Update August 25, 2024

Featured Photo: A Family Bucket was included in a container shipped from Holly Springs, MS by Jerry Morgan and Jerry O’Neil. This one was delivered to a family with many children and the children are excitedly looking at the treasures they have just received!

I’m baaack! My website was hacked and the last update (August 2) was posted but if you get updates by direct mail, you did not receive that one and will have to view it online. We have gone through subscriptions and deleted all suspicious addresses. So, here is another update! Although the website has been silent, actions have been heavy.

Container loadings continue to be scheduled. Out of Montgomery, AL we were scheduled to load Friday but at the last minute that was pushed to Monday. The Hillsboro Church of Christ’s container is loading out of Healing Hands warehouse. Joel and Ron will be confirming the inventory and loading will be scheduled. This container will have almost 500 family Buckets plus thousands of enriched rice meal and MREs that Kathy Cadden has collect. Beto Santiago has been a great help in moving things to completion.

During this time Charita and I are helping to connect container loading in Ghana, Nigeria, and Arusha, Tanzania.

Great news! Gif has now received his extended VISA and is back in Ivano-Frankivsk. He will have to tell you of that adventure that kept him hostage in Poland for 37 days! I have included his note below.

I have just returned from Anchorage, AK where I thoroughly enjoyed being with the Anchorage Church of Christ in a weekend meeting discussing Ukraine Missions and the Lord’s charges regarding worldwide mission.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with the “Traveling Colonels.” They are an organization of retired military working in Ukraine. Much more continues to progress and in the future, I hope to give you a detailed narrative of these amazing open doors.

I am preparing to depart for Ukraine on September 29.

THANK YOU for your support and help in so many ways! Read and rejoice in the good news the Lord has provided through our efforts.

From Gif…

Hello there! I arrived back in Ivano-Frankivsk just a bit ago! It was a miserable journey just to cap off the 37 days of purgatory. I could not sleep at all – no A/C in the train; no one would open the windows, and, an old man actually started dying across from me. For real! They had to stop the train and take him off because he could not breathe at all. But, once across the border things improved. I had a little less than a two-hour wait in Lviv. Now I’m back and I can barely keep my eyes open. But I should be ready to roll by the time John Durham arrives tomorrow. I emailed him a few minutes ago as well. Hopefully most of this email makes sense, I’ve fallen asleep a couple times writing it. Time to nap I think! Gif

Container Delivery…Rehabilitation Equipment and supplies

Received this on the 4 of August: “Tetiana Vasylivna, greetings! The shipment has arrived in Lviv and has been unloaded at the warehouse today – the same warehouse where we visited together – the one under the supervision of Yuriy Sobol. The rehabilitation Center “Truskaviets” is coming on Friday to pick up their stuff. We have to be done with the distribution in the first week of September. We will provide photos of distribution and will send them to your email. There were no questions concerning the accompanying documents at the border. BIG THANKS to Mr. John and his American team and Churches of Christ.

Sincerely yours!

PS: Some of the photos are from distribution to Lugansk Regional Cancer Center, that was evacuated to the city of Sarny, Rivne Region. John has their requests together with other requests for humanitarian aid. They received medical supplies and equipment on Aug 5, 2024

Hygiene Bags distributed on frontlines

We had shipped a number of 2-gallon personal hygiene bags. These arrived and were distributed by Ukraine’s military into areas that are restricted to civilians (but there are still a number off civilians living in these areas who refuse to evacuate. The military cooperate very well in delivering food, hygiene, etc to these restricted areas.

Critical Needs…

Each day Charita and I receive multiple pleas for help. We respond only to those who are validated through several channels. Sadly, there are many who are “making money” from the cruelties experienced by Ukraine’s population. I am pleased that we have made an impact upon authorities and can have their confidence. We also have received HUNDREDS OF TONS of donated items (food, hygiene, clothing, linens, etc) that have shipped and distributed in critical areas. Our critical need are donations that will help us continue shipping containers that will be distributed with approved assistance as long as we comply with the strict regulations under martial law during the war. If you can help in paying for some of the shipping needs that will be a blessing. You can send a check to the address below or you can give online through Dalraida’s website: https://www.dalraida.org/helpukraine/