Today was my final day in Zaporozhye. I will leave early in the morning heading eastward for Chernobyl memorial events. The time has passed as a blink of the eye and there are many places and people that I was unable to visit that I wanted to see.
There were several stops and site visits scheduled. One of these was to a maternity hospital. On our way we stopped and picked up a TV reporter and cameraman. Olga was the reporter and Oleg was the cameraman. They would be with us throughout the entire schedule. They were filming a documentary on our efforts and wanted to spend the day visiting and talking with us so they could get as much information as possible. It was a pleasure to have their company and they promised to send the link for the documentary so I can post it for all that would like to watch it.
Upon arrival at the maternity hospital we took in boxes of exam gloves and disposable exam gowns that we had shipped in one of the containers loaded by the Rivergate congregation. Olga and Oleg interviewed and filmed the hospital staff and asked questions about our efforts and impact of humanitarian aid upon the hospital.
We also visited a group in a farming community that has been canning foods and sending to the soldiers from the beginning of the war.
They now have expanded to help supply food to those displaced and to the widows and orphans. They can in jars and plastic tubs using vegetable donations from the community. When the war started the Army of Ukraine had no field kitchens and the troops did not have any way to have meals prepared. The troops were able to survive because home groups like the one I visited today sent foods to the front lines. At this location I was given a handmade doll that is a bunny rabbit (they call it a “Tilda Doll”). These are handmade and given to the children of the soldiers who have been killed in the war.
At some point in the day we went to a location where a truck from Germany was being unloaded. We assisted in the unloading and Olga and Oleg were able to film and interview that activity. We got the truck unloaded and Customs was putting their seal on the storage doors as we left.
We are leaving early in the morning for Strelkoveh to dedicate a monument and plant a tree in a memorial garden for the victims of Chernobyl. We are taking some of the canned vegetables with us to give to the checkpoint sentries.
Pray for our efforts as we continue this trip!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Zaporozhye, Ukraine
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