is your love in action, inside the former Soviet Union

A report from Doug Brendel to all who support or follow our New Thing ministry in Belarus...

Where do you put

10 tons of blessing?

I promised photos next from the Zhodino shelter for abused and abandoned children, and they’re coming.

But before I could get that photo report out, I was very surprised to make this discovery:

An enormous load of donated goods from Germany being unloaded — not at our warehouse, but at the new location on Chadrina Street, where we hope to place two huge containers.

There are still no containers there (although the land is being cleared, at left), but workers were off-loading into extremely dusty temporary space in the unfinished church building on the same property. (We’ve already checked: we can’t rent this space permanently.)

Our “Response of the Heart” team does not have a permit to store materials here (just about everything in Belarus requires a permit), but they also couldn’t put the goods in the current warehouse, which we’re in the process of emptying.

So our team leader, “The Great Kozovaya,” stuck between the proverbial “rock and a hard place,” decided to take a chance — rather than give up the entire shipment.

She didn't want to miss out on this huge load of washing machines, refrigerators, and much, much more.

You can imagine what a fantastic moment it will be for a poor family or a struggling orphanage to receive a fridge or washer — an impossible dream — in Christ's name.

I am continually amazed by the energy, the perseverance, and the unfailing grace of these two women: Kozovaya and her lifetime friend Lydia Danielevna.

Meanwhile, Anatoly faithfully runs our warehouse operation. He too is a hero.

He not only handles the huge inventory issues; he also patiently manages the extremely complicated paperwork demands of the Belarusian system.

Every detail of every shipment is assiduously accounted for under Belarusian law — from the moment is crosses the border, to the moment it’s delivered to someone in need, or to an institution anywhere in the country.

Our “Response of the Heart” volunteers fashioned a crude “chute” to get smaller items into the basement.

I pray we’ll be able to buy and install the containers here on Chadrina Street before there’s any trouble over the not-exactly-legal temporary storage situation.

In the meantime — I promise — very fun photos will come soon, from the children’s shelter at Zhodino.

Thanks for journeying with us!

Much love,

Doug Brendel

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