This past week there was constant work in preparing items for shipment. We had several groups that responded to our plea for help in the preparation of loads. Emily, Owen, and Jace Revels came to help wipe down items being shipped to a children’s hospital in Vinnytsia, Ukraine!
Since returning from Ukraine there have been non-stop actions as Gif and Perry continue to do their assigned tasks—and they are doing SUPER! In addition to the constant activities at the Dalraida congregation, Charita, Tanya and I have been in constant communication arranging loadings, dealing with shipment logistics, and working to make sure all bases are covered! One exciting development is an arrangement to ship a container of 2,000 hygiene kits, food, and medical supplies out of Pawnee, IL. Brad Walton is the POC and has also been able to provide not only the hygiene kits, food, and medical supplies, but has found a source for solar panels that will charge a phone and provide light. This container will be going to where the LIFE BOXES are being packed and the commodities will ultimately be transported to congregations near the frontlines and distributed in the priority of contacts received. THANK YOU to those congregations and individuals who have donated shipping funds to help ship these critical commodities!
The amazing spirit of work
This past week was full of activities associated with the warehouse work. The Montgomery warehouse is crammed full but we received a truckload of 30 pallets of new medical supplies from Henry Schein and “shoe-spooned” them into the warehouse. We had planned to load a container on Thursday with crippled children’s equipment, but that was postponed because there is a 3-day wait at the Port. Here is a photo log of the groups helping.
The REVELS FAMILY!!! Elizabeth brought Emily, Jace, Owen, and Annie to spend a morning in the warehouse. They did a FANTASTIC job!
Faulkner University
Dalraida Youth Group
Wetumpka Youth Group
On Monday, 12 February, we loaded a container with handicapped children’s equipment, hospital linens, medical supplies, and items for the LIFE BOXES that are going to be packed and will be sent to out points of distribution in Ukraine! More on this load in another update.
We have enough commodities to load FIVE more containers…we just need shipping funds!
From Ivan Skoleba
Hello brother John,
Thank you for an encouraging and supportive email. We continue praying and waiting for a response from the USA, and then we will decide. Today, Sunday, has been a wonderful day today and we came back from worship with joy in our hearts. Perry took us to church on the church bus. I showed and explained the route and handed the bus over to him. He did very well despite our roads and traffic. Gif preached a good sermon about the one church of God.
Today I was with Ruslan in Yaremche, distributing food and clothes to refugees. They prayed together. We met with Victoria and Oleksandr. They also thanked churches of Christ very much for help and asked you to pray for them.
As for the fund, I had to get involved in the process of writing off of the expired things. I found a fund that will take all medical supplies as they work with disabled. So, they will take wheelchairs and medical supplies. We will write food off to Zelena and other villages. There are displaced people there who don’t have food at all. We will give those away directly to people avoiding organizations. Representatives of those villages will come and pick up everything themselves. We won’t have to spend money on that.
Some volunteers would agree to take humanitarian aid but wanted us to pay delivery and many other things, they asked for money to buy gasoline, money to buy other items, money to buy gasoline for the military. Since we don’t have money to pay delivery or to buy relief items, Ruslan turned them down. Ruslan told me that he had written you about it. Today, we met with the representatives of the fund that will take everything that we have. We are moving quickly to remove all shipment items from Church building storage. We have found a Fund that will take all of the items that have been stored a long time and distribute as you wish. We have all the paperwork ready, and the Director of the fund will sign them Tuesday. I will send copies to you right away. I think they will be able to remove everything by the end of the month so that those items won’t be in the way in the church building. It’s good that those things will be used by needy people.
The Fund we have established has a good reputation gained with your help and through the work we’ve done together with you. We are also registered in Kyiv as a humanitarian aid recipient. You remember the trouble we had getting registered there. Not every fund has such a registration. You can use the fund as you wish. If you don’t want to use it, you can keep it on standby.
As for our departure, we are waiting for the papers from Alabama. We don’t know when we will go yet. It has a good climate and there are churches of Christ there. And we want to be with church.
I have done all I can for the church, have done my best with all my heart, the Lord is my witness, so that there would be no division and bickering, for the congregation to set a good example for others and non-believers. As for the documents on occupancy, Ruslan is working on them. I think everything should be OK. Gif and Perry have the by-laws and stamp.
I have fulfilled the requirements from the elders. Ruslan is helping Gif and Perry. I see they do a good job. Thank God! They have everything and if something is needed then I am ready to help.
Changes in life contribute to a wonderful experience and we are excited about this new part in life. We’ll stay in contact. Thank you for support. We’ll stay in contact. Love you and am always ready to help however I can. Wishing you a good day, success in your work, and God’s protection.
We love you, THANK you and the Church for your prayers and care for our community in Ukraine.
Sincerely, Ivan
Please continue to keep the suffering in Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers. The relief efforts in which we are involved are making a significant impact! You can help! Please help the Lord’s compassion to be demonstrated.
John L. Kachelman, Jr. Dalraida Church of Christ, P.O. Box 3085, Montgomery, AL 36109
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