From Business Insider by Charles R. Davis
- A Ukrainian soldier spoke to Insider about his meetings with US lawmakers this week.
- The soldier, who deploys to the front lines next month, said many don’t know how aid money is spent.
- His message: “We don’t want to be colonized…. We want to live in a democracy.”
WASHINGTON, DC — Vitalij Boiko was working in real estate when the bombs started falling. From the business of buying and selling property, he pivoted to defending it, serving in the Ukrainian armed forces amid the Battle of Kyiv, back when just about everyone thought a Russian victory was just a matter of time.
“When the war started, my family left to Great Britain,” he told Insider. “I went to the recruiting station.”
Now serving in Ukraine’s National Guard, Boiko’s current brigade spans infantry on the eastern front to antiaircraft units that continue to guard the capital from Russian missiles and Iranian drones . This week, however, he’s engaged in warfare of a different sort — politics — even if, technically, he’s supposed to be on leave and resting up for another deployment.
“It’s been very useful and interesting because nobody knows that financial help to Ukraine doesn’t go directly to Ukraine,” he said. “They think that they gave so much money directly to Ukraine and they can’t see where [it] is now. But it doesn’t go directly to Ukraine. It’s still in the United States. It’s only old equipment that’s going directly to Ukraine — and it’s not enough when we have a huge front line, more than 10,000 square kilometers.”
Voice of Ukraine 
2 responses to “10/27/2023 – A Ukrainian soldier went to Washington to explain the war. He says American politicians don’t realize much of the funding actually stays in the US.”
From Jamie Peipon (Day 608): It is exactly one miserable year and eight exhausting months since Russia launched their full-scale invasion.
In the picture you can see some of the hands that have received what we have packed for the Crates for Ukraine program. These pictures come from our partners in the Kharkiv Presbyterian Church. It is exhausting to work and contribute toward this project for a third time. I understand. Please believe me when I write that I am sick and tired of Crates for Ukraine and that I would be thrilled to never see another crate ever again as it would mean the war would be over. I’m tired of my Amazon recommendations being flooded with tourniquets and blood clotting gauze under the caption “your favorite items.” I’m tired of thinking about what it means that all of this gear is actually needed and is being used for its intended purpose. But let me tell you that the people in these pictures want the Crates for Ukraine program to be over and done with more than any of us and have not gone a day of the last 608 days without being directly impacted by the reality of war.
Is there a good reason that a church, our church, should participate in a mercy ministry program for those on the other side of the world? I think of Genesis 3. God’s creatures rebelled against Him and made themselves His enemies. But He was full of mercy. The first and most important mercy He extended to them was the promise of a Savior. But what was the next thing He did? He relieved their suffering and sorrow by swapping their pitiful, self-made, fig-leaf outfits for actual clothing made of animal skins. Now there is surely more going on in this verse than God simply clothing our needy and miserable first parents; but surely there’s also not less than that. The God of all creation, in the first moments after being rebelled against, took time to make clothing for Adam and Eve. He is so good, kind, and loving that He provided for their comfort and dignity in the most distressing and traumatic moment of their lives. What an opportunity we have to reflect that character as we participate, yet again, in the Crates for Ukraine program!
Now that groups here in Jackson have had the opportunity to “adopt” crates locally, we want others to also have the opportunity to participate. Below is an Amazon list containing the items and the quantity required to fill a single crate. If you purchase items through the list, they’ll ship to First Presbyterian Church – Jackson and will automatically be removed from the list. Once we have all the items needed to fill this crate, we’ll open another list up and do another one!
Many thanks for your faithful participation!
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From Lyuda Betina in Belgorod Dnestrovsky (Day 609):
The days are getting shorter, but there is so much to do. So many people around need psychological help and support. For the first six months of the war, I worked every day in the local defense center, in a group that made camouflage nets. It was a kind of a support group, because while working, we communicated all the time.
We started the day with prayer, expressed our thoughts and feelings, shared news and stories. Then I became more and more busy with refugees and other things and began to come there less and less often. A couple of weeks ago, when I came to visit them, they asked me to start a group with them. These women who work so dedicatedly to help the military are very tired both physically and emotionally. The husbands and sons of many of them are fighting at the front.
We had our first meeting last week and I saw how much they needed it. They respond so well to my effort to help them. Many of them asked for individual meetings and I made a schedule for them. Today I had a session with a woman who feels she should do as much as she can to help the soldiers and she lives with a feeling of guilt that she does not do enough. We talked about her personal needs, about the charge of her battery, about her family that needs her. I taught her some relaxation techniques and she is ready to change her life and have rest. I hope that other women in the group will respond as well as this lady and will become refreshed and renewed.
Last week, I had a call from Nadya, our refugee, mother of 5 children, who had been in the hospital for a year caring for her wounded husband Sasha. She told that they are coming back. After hospital, Sasha stayed for several months in the sanatorium having rehabilitation. Despite all the efforts of specialists, the procedures and exercises did not give the expected results. Sasha does not walk. Now we are thinking how to help the family to organize Sasha’s life to make it comfortable for him and his family. We also think how we can help him not to lose his spirit. He needs a wheelchair, a special bed and some other things. But probably most of all he needs the fellowship of believers. The children are very glad to have their parents home.
Our church is raising money for an ambulance for Dr. Anya’s unit. They found the vehicle they need in Poland. We will have to cover the repairing and transportation of it through the border to Ukraine.
Dr Anya’s unit
We have collected almost the whole sum and we need $1,200 more for the full amount. Our elders Peter and Victor will travel to bring it here and in a few weeks Dr. Anya and her unit will go “ for water melons”. Kherson region was always famous for the most tasty watermelons. It means that they will take part in the liberation of the occupied part of Kherson region.
Today I took part in a webinar and among the participants there were some psychologists from Israel. I have known some of them since the last year when they were ready to share their experience and help us in our work. Now they need support, help and prayers. They say that many people in Israel feel that their inner world is broken. They are lost, confused and devastated. And we know exactly how and what they feel. May the Lord give strength to our countries to endure this pain and may peace come. True peace in the country and in the hearts of people can only come from Jesus Christ, who conquered death and gave life.
Let us unite in prayer for peace on earth and in the hearts of people.
In Christ,
Lyuda
P.S. There are photos of the group of volunteers that make camouflage nets, the photos of Dr. Anya and the medical workers of her group and the photo of an ambulance.
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