Trip Report #11—Families with many children

Feature Photo: Meet Alexander and Sveta who have enthusiastically adopted twelve children!

NOTE: I AM REMINDED TO SAY THE ATTACHED PHOTOS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR MY SITE ONLY AND ARE NOT TO BE USED ON ANY OTHER SITE OR POSTED ON FACEBOOK! For those unaware of why photos must be approved, Ukraine is under martial law. There are strict regulations governing what photos can be published, especially on social media platforms (and Facebook is under the microscope). Many use photos of children to raise money and to get funding for projects that promise grand things but never materialize. There are investigations on-going into those who have posted unapproved photos and who have used photos to enrich themselves and whose websites list “partners” in Ukraine and the USA. I have been often told not to post photos in the media. I was recently told I am on the “good list” to which I replied that I have been taught from childhood too avoid the “naughty list”! 😊

The evils of war are endless—depravity, corruption, devilish actions, inhumanity magnified, bitterness, death, total destruction and on and on. Such is draining when it is confronted on a daily basis. The constancy eventually wears one down to where s/he just opens the door to surrender to the Evil One crouching at the door seeking to devour!

Such times of desperate discouragement are not novel to our era. Historically, civilization has wrestled with the Evil One seeking to dishearten and destroy! One such time occasioned the writing of the Book of Revelation when gloom and doom dominated. To those at that point, Inspiration wrote, “Come up here, and I will show you.” When facing dissolution, destruction, and extinction one must “Look up to God in His heaven!” God is still in His heaven and He is still wondrously working and by faith we believe that God “is accomplishing a work in your days—you would not believe it even if you were told!” (Habakkuk 1:5).

One of the wonderful points emerging from this war’s evil, is the caring of Ukrainians for those in greatest need. I am talking about people who have adopted multiple children and have melded all into a “family.” On each trip Nicholi takes me to a number of these families who have received help from us—clothing, shoes, food, hygiene items, school supplies, etc. These are not without the problems burdening everyone. In reality some of these families with many children have more than “their share” of burdens. These are not some “elites” with lots of money and lots of extra space in their houses. In fact, these are receiving no extra money—they do not ask for anything; they do not expect anything.

On this trip I was introduced to Alexander (Sasha) and Sveta. They have adopted 9 children adding to their own 3 children. They expressed to me their commitment to Ukraine as they explained why they opened their hearts and homes to so many extra children (ages 6-22). When I asked Sasha why they did this his reply was a powerful lesson.

“These are my people, my country’s soul. How can I turn my back on them? I believe God’s Word saying that one who claims to love God but turns and runs from those in need, do not love God with the heart.” He gave a loose quote of 1 John 4 which says, “If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” Sasha pointed out these children needed a real home and God loves him and he wanted to give that blessing to these children. He did not turn his back. He did not run away. He and Sveta are old enough to leave. But they stayed.

Previously I have introduced the readers of these reports to a number of these “families with many children.” You can search back in the trip reports and reread the information on them. One such family is that of Eugene and Lada and of today they have officially adopted TWENTY-EIGHT children! Another family with 28 adopted children was highlighted in last Fall’s report (https://www.kachelman.com/ukraine/blog/2024/10/16/fall-trip-report-9-twenty-eight-children/).

Just before my trip I received this note regarding our help to these families: “Good morning, John. We sincerely thank you and Churches of Christ, for everything you do for our children, thank you for your help and your blessings. We are sending you a receipt and photos of the families to whom we have already delivered the food. May the Lord richly reward you for all your love and compassionate heart for the needs that exist especially in Ukraine today. We thank you again and bless you. With gratitude.”

Some of these families live in areas where they can raise pigs, cows, gardens, etc and be sufficient. But other families live in the city areas where even gardens are impossible. Alexander and Sveta live in the city. Nicholi was concerned how this large family would survive without being dependent upon others. He came up with a good plan.

Sveta is a good seamstress. She sews all the clothing for the family and is teaching the children to sew. She takes in jobs and is known as an expert seamstress. Since she’s teaching the children to sew, they have the talent and have proven the ability to earn money by that profession. I saw her sewing room and it is well-equipped. The machines are old but they are in good working order. Nicholi approached her about increasing the scope of her sewing and she was delighted. Consequently, Nicholi contacted some who donated money to help purchase an embroidery machine and now Sveta and her children can increase their work by offering the traditional Ukrainian shirts. We delivered the machine and Sveta was in tears and the children were as excited as if we had brought a new milking cow!

Alexander said he had prayed for a large family. He said that he had dreamed of having eight children and now God has given him twelve! He says God loves him and Sveta so much that, in return, he wants to make sure he loves as many as possible! This week they added a 7-year-old boy to the family. His father was dead. His mother had abandoned him and left the country. When they brought him “home” they set the table and told the boy that they had bought him a cup and plate that was his. He looked up and said, “This cup and plate are really MINE?” Sveta said that he got up and ran to hug her thanking her for letting him live with them. (Interestingly this helps explain the down-home idiom of a wife “breaking her husband’s plate!”). Much more could be written about Sasha and Sveta and their wonderful family. They have offered me respite in the midst of war’s evil. I left thinking of Paul’s word to Philemon as he described visiting that home and how he yearned to return for Philemon to “refresh my heart” (verse 20).

ONCE AGAIN: THE ATTACHED PHOTOS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR MY SITE ONLY AND ARE NOT TO BE USED ON ANY OTHER SITE OR POSTED ON FACEBOOK!

Here are a few of the approved photos of not only Sasha & Sveta but other families helped…