Hello Friends,

 

Our joint monetary collection for medical supplies for Ukraine has been a huge success!  We are a group of 21 area churches and individuals who have raised $32,209.86.

 

Our mission has been enhanced by companies such as Through These Hands, a non-profit organization, which donated truckloads of medical grade medical and surgical supplies.  Lehigh Valley Hospital has helped us to order our medical supplies at cost through their suppliers.  This was a great way to maximize our purchasing power!  A very special doctor with Valley Preferred wrote our prescriptions to order the medications needed.  Valley Preferred also donated an additional $7500 to purchase medical supplies through the hospital.  Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Department donated supplies that were greatly needed and unavailable for purchase.

 

While it has taken us much longer to purchase these supplies due to shortages and hospital allocation limits we are soon sending our third load.  One load of medications went by air to Poland and was transported to a hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine.  The loads that are going by sea will be going to a port in Ukraine that is still open.  All of the supplies will be going to the front line field hospitals.  The supplies that we have sent include the following; IV fluids; IV albumin;  sterile water to mix medications; antibiotics both IV and oral, steroids both IV and oral, local anesthetics; non-narcotic non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications; fungal medications; medication for arthritis; wound dressings; burn dressings; socks to help prevent health issues for the soldiers, (many are getting fungus infections from the wet conditions and not having daily sock changes) and hygiene kits provided by one of the churches in our group.

 

We have received many thanks for the supplies and support through our new Ukrainian friends at Holy Ghost Catholic Ukrainian Church.  Please understand that your support has been invaluable and greatly appreciated.  The attached pictures will hopefully help you to appreciate the volume of supplies that have been sent so far.  One of the pictures was taken in a hospital in Ukraine where the supplies were received and then forwarded to the field hospitals.  Because of very careful documentation of items sent and items received we are assured that our gifts have reached their destination.

 

Please join us in giving thanks to God for his love of all people near and far.  Thanks for the treasures that we have and graciously gave to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Let us pray for safety and health of all Ukrainian and Russian soldiers and an end to this war.

 

Shalom,

Parish Health Council and Social Concerns Committee of St. John’s UCC