John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The Photo: Children at the St. Nicholas orphanage in Ivano-Frankivsk receive Family Buckets, clothing, shoes, and food from the Lord’s Church.
Thoughts on the geopolitical propaganda machine
Matthew 24:6 identifies the devilish propaganda campaign that ensnares mankind. “Rumors” are devastating and manipulative. They serve only one purpose—to foment unrest and insecurity. The devilish propaganda machine works 24/7/360 and involves every aspect of man’s life on earth—personal, spiritual, vocational, political, and especially in military settings. Misdirection fueled by lies and deliberate deceptions has brought ruin and defeat in personal lives, congregations, and the stability of many nations.
This propaganda war utilizes the anxiety–producing power of information untethered to faith. God is “forgotten.” The cunning strategy is to misdirect trust away from God and onto Self (Isaiah 31:1 addresses this failure). And whether you are in the bomb shelter, the front lines, or watching today’s political messaging in the comfort of your home, it works very well! Christians are commanded, “Do not be alarmed!” The same verb “hear” that engenders faith can foment fear. The difference is the hearer’s relationship to Christ. How does the Christian’s faith address the geopolitical shenanigans in our corrupt world?
Inspiration has a simple answer. It is practical. It works. The answer is found in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Be a Christian citizen upholding biblical morality. Pray for governments and political leaders to submit to God’s rule. Promote peace and seek divine justice based on biblical principles. Uphold God’s standards even when the efforts seem futile. God expects His People to continue working the Almighty God’s purpose on earth. God’s sovereignty will absolutely be exalted. God’s justice will absolutely triumph. The evil will absolutely be punished. History validates our faith!
St Nicholas Orphanage in Ivano-Frankivsk
We loaded up Sergii’s vehicle and took supplies to another location where orphaned children are living. We had understood there were 11 children. From our shipments and money to purchase perishables and other items, we had a full car. Sergii had put together 11 backpacks for the children. Upon arriving, we were told that from the time Sergii had contacted the Director to the day the items were brought, the number of children had increased from 11 to 27! This was in a 24-hour window! The 11 backpacks were given, and we left with a promise to bring the additional 16 quickly!
Update on Trip Report #12—when children are “eliminated”
The wonderful news that closed yesterday was that $6,000 has been committed to helping Mykola supply food and essentials for the children we are evacuating from the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions to safer locations in the west. We need a threshold amount of $10,000 to provide for the children during the winter months. These children are being placed in family homes, and the money is needed to help that effort. Most of these children have been “shattered” by the Russian invasion and occupation. Most have never known life without war!
So we are getting close to the threshold amount! Please reread Trip Report #12 and do whatever you can to help these children!
Update on Trip Report #10—the blood mobile!
The action of moving the donated blood mobile from the USA East Coast to Ivano-Frankivsk is progressing. Here is the latest email:
“Hello, guys! Thank you for this offer and for adding me to this conversation. I am happy to meet you. Please let me know if you need any information from me or if you would like to have an online meeting. Thank you again. Looking forward to hearing from you. Wishing you a good day and a good rest of the week. Dr. Stanislav Onyshchuk”
Closing Thoughts…
Satan’s cunning propaganda war against our trust and confidence in God takes too many captives! Let all reading this take courage and renew determination from the words in Psalm 91:4-7; 121:8: “His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you…The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.”
This will be the last trip report posted until I send a brief report saying I am back in Montgomery, AL!
I close by thanking everyone who is a part of this amazing effort! All have a significant and critical role in the successes. The truism says that “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” In our situation, the “chain” is very strong because each link is doing what it can do! “The whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16).
An absolute truth concludes this trip’s reporting: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
“Through your prayers” (Phlm 22), this trip HAS seen multiple successes as “doors of opportunity” opened (Colossians 4:3)!
Thank you for your constant prayers!
John L. Kachelman, Jr., UKRAINE MISSIONS, Dalraida Church of Christ, Montgomery, AL
