The one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is about to be marked. It has been a year filled with indescribable sorrows and shocking destruction. While the politicians eagerly take advantage of this horror, the common citizens have been forgotten. Thankfully the private sector has rallied and responded to the evil with God’s compassion.
We bring another update on news that we have received from those inside Ukraine. Be encouraged by their faith and determination. Be humbled by their gratitude for receiving even the smallest items.
2023 has begun with a roar!
Thus far, from January thru half of February, we have completed THIRTY-THREE projects! And Charita has more that she has not had time to document yet. Here are the totals thus far in our shipping efforts in 2023: From January to mid-February…
- We shipped a total value over $6.5 MILLION USD!
- We shipped a total weight of 885,916 POUNDS!
IMPORTANT NEED…
We have been given 50 pallets from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. These are pallets of antibiotics (z-packs) and will need to be airlifted because of the urgency involved. We can airlift a pallet and get it delivered to Lviv for $1,250.00 per pallet. So far, we have 30 of these pallets that have been sponsored by various groups. This leaves 20 more pallats needing a sponsor! The conservative value of each pallet is $850,000.00!
Can you help us find sponsors for the remaining pallets? If your congregation wants to sponsor a pallet and then distribute it to hospitals and clinics in the areas where the Church is located, this would be a tremendous work!
News from Ivan Skoleba
Sveta and I went to Zelena yesterday. Evangelistic work is moving but very slowly there. Galyna’s brother starting coming and listening to the Word. Children love Sveta’s classes. They study diligently as they have grown up and understand more now. They drew pictures with words of thanks to American children for the toys that Sveta gave them. She also plans to take small presents to the children’s shelter together with Ruslan. Children will be happy to get even small presents. In the photos you will see Bogdan and Galyna’s granddaughter and great-grandson. They also read and study the Bible with Sveta.
Ivan Skoleba
We sent greetings on behalf of our American friends to the teachers of Zelena. We stay in touch with them so that they do not forget we are there. They are looking for their American friends to return again.
Sveta spends time with the women from Toretsk. They always invite her and spend much time together. Lena and Inna try not to miss classes, they are always there on Sunday.
We are so thankful that Bill and Lyuba sent small flashlights. Everybody was excited and thankful. Some found flashlights in their buckets but not all buckets had them. Power outages are very frequent now and batteries run out of juice quickly.
At present, I work with both Andrews and Vitaly, for they have a lot of questions. I ask you to pray that they will be converted to the Lord and will repent and enter into covenant with God. I do not rush them in this decision because it is a personal choice to make.
We continue helping large families as supplies become more and more difficult to provide. We met with Valentine and Olga. Olya came for a few days to take care of some business.
I want to thank everyone for helping send humanitarian aid at this awful time that our country is facing. The list of items to include in the next container from Montgomery are all needed. Wheelchairs and clothes are in a great demand now. Many disabled ask for wheelchairs. The number of the displaced here has grown a lot so the Family Buckets will especially be important. I think that everything you have collected will be of great help and a source of great joy to people. I want to thank you on behalf of all those people that ask us for help
We pray for our brothers and sisters in the USA. May the Lord protect you and your families. We always keep you in our prayers.
Denis Sopelnik sends this report
Dear brothers and sisters, So, we are in 2023 now and soon we will mark a one-year anniversary of Russian military aggression while the cruel war continues on our territory. We are not informed about the numbers of casualties, how many are killed and wounded in the war daily. This is a tremendous price we are to pay for our freedom. It seemed that one could have got used to anything with time but it has not been so with the war with its devastation and death. So many people who are refugees come to us looking for help and their number increases. The front lines are constantly changing and people leave their home places looking for safety. We ask for your prayers, we need them so much. Constant power outages and ongoing mobilization don’t let us relax.
Dennis Sopelnik
The church of Christ in Bela Tserkva continues ministering and sees some good results. God opens up people’s hearts and the Gospel does not lose its power. In the beginning of the month we had a baptism. Oksana from Nikopol decided to let the Lord into her heart. Her family had moved to Bela Tserkva in the summer and they lived in the church building for about two weeks. Since then they were regular in attendance and the time came when she decided to submit to the Great Commission. Every Sunday we have a lot of visitors who come for the grocery care packages. They share the information about the Church by the word of the mouth giving us an opportunity to spread the Gospel among the unbelievers every Sunday.
