukraine check point and advanced to the Polish station. Valery had his newly secured insurance certificate. He got our passports and his authorization for leaving Ukraine and went to the Border Agent. But an even greater anxiety fell upon us at that point…

We learn that Tanya’s Polish refugee authorization needed to be digital and she only had a hard copy. They told her to download the digital on her phone. The internet connect was very slow and that thought of not being permitted to cross into Poland was shocking.  She panicked thinking she couldn’t get into Poland. The Internet connection was horrible but finally got it done. Her panic was nothing to my panic, all I could imagine at this point was being left in no-man’s land—I had left Ukraine but not entered Poland—and the taillights of Tanya and Valery going far away from me. Thankfully they were able to download enough for satisfaction and border crossing.

We advanced to the next station where they usually open the car doors look, inside, look at the trunk, look under the hood and wave us through. But normal was not tonight. We were the first vehicles of the new shift and each shift must need a quota for the day. We were told to unload everything and open it for inspection that would occur “soon.”

We were finally given the ok to close everything and reload. Valery went to get our passports and approval slips. He came back laughing and shaking his head. He said we were “selected” for vehicle X-rays and directed to a new vehicle x-ray facility that was most impressive. There were 6-8 vehicles in front of us and we were told they could do two vehicles at a time taking 40 minutes. I was not sure what was waiting for us on the other side if this X-ray barn as I had not yet seen the K-9 units. As we sat there I was I thinking we should have just waited to buy more insurance as we will probably be there AFTER midnight! There was still 6 hours of travel after we get through this border crossing.

We finally arrived at our destination in Poland at 5:45am. We got unloaded and was heading to our rooms when we saw a sign on the elevator that it was not working—our rooms were on the sixth floor and we were facing the steps. But we were in Poland and looking forward to the days ahead!

Here are comments from the other team members on their day. Our team is doing a very good job even though they may say they are like a one-legged man in a kicking contest!

Perry’s Thoughts…

Our Monday started off with a meeting with Ivan and we will give a full report to the Dalriada Elders and mission committee on our return. John and Tanya left shortly after 11:00am and Gif, Chip and myself walked to a restaurant for a Bible study with Andrew. Ivan, Ruslan and Vova came also. The study evolved around this question from Andrew: “Can a Christian fight for his country and kill when the Bible says ‘you shall not murder’?” This study lasted about 2 ½ hours. Andrew would frequently bring up what the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach and we all would replay “God’s word has all authority “and we did not want to chase rabbits but stay focused on the questioned!” We had to bring the study to a close because Oleg has arranged for us to meet seven high school seniors across town at 4:00pm in McDonalds.

It was a joy to see some that we met in April and new ones. We treated them to Americas most popular restaurant and visited for three plus hours catching up and just having a wonderful time together.  These are the students name but two more boys came later whose names I did not get! Dasha, Anasteisha, Yuliia, Oleh, Mykola. We thanked Oleg for arranging this and Gif relayed regards from Jared and Whitney. Oleg is excited if they can come back to teach in the High School along with Gif. All the students want for us to meet again before we leave but not sure if that will happen, maybe Thursday evening!

Gif’s Thoughts…

Lunch today was a full experience as we took Andrew (the one from the gym) and enjoyed some omelets together. Full transparency here, “omelets” is not an easy word to spell. My first attempt just then ended up as “ommelletees” and even my computer didn’t know what I was trying to say. 

As we ate, I got to know Andrew a little better and then he began asking some Bible questions based on yesterday’s sermon – mainly, “If God says baptism washes away sin, does it actually wash away any sin or all sin?” So, we discussed God’s promises and that God doesn’t lie, so if God says he will forgive sin, then we can trust that statement. Then, we examined the life of Paul and determined that if God forgives and can use someone who murdered his people and tried to destroy his Church, then he must be able to forgive and use anyone. We also noted from Hebrews that there is a type of sin God doesn’t forgive: sins we commit without repenting. God has offered us forgiveness, but we must be willing to do our part and separate ourselves from our old sins because if God is removing them from us, we need to remove them from ourselves. There were several follow-up questions and more discussion, but most of it was prompted by him and not by our group, which is a good thing! In the evening, we met up with Oleg and a few of the students that we had met in the spring when we visited their school. They were so excited to be there and it was a great time EXCEPT for the fact that it was at McDonald’s. I politely refused the gruel that was served. Unfortunately, we could not meet at the school this week because the government is doing one of their regular inspections, so all the classes need to be running normally with their normal teachers. But, Oleg was nice enough to organize a time for us to get together and said he can’t wait for us to come back in the spring to the school (mainly Jared and Whitney, but he said I could come too).

Chip’s Thoughts…

Today was a good meeting with Coach Kachelman as we had a team meeting with Ivan and this mission team members (Gif, Perry, and me).  We discussed our plan of activities to finish strong by Friday. Had lunch with Andrew a friend of Ivan that attends church here and discussed questions he had on the Bible. Gif and Perry had plans for meeting with others later and I had the pleasure and honor to speak and participate in my translator’s (Natalya) English student class at 6:00pm.

We talked over 1.5 hours and they had an assignment to make presentations on places in the Ukraine and then be questioned afterwards. I worked in how God’s creation is so wonderful and a few other Biblical principles appropriate from their presentations.

I hope to be able to come back for the Thursday class which will be my last opportunity and I have been assigned to make a presentation on my “OBLAST” (Alabama).

Please continue to pray for those serving in armed forces of Ukraine and their families back at home and of course your mission team here on the ground…God bless and goodnight!!

Remember our mission in prayers asking God to grant us success and to open doors of opportunity! Colossians 4:2-4

John L. Kachelman, Jr.

Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine