Report 2, April 25, 2008 (from J. Kachelman)

Last evening I left Kyiv and flew into Donetsk. All week long I have been talking with folks in Donetsk and they were telling me that it was not only “warm” but “hot” down here. After sloshing through the stopped-up gutters from the backflow of the disrepaired storm sewers of Kyiv, I was eager for some warm weather. We left Kyiv and it was +12C and when the pilot announced our arrival in Donetsk he said it was a +6C. And so it goes…

The time in Kyiv was spent basically in a foggy daze as my body and brain were attempting to catch up with the time zone. There is an eight hour difference in the time between here and the USA’s Central Time Zone.
The first 3 days (Monday-Wednesday) are basically lost to travel so it makes the week very brief.

On Wednesday I was to have met with contacts on the Humanitarian Aid Commission to discuss the approval process for our Consignees in Ukraine. In the last few months we have not been receiving the prompt approvals that we had previously. It seemed to me that there were directed efforts to hinder the approvals of containers—especially those going into western Ukraine. We have had three containers ready to ship into Ivano-Frankivsk for almost one year. One of these is a container of medical supplies donated by MedShare International that collects useable items from the medical community in Atlanta, GA. Usually MedShares charges $10,000.00 per container but they are going to send a container for us without any charges. This will definitely be a most welcomed arrival in Ivano-Frankivsk and its surrounding towns and villages. Tanya had previously talked with a contact in Kyiv that said I needed to write a letter asking for a meeting and then there would be several from the Cabinet of Ministry attending. I wrote the letter and Tanya translated it and tried to fax it, but the fax would not go through. So we decided to email it to a contact in the HAC. But according to this contact, the email never arrived or was deleted or “something else” happened with it. The end result was that the planned appointment did not materialize.

Instead of meeting with the HAC, I talked with Nicholia Stephanovich.  Nicholi has been a constant help to our efforts ever since 1999. Nicholi is a member of the opposition party and a close associate of Yanukovich.

While in Kyiv I also met with Sergey Rassolov. Sergey preaches at the congregation that used to be identifed as “Kharkivsky.” They were meeting in a two-room flat, but with the prices of flats increasing in value (especially those in Kyiv) the landlady told the congregation they must move. At first this news was shocking as the brethren did not know where to go. Sergey said they decided to pray about it and ask God to help them. In one of those amazing twists, Sergey said that a member of the congregation was explaining the situation to a friend who had a friend who owned a building where he did business. This businessman offered the congregation the use of the facility’s auditorium for free on each Sunday. This new place is conveniently located near a metro stop and is well-lit and heated. Sergey explained that a number of other happenings have turned out well. He described a situation where there was one man that previously caused great turmoil in the congregation. This man had left but when he heard of the great location and large room that was being given free, he called Sergey and said he wanted to return. Sergey said he needed to talk to the congregation about this matter. The congregation decided they could not forbid anyone to attend in worship so they sent this message—“You are welcome as a visitor but you will not teach, lead prayer, teach classes, lead singing or do anything else. You are welcome as a visitor.”

Sergey was proud the congregation has matured and is bold enough to take a stand such as this. It was encouraging to talk with Sergey and hear him discuss how things are going in the congregation. He has faced some very discouraging situations but he is doing very well.  Sergey is supported by a number of different congregations, but the Bartlett Woods congregation (Memphis, TN) is the congregation that collects funds for and overseas his work.

Funding Cuts Impact Us!

During the time in Kyiv, I received the troubling news that funding for the shipping of containers has been halted. Part of the email I received stated: “With sincere regret, we inform you of the U.S. Department of State Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) unexpected decision to temporarily suspend all shipments of humanitarian assistance through the Small/Medium Transportation Program (SMTP) for the duration of the current fiscal year. EUR/ACE has directed an immediate but temporary suspension of shipments. The U.S. Department of State has indicated that shipments may resume at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2009 (October 1, 2008).” In January 2007 I had sent out an urgent request for you to contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to continue (and even increase) the funding for the shipments of humanitarian aid. I received several replies that contacts had been made and Congress had decided to keep the funding at the appropriate level.

It seems now that funding is not forthcoming. I would like to ask you to contact your Congressional delegation and tell them that it is urgent to find funding for these efforts. Shipping these containers has saved congregations hundreds of thousands of dollars, provided critically needed medical supplies and equipments to places in greatest need, and provided Christians in the receiving countries to become involved and active in working with their local governments. I will post on my website a page that will have the critical points that will help you present this request to your Senator or Representative. The overall funding for shipping these benevolent containers budgeted in 2006-2007 was $1.2 million. At the same time the USA spent $19 million on a toilet that they bought from Russia for the space station!