The other news is that my family and some Church members went to the winter retreat in Lviv. It was such an encouragement for us. We are very grateful to the congregation in Lviv and our brothers from the States (Walter and Chris) who raised funds for the event.
The classes at the Bible Institute resumed in the middle of January. And the happiest event of the month of January was the wedding of our student Viacheslav Shmakov. He married Margarita, his girlfriend of many years, who was baptized last summer. Now they are the man and his wife. There wasn’t a big celebration. They wanted to save up and have something fancier in the spring. We helped them to rent an apartment so they would have a place of their own. With all the dreadful stuff that’s going on God keeps us safe and gives us beautiful moments. We are so appreciative of your help and your love for us. We are very grateful for the funds that allow our students to stay in school and get Biblical education. Your brother,
Communication regarding our upcoming actions…
Mr. John! I have received your email, thank you. I am very glad to hear the news that you are planning a trip to Ukraine. I want to tell you more broadly the plans in the direction of direct participation in the rehabilitation of wounded servicemen.
Nikolay Liubymov
Together with you—the United States is accelerating the time of victory and indeed at the same time we have significant losses of the Ukrainian military, and even more who survived but become disabled to various degrees and tens of thousands of them.
Today we have an opinion about their future, their rehabilitation for the suitability of further life in a free Ukraine. At the same time, we have repeatedly touched upon the issue of rehabilitation of the wounded and directly on the basis of the clinic of the SSU “Truskavets.”
Together with the military-civil administration and the city hall of Lviv, we are considering to build a rehabilitation center within the city of Lviv.
During the implementation of this project, it is planned to use State resources, foreign grants, donations and business assistance. At the same time, we count on the humanitarian assistance of the Churches of Christ in manning the equipment of the rehabilitation center.
Mr. John, I ask you to include in the plans of your arrival in Ukraine our meeting with the leadership of the civil-military administration and the mayor’s office of the city of Lviv, as the leading donor of US humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Thanks in advance for understanding.
On the military-political situation in Ukraine, I can say that it is consistently difficult. The defensive and counter-offensive battles continue. We, veterans and the public of Ukraine are taking active actions to unite and intensify actions to victory.
Sincerely,
Chairman of the Board of VBF “Stability and Security”
Another note from Ivan…
Hello dear brother John, thank you for your nice letter. We are very pleasantly surprised that you want to take a child from India. Your hearts are filled with love for people. May the Lord continue to protect you and guide you in your plans. I pray for you always and thank God.
Ivan
Today we had another alarm, the sirens went off twice a day. It is very unpleasant and psychologically oppressive, we fear for our children and grandchildren, for the Church, and also for our young men from the Church. A part of our congregation and the congregation from Lysets, where Volodya preaches, went to a seminar in Lviv. There were good lessons. Everyone liked it and got a little distracted from the fears of war. But the young brothers did not go because they were afraid that they would be forcibly taken to the army.
It is clear that hard times have come for our army. We gave Volodya a document from the Church stating that he is a preacher of the Church of Christ in Lysets. Since our congregation is registered, we have the right. But such documents do not deter a military person. And we all understand this and see what is being done. That is why Volodya got a lot of stress after the trip to Lviv and is currently treating his stomach.
The Germans are helping us and the Church in Wrocław, Poland is also helping. Marilu said that she would get canned goods and all necessary warm things for the people. As soon as possible, I will try to take it all away. The two smaller generators that you mentioned are greatly needed. We know of a hospital and an orphanage desperate for these, if you do not mind.
Thanks for all. God’s protection and help from our Lord Jesus Christ. I love and respect you,
As we enter into the second year of Russian occupation, invasion, and inhumanity, please continue to help us to ship critically needed items that will be distributed in the Lord’s Name and through the Lord’s Church!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
(Montgomery, AL)
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