The Above Photo: John L Kachelman, Jr and Kherson Oblast Governor Andrii Anatolovych Gordieiev
Today dawned with bright sunshine and a promise of warmer temps. But two hours later we were in snow, then sun, then rain and then a blustery snow shower! The activities today started with Yuri showing various distribution points in Kherson. Yuri went first to a building that the City has just permitted the Hospice program to move into the third floor of a newer building. Hospice is currently in a building built in 1933. There are 50 beds in the current Hospice facility. After walking through the “new” location we went to the current facility. The building was constructed in 1933 and it has some definite problems. There is a great need for functional hospital beds, mattresses, chairs and “you name it”! The beds are the old iron beds with springs upon which a think cotton mattress is placed. The rails on the beds are wired on to the bed posts. There is such a critical need for anything and everything! Look at the photos and imagine how the supplies we have in our four warehousing locations would be great for this facility.
The next stop was the Regional Children’s Hospital. This facility has 450 beds and last year offered bed care for 30,000 children and 10,000 out-patient children. Once again, I was given a tour of the facility and shown the critical need for patient furnishings. Many of the babies are given in-room service with their mothers and the mothers have a bed, but it is a cotton mattress on a bed whose frame is tied together with wire!
Next, we toured several of the distribution centers where clothing and shoes that we shipped last year are being distributed. In one location is a “Clothes Bank.” This is where clothing is offered each day of the week. Each one coming to receive clothing and shoes are registered and the items (limited to 4) are recorded so a record is kept. The Consignee realized that many of the elderly could not come in to the city so every Saturday they take a van out to a village and distribute clothing/shoes there.
In the early afternoon we went to the Regional White House and met with the Governor. We discussed the problems that the TASK GROUP in Kyiv has caused in shipping in humanitarian aid. I had two of my consignees with me. I have been asked for the stories of others having problems. In the meeting I started the conversation and then sat back and listened to the discussion.
In this meeting I heard an unbelievable situation from the TASK GROUP’s “You Got To Be Kidding Me!” File…One of the consignees had a container, from Holland, with mastectomy prosthesis, assigned to one of the hospitals that treats breast cancer victims. The TASK GROUP refused to give approval until each name, passport number and other vital information was given to them. The Doctor at the hospital said that violated Ukrainian law protecting patient rights and he would not do it. Eventually they did get the requested information and submitted it to TASK GROUP. But then TASK GROUP said it needed to know which breast had been removed before giving approval. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS??
The day was full and much has been communicated and seen. At times things seem positive but then at other times the negative seems to dominate. Tomorrow will bring another day planned with on-site visits and assessments.
Pray for our on-going efforts!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Kherson, Ukraine
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