As reported by William R.:

Each place Jerry M. went with the chocolate bus had special meaning.  Each place had special people; some seemed sad, then changed to happy as they heard and understood the “good news” we brought.  Some seemed to enjoy our touch