by Pastor Jerry Theckston
(Jerry was able to send several pictures today with some explanations about each one in hopes of getting us caught up on the myriad of things they have done since arriving in Ukraine!)
The first pictures is one of the Russian tanks blown up near Kharkiv - it is from a year or so ago, but I was amazed at how complete the devastation was!
On Friday we drove 50 miles away from Kharkiv to deliver food packages supplied by Samaritans purse! They don’t travel inland
but depend on folks to
deliver these supplies near
the front lines.
The next picture is their little school in the village of Krasnograd. There was no reason for the destruction, this village hosts the poorest of the poor! The sign in front of the school reads, “This is how they treat our children”!
When the village was retaken by Ukrainian troops, the Russian army left mines all over around the school- even here on the side of an outhouse…Next is a picture of the front of their school- the Village’s pride and joy.
People from all over this farming area walked, rode bikes and piled into the few remaining vehicles that were not destroyed. Rolfe did a great job sharing the Salvation message, which many people had never heard!
We had a little Service there with Ukrainian worship songs, Rolfe’s preaching and then delivered the food packages- it was like Christmas!
People were attentive during the sharing but for most of them, they have been so beaten down and terrorized that they had little or no emotional energy left.
I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to you about last Tuesday- our first day here! We spent most of our morning delivering medical supplies from Lev’s hospital to a safe house that gets medical aid to doctors who come from around the World, then they take it, with their Ukrainian counterparts, to places near the frontlines for both soldiers and civilians.
Rehab in Ukraine is relatively new! Our dear friend Dr. Julia Prystupiuk is the administrator in charge and has done an incredible job building a program where these injured soldiers not only get physical rehabilitation but spiritual and community building support! (I did send some pictures of some of the men there last week, May 7th)
You might recognize Arman - His was one of the pictures - He is a sweet spirited guy who had massive surgeries on his leg after his unit was hit with bombs… and he is really making progress!
And the final picture, delivering medical supplies to a safe house, or distribution at the front!
(All these pictures are by permission!)
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