In the above photo (viewable if you click the link to go online) I am in Kherson, Ukraine with our Consignee (Evgenia) and Rada Deputy (Oksana). From left: Evgenia, John, Oksana, Tanya.
The long trip from Ivano-Frankivsk to Kherson was exhausting but this morning brought justification for such a long trip. Evgenia and her husband Sergi picked me up and we began a series of visits to points of distribution.
It was a delight to meet Oksana Mykhailivna. Evgenia had told me how much Oksana has helped to secure storage and other critical matters essential to our operations. Oksana is an astute business woman with a heart of gold and loving compassion. I will see Oksana once again in tomorrow’s meetings at the capitol offices.
We went first to a clinic that has 35 beds and 10 emergency beds. The staff was wonderful and gave me and Tanya a great tour of the facility. They are in need of anything—especially hospital beds, mattresses and linens.
After the tours we went back to Evgenia’s office and discussed the most recent container she received. It was loaded by the good brethren in Neelyville, MO and coordinated by brother Jerry Max Morgan (he says he is Tanya’s twin!).
One of the “loose canons” in shipping humanitarian aid is the fact that nothing is definite. Today I learned that because some crooks have shipped in humanitarian aid and then sold it the inspection process has increased and the list of contraband has now been enlarged to include “anything” that can be bought in a pharmacy here! So no longer can we ship in anti-biotic creams and anti-itch creams. But even more shocking is that now Band aids are a no-no! Jerry had diligently worked to get these personal hygiene items collected and put into buckets only to have Evgenia told that such commodities are illegal! I am working on this…
Tomorrow (Friday) begins very early with meetings set for 8:00 with Regional Counsel, then I am scheduled to meet with the Governor, then there is a round table with a group of retirees and then lunch. After lunch the meetings continue.
Thank you for your prayers and concerns on this mission trip.
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Kherson, Ukraine
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