Amazing Filius Jere, Solar Powered lanterns tor Africa, Van arrives for kids in Chernobyl

March 19, 2018 Issue No. 31

In this issue

Van to Chernobyl rehabilitation center arrives March 16

How to Effortlessly Double Your LifeNets Donation

To our LifeNets Supporters and Friends!

Today, my husband Victor and I are leaving on a 29 day journey to visit South Africa, Malawi and Zambia. We have worked directly in the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God here. We are responsible for caring for about 1000 who attend Church regularly.


	Beverly Kubik

But, in its nearly 20 year history, LifeNets is most sensitive to the plight of people living in some of the poorest countries of the world. Both Malawi and Zambia rate in the bottom ten countries of the world, suffering from poverty and disease that one cannot turn away from. We have not. Care for the disadvantaged and vulnerable is a subject often spoken of in the Bible. We are given instructions to watch out for, care for people of lesser means.

While we can't solve poverty and save the world economically, we certainly can bring relief, comfort and opportunity. LifeNets provides this comes in the form of agricultural support, education, cattle husbandry, water projects and much more..

Because of our bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have come in contact with orphans who were left behind in the brutal wars continually raging in this part of the world. We have been there for them. On this visit we will be in close proximity of these areas, but will not actually venture into the Congo because it is too dangerous.

I'll have a report for you when we return about our findings and first-hand accounts of what we are doing to help.

We have had a good year in support from people like you and we are finding ways to help more. We have just increased scholarship aid to the Philippines.

In this issue I want to share with you current news. The first article is about solar lanterns, 120 of them that we are carrying with us,. So many people live in darkness because of continual blackouts. This affects work, studying and life in general. We are adding a small dimension of literal brightness.

Also, in this issue is the happy story of the delivery of a van/minibus for our premier project near Chernobyl, Ukraine. We have wanted to provide this vehicle to the rehabilitation center for nearly three years. And, it's finally come to pass after countless roadblocks and delays. Through another charity, we bought a van in Germany This charity then drove it in a convoy to Ukraine. The keys were handed over to the Director just a few days ago

I want to personally thank you for your well-wishes, prayers, encouragement and financial support. We truly believe that we have made a BIG difference in the lives of so many and have done it reliably now going on 20 years.

We do ask, as you are able, to help us with your tax-exempt gifts. On the home page of our website you can donate via PayPal or credit card, Please continue to donate as you are able, we cannot do it without your help.

Thank you for making LifeNets the charity of your choice.

Our love and appreciation to all of you!

Beverly Kubik

President

Solar-powered lanterns to Africa

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On our trip to Malawi and Zambia this week, we are going to take along about 120 LuminAID solar-powered lanterns and phone chargers. The larger one has twice the lumens (150 vs 75) and a battery charger for mobile phones. The smaller unit does not have a phone charger. The cost $33 and $17 respectively.

Beverly Kubik displays a solar lantern

These devices provide light and phone charging in places where living with power failure for extended periods of time is a way of life. When the power goes out, there is no way to know when it will come back. This causes disruption in the normal course of life and business.

What the kit looks like

This is why LifeNets is turning to SOLAR POWER to fill the gaps. Using roof-top solar panels our LifeNets Business Center makes it an attractive place for customers to use our Internet Cafe, for example. People can rely on the computers to stay on!

We also wanted to provide a quick source of light for home use and the places in Malawi that have no electricity. The solar powered lantern is the solution. In January we took a number of these lanterns to South America and they were greatly appreciated.

Van to Chernobyl rehabilitation center arrives March 16

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Finally! On March 16, 2018 the van that LifeNets pledged to donate to the "Revival" Centre for disabled children in Chernihev, Ukraine has been delivered to its founder and director Dr. Vasyl Pasichnyk. A big THANK YOU to all that have brought this project that has been three years in the making to a successful completion!

Alan Hilliar presents van keys to Dr. P.

The van was purchased in Germany back in August last year. It is a 9 seater Ford Transit 2015 with 23,000 km (15,000 miles), so it's in fairly new good condition. It meets Euro 6 emission standards. We had searched for vehicles in Austria and Belgium as well.

The delivery feat was accomplished by UK-AID headed by Alan and Pauline Hilliar from Great Dunmow, United Kingdom located northeast of London. It was to have been delivered in November 2017, but licensing delays kept it from happening.

Their very fine organization runs a few convoys a year to Ukraine from the UK and our van was part of the latest one. Not only do we thank them heartily for delivery, we thank them for the mountain of paperwork procedures that they had to go through to make this happen. The final hangup was a four-hour detention at the Polish border because of paperwork questions.

I also thank my Batavia, OH Rotary Club for their generous contribution towards this project. I appreciate their interest in international projects that have reliable oversight.

The cost of the van to LifeNets was $30,000.

This was a gift that we had hoped to originally give the Centre for their 20th anniversary in June 2016, but certifications, regulations etc. etc. have delayed it until now. But, we are breathing a sigh of relief on a job well done that will benefit disabled children in a great rehabilitation center located about 30 miles due east of the ill-fated Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

You can read about my visit with Beverly to the 20th anniversary celebration of the Centre on my travel blog at http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/victorkubik/18/1466787527

LifeNets has worked with this Centre since April 1996 which was before its opening in June 1996. Dr. Pasichnyk and his wife Natalia and the wonderful staff have become close friends over the years.

More information about our work at http://lifenets.org/chernobyl and more about Dr P and his wife at http://lifenets.org/chernobyl/2016/Jan%2014%202016.html

Thanks to all who have made this happen. The van will provide tremendous service for the children who need transportation to come into the rehabilitation center on a daily basis.

-- Victor Kubik

Filius Jere and Chipata, Zambia

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Filius Jere

Filius Jere is an amazing individual with a big heart. It's been a privilege to know him and find a person who cares about his people living in difficult circumstances. In the short time we've known him....only the last few years, he has done a great deal to improve the conditions for the community, provides water and food. LifeNets enjoys working with him.

Filius oversees a congregation in Chipata. By recommendation of Lusaka pastor Major Talama, he suggested to LifeNets that this congregation

benefit from the LifeNets food relief program during the food shortages of 2016. But instead of just getting food, they asked permission to use part of the funds to buy inputs (seed and fertilizer) for the members.

Each one of the twenty-one members received one fifty kilogram bag of basal dressing fertilizer, another of top dressing fertilizer and five kilograms of certified seed. Using conservation methods of farming, everyone was able to produce enough food for the following year. Just before harvest, Beverly Kubik, president of LifeNets visited one old woman's field and was amazed.

The LifeNets Water Facility

Our water source was a shallow well that also catered for over 200 poor households around our Church. So the LifeNets President availed a borehole to us at the cost of about $4,000 However, instead of just having the borehole as a source for safe drinking water, Filius has committed himself to get a solar facility installed so that they could introduce irrigated vegetable gardening and raise revenue for Church needs.

Read more details about the Chipata, Zambia venture at

http://lifenets.org/filius-jere-chipata-zambia/

Contact Information
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LifeNets International

1227 Woodchase Trail

Batavia, Ohio 45103-2605

513 843-7744

513 201-8850

[email protected]

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How to Effortlessly Double Your LifeNets Donation

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Many companies will match their employees' and retirees' charitable contributions. Check with your personnel office to see if your company will do so. They will provide the necessary forms and instructions. Then send LifeNets the completed form. Thank you very much! Donations to LifeNets are tax-deductible in the United States.