A personal note on the passing of a dear friend…Novella Henderson. Late last night I received an email informing me that a dear friend had passed from this life. I have known Novella and her husband Nelson since the beginning of my time in St. Louis. They were like a set of parents to us. Nelson preceded Novella in death about 15 years if I recall correctly. Nelson and Novella were THE BEST CHRISTIAN EXAMPLES I have ever known. In her last weeks before death Novella was a constant encouragement to others reminding them of their duty to the Almighty and their need to live properly. I have missed Nelson for many years and will also miss Novella but the lessons they helped me to learn will be forever in my mind. What a blessing they were to me and my family and to countless others!
The Lord’s Day in Zaporozhye dawned as a beautiful spring day. Saturday was cloudy, drizzling rain and cold.
Before worship today we went to a distribution center that is opened only on Sunday for the displaced and needy. This center is run by our Consignee (Veterans of Chernobyl) and is only opened early Sunday morning and by invitation only because they would run out of supplies otherwise.
I was really impressed with the orderliness and cleanliness of the distribution site. It is actually a store that went out of business but the facilities had been renovated. There are sorted clothes, shoes, hygiene items and toys. Those invited are those displaced by the war (later at the worship assembly I saw two women who had been at the distribution site earlier.
Adding to the items we have shipped were some that the locals have donated to assist the displaced people from eastern Ukraine.
There is a special list of those who qualify for the family buckets and I was able to give some of those out this morning.
After the brief time at the distribution site we went to the Lord’s Day assembly in Zaporozhye. Because of the large influx of displaced people from Donetsk and Lugansk the congregation is overflowing its assembly room. A number of us had to stand up for the entire service. Yuri is the local preacher and he is doing a good job and has received a number of benevolent items shipped in on containers (his reports have appeared in past issues of the UKRAINE MISSIONS monthly newsletter.) This morning Jay Don Rogers from UBI preached.
After the services an elderly lady approached me and told me her story. She is from Makeevka but had to flee because of the Russian invasion and occupation. She was directed to go to Displaced People’s locations in Zaporozhye. Once in Zaporozhye she was assisted by the local Church and started attending. She remarked, “When I lived in Makeevka I had never heard of the Church before. When I came here I thought all was lost and life would collapse. Church was very willing to help and invited me to worship. I began studying Bible and was immersed and now am so thankful I am here!” Her eyes were dancing as she shared her story and her smile was from the heart.
Before the assembly began the preacher (Yuri) pointed out a number of orphans that the Church has taken in and he introduced me to a young man that is now living with Yuri’s family.
Many more anecdotal evidences of the good that is resulting from YOUR efforts to help could be given. In fact there would not be sufficient storage for all of these accounts. But the important things is that the Lord knows and He is receiving the glory and His Church is reaping fruits.
THANK YOU!
Tomorrow will be my last day in Zaporozhye and I will board an overnight train for Odessa around 6:00 p.m. I will arrive early the next morning and will follow a schedule that has already been mapped out. At some point in the Odessa visit I am to have a news conference regarding our efforts.
Please continue praying for our efforts!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Zaporozhye, Ukraine
You must be logged in to post a comment.