Feature Photo: I am standing with a presentation by one of the children from Mariupol, Ukraine who was evacuated three years ago. A group of children were in a session discussion regarding emotions.
Today I travelled to the western part of Ukraine. From where I was it was easy to go to Hungary, Romania, or the Czech Republic. This city has experienced a large influx of IDPs fleeing from Russian invasion. Although the IDP issue has almost been erased in the media reports and forgotten in the minds of many, it is still strong and increasing as Russia continues to push the frontline further west. Every day two trains arrive in this location and the IDPs are taken to “collection centers” where they are assigned lodging.
The traumas of Russia’s evil are a reality that cannot be ignored here. Today I met with several groups that highlight very well the gratitude that greets our shipments.
One of the more impressive visits was with a trained psychologist who herself is an IDP from Pokrovsk (formerly known as Krasnoarmeysk). She has been working with the children of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The children in this session were orphaned by the war. Some had noticeable scars on their faces and hands as they were wounded fleeing Russia’s bombs. The trauma they have suffered is incomprehensible to many reading this report. The scars may be visible outwardly but the trauma scars etched in their psyches are unseen until in later years they erupt in uncivil behavioral choices. This is the reason our professional behavioral team project in Ivano-Frankivsk is critical, off to a good start and anticipating replicating through the nation! And, why the project is so eagerly embraced.
Today’s session for children discussed emotions. The counsellor was walking the children through various emotions. There were several exercises. On a sheet of paper were faces representing various emotions and the children circled the face they felt today. Below is one of these sheets where the “happy” emotion face had been circled.
In another exercise (seen in the above photo) the children took paper representing parts of the face. These were attached to a paper plate with pin clips. It was encouraging to see that every child had the lips on their paper plate face turned into a smile.
In other groups I met ladies from Donetsk and Mariupol who had been resettled in this city. Their husbands had either been killed or were active military. In another room I met several teens involved in a musical therapy exercise. We talked for a time and they seemed to be doing well.
In a concluding discussion with our contact in this city we discussed the rehabilitation efforts. “Albert” is a neuro-surgeon and is the President of an NGO. He commented, “The most important aspect of the rehabilitation objective must be spiritual.” I had previous made comments about the urgency of spiritual teaching, training and discipline, but it was very encouraging to hear him speak reflexively of the very points I had been making. This is “a mountain to climb” and few will be willing to tackle it and even fewer are available in Ukraine. Thank God for another door opening and, “Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
Please continue praying for our efforts!
John L. Kachelman, Jr, Ukraine Missions, Dalraida Church of Christ, P.O. Box 3085, Montgomery, AL 36109
You must be logged in to post a comment.