Featured Photo: A camp for children orphaned by the war is conducted in the mountains of western Ukraine.
The efforts of UKRAINE MISSIONS continue to focus on targeted objectives. We continue doing all we can in the war environment. Adding to the war’s impact is the worldwide economic impact and the constant attacks of Satan to dishearten, discourage, and divert our attention away from God’s priorities and onto worldly priorities. I confess that at times, the stress is very discouraging.
“Stand or die!” Recently, I reread the history of the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea. It had been involved in a fighting retreat but had reached the end. An order was issued on July 29, 1950, by U.S. Eighth Army Commander Lieutenant General “Johnnie” Walker during the desperate defense of the Pusan Perimeter along the Nakdong River in southeastern South Korea in the Korean War. The troops were exhausted and facing overwhelming North Korean advances. General Walker declared that there would be no further retreat, stating that a withdrawal to the sea would be a historic butchery and that his men must hold the line. Etched into history are his words: “There will be no Dunkirk, no Bataan, and you will fight and win together where you stand.” History has shortened the General’s order as “Stand or die!” This determined attitude held the defensive line for weeks, buying time for reinforcements to arrive before the Inchon landing turned the war’s direction.
Let me borrow General Johnnie’s words and urge an exact attitude among God’s troops—Stand or die! Do we have an option? Will we surrender to Satan’s discouragements? Sadly, some give up and surrender following Job’s wife’s counsel, “Just curse God and die.”
We face the Devil’s probing attacks daily to see where we are the weakest. Our vulnerabilities and proclivities are used to destroy our resolve.
To all involved in living a dedicated life, these words are our resolute focus: “We are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).
Encouraging Near—Date Actions
Our efforts continue in spite of satanic discouragements and the weight of stress. We WILL NOT stop! It is encouraging to look at what is happening in the next few weeks:
1. We are loading a container out of Ft. Smith, AR that will be stuffed past capacity with critically needed medical supplies and equipment. The good brethren at C.U.R.E. (WestArk Church of Christ) have been working to get things ready and they load this week!
2. We are loading a container out of our Montgomery, AL warehouse. The exact loading date will be confirmed this coming Monday. This will go to Ivano-Frankivsk and has A FULL PATHOLOGY LAB plus Family Buckets, clothing, and other supplies.
3. We are receiving a trailer load of medical supplies from Houston, TX at the Montgomery, AL warehouse. These pallets will bring urgently needed wound care treatment supplies.
4. Our Searcy, AR (Judsonia, AR) warehouse has collected 350+ Family Buckets and is asking for donations so they can purchase the bucket supplies for more. These buckets will be shipped along with clothing and shoes. These will go to the IDPs and especially the hundreds of children displaced and orphaned by the war.
These are only FOUR of the many actions on the near calendar dates.
Encouraging Note
Greetings, dear Brother John. Thank God, we’re all doing well. There’s shooting, missiles, drones, and death, but we’re holding on, thank God. We’re currently running a camp for children without parents whom we’re helping. I’m sending you a few photos from the camp for the children we care for.
We thank God for you and all who help you in this service. We thank God for all of His blessings that come through your efforts. A shipping container would be great. That would be a wonderful blessing, because money is very tight right now. Thank you for your concern, and may the Lord bless all who help and may He bless each family! 🙏🏻❤️ With gratitude, Mykola and Galina.
A photo slideshow from the camp is posted below.
Encouragement from Gif
We continue clean-up actions to secure the Church. This week we met with the electric company. We were able to change the account name to mine, but we can’t update the address until we have the building’s occupancy. Also, GREAT NEWS: when we have an occupancy status, the price per kilowatt gets cut by 60%.
Then we met with Tetianna for counsel on further actions. We had a very nice conversation with her. She told us to go to the archives department first to get any documentation we might not have, since they should have copies. Then we are to go to the architecture department to find out what they need from us. She thinks it should be pretty straightforward. She has a friend in that department and said she would call that person to help us if we need it. Unfortunately, though, Inna leaves tomorrow, so I’ll have to find someone else to help with that. I’ll figure that out, though.
Tetianna had another idea. She suggested maybe trying to install solar panels instead of relying on the electric company. She mentioned that especially with the attacks on the energy sector and the high prices in the winter, it might be good to be independent of them. She also told us that there is a program we could apply for in Ukraine that, if we are accepted, they would reimburse 10–15% of the cost of installation. Now, I have no idea what that cost actually is, but if it saves us paying thousands in the winter, it might offset pretty fast. What do you think of that? Has that ever been discussed here? Inna and I were thinking of asking Pasha for his opinion tomorrow. (John’s note: We have thought of the solar panels but the primary focus was on construction.)
That’s all the news for now. We are having a heat wave, and temps are around 100F! Send some polar air!!
—Gif
Managing operations on the scale and scope as we do is challenging. Someone who is not involved always has a better idea. Such is totally dysfunctional. But this is not a novel act. It has always been a devilish maneuver seeking to discourage. Thankfully, those reading these updates counter this maneuver with cheer and encouragement!
THANK YOU! Continue looking for more encouraging news and developments!
Each reading this post is a critical part of the success. This is stated by Inspiration as: “So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together…for the people had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6). Let us have a dogged determination that we will have a mind to work and not a mind “shrinking back”! This resolve is fitly found in General Johnnie’s “Stand or die!” command.
John L. Kachelman, Jr. UKRAINE MISSIONS P.O. Box 3085, Montgomery, AL 36109
