(Above photo: Baby boy Zakhar & Dasha in Fastiv, UA)
I arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine with air temps MINUS 4C and a blustery wind was blowing. Thankfully the sun was out so as long as you were inside it was not as cold! Many places are still not heated. The heart has been turned on but somehow it has not made its way into the homes and buildings. It is very comfortable indoors to have your coat, scarf and gloves on and if it was proper. Your hat would really feel good.
The schedule for today was to visit three humanitarian aid distribution points in the Kyiv Oblast. These locations were about 1-2 hours out from the city and about 1 hour apart. I was informed that we were going to such distant locations because many work in the city vicinity where it is close to conveniences but very few work in the surrounding distant locations because of inconveniences. Our commodities shipped into Kyiv are thus by-passing the city and going into the towns and villages that are on the fringe of the Kyiv Oblast.
We were picked up in a van by Leisa and Tanya. They are the faces of the NGO “Together into the Future.” Their excited exuberance and warming smiles were welcome greetings on this cold day!
Our visits today reminded me that life is “not nice.”
The reality of life is that evil has totally corrupted and tragedy is too frequent. The innocents in life are often mistreated. The strong think they dominate and for a brief moment they do control. But their control is only delusional. All too soon life reminds them that no matter the strength, the wealth, or the political clout with which they possess, they are missing the lasting stability they think they have. In the end, the wealthy are impoverished and popularity is non-existant.
Reality will bluntly remind them that they are neither in control nor immortal.
Whenever they think they have accumulated the possessions and the accolades and applause for which they think they will forever be remembered, all will be quickly gone. All upon which they thought was strength and power vanishes as the mist in the rising sunshine.
The only elements endearing this life and surviving death are acts of kindnesses shown to another. Those who are helped by the selfless giving of another cherish memories that are etched in their hearts.
Let the one seeking to memorialize his success in terms of worldly gain measured by the comfortable bank accounts or the large deeds of land or the measure of popularity be humbled with the reality that greater than anything in this world is the cup of cold water given in the Name of the Lord by His disciples. This will be recorded in the eternal book of life (Revelation 20:12-15)!
Worldly pomp and earthly riches are a very insignificant factor as one’s earthly life is viewed. Popularity and self-expression in religion that defy the governing of the revealed Word of God offer but the briefest of flashes in earthly life. Eventually these will bring a horrid harvest of ruin and damnation in the eternal life (Read again the somber query ask of a very prosperous farmer, land owner, business man in Luke 12:20-21).
Reality was focused and framed for me today on a cold October day in the distant locations of Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine.
Today I saw three different organizations that welcome the causalities of reality. These open their arms. They seek to soothe the hurts and provide an opportunity for those involved in the catastrophes of bad choices to accept ownership of their problems and make steps to correct their course in life.
I was reminded of the pattern our Lord provided with the woman in John 8:1-11. There was no justification or rationalization offered to excuse the wrong (the fact is she DID “sin”—there is no way to get around that fact and, contrary to the modern inclination it is NOT the loving thing to do to overlook the sin in gratuitous silence).
There was no sympathy that allowed one to evade full accountability of the sin committed but there was divine sympathy for the one involved in sin expecting that such sympathy would urge her to change her choices. There was acceptance of the truly penitent. There was a clear charge to leave the sin, stop doing it, let it go and “sin no more.” It was neither “mean” nor “unloving” nor “self-righteous” to expect the one hearing the Lord to leave the sin and “sin no more.” Bluntness is out of vogue in our post-modern culture but Christ’s bluntness in John 8 is unmistakable.
I discovered three amazing illustrations of the Lord’s sympathy and compassion.
“NADIA”: A Disabled children’s therapy and rehabilitation center in Fastiv.
“Nadia” is Ukrainian for “hope.” This is the name of an amazing operation. It began 30 years ago with one woman wanting to give special attention to three of the town’s special needs children. She started on her own and today over 250 children are served and the volunteer base is very large. They offer speech therapy, social training, physical rehabilitation, and other support services to special needs children and their families.
The lady that began this work 30 years ago was unable to meet me. She is 77 years old and is struggling with a type of cancer and cannot leave her house. But she sent me greetings and a list of requested items.
We have helped this group through “Together into the Future.” They distributed diapers, clothing and various other items to assist this good work. The children are not housed at the building. They live in their homes and the building functions as a daytime operation.
We were told that the operating funds provided by the State were being cut and this organization would be completely cut out of funding. There is another organization in the town that is doing the same work and it seems this other group is more favored (more politically connected) and so Nadia will slowly fade away because the State funding will go to this other group. As a result, Nadia is trying to do whatever it can with private donors in order to keep operating to help the 250+ special needs children (and their families).
Women’s Center for families with problems
Our next appointment was some distance from Nadia. The second visit was to a large house that has been renovated to provide private sleeping rooms, shared toilets and shared kitchens for single mothers.
These are women who have problems in life. Most are from orphanages where they were turned out at age 18 and no place to go live. Others are mothers who have been denied parental rights and are working to reverse that decision. They ended up in situations because they made bad choices that multiplied problems in their lives.
The youngest mother they have assisted was 14 years old.
All who live in this house have small children. Some are married but these come from situations where it is not possible for the mother and children to live with the husband.
The center works with these women to teach them basic life skills—cooking, cleaning, caring for children, vocations, etc. The longest they can live at the center is two years. In today’s visit there were four mothers and children living there and we were able to meet two of these.
In the above photo is young Dasha who has been at the Center for six months. Her baby is named “Zakhar” and he is six months old. He is a big boy! When we walked into the room Zakhar was asleep but our talking woke him. At first he was not too happy at being disturbed but then the more awake he became the bigger his smile grew. He was bundled up snuggly!
Elderly Home
After another lengthy road trip we arrived at a compound that housed elderly people. There was no name for this facility. It was located miles and miles away from a populated area. Those living there are the elderly who have absolutely no family members. They are completely on their own. At this time there are 28 living here and over half are bedridden. Some have not stood up for years.
The operation is a 24/7 schedule. There are only 11 staff working! Only 11 to maintain a full care service facility. Only 11 to make sure all residents are fed, clean, and given attention. When I mentioned this to the Director she (Valentina) remarked that the staff loves each one and cares for them as if they are their own family. Even when a death occurs the staff attends to all preparations and the burial is in a graveyard that is manicured and maintained by the staff! Only 11…
We were taken on a tour of the facility by the Director (Valentina). We were shown the rooms of those who are ambulatory and a few rooms of those who are bedfast. We were shown the kitchen and the laundry. Valentina pointed out that the laundry situation is not good. Sometimes the bed linens have to be changed twice a day. They have three small clothes washers but they really need a commercial clothes washer.
We met Alosha who is much younger than the rest of the residents but he is unable to live on his own. So he is welcomed at the home and does whatever chores he can to help. As we were leaving Alosha brought one of the large pet rabbits that he keeps.
After a delightful lunch (around 4:00 p.m.) we went back to the city. It was a good day of visiting. It was good to see where some of the commodities shipped are desperately needed. THANK YOU for your assistance in so many different ways.
Please continue to pray for our efforts as we conclude this trip!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Kyiv, Ukraine
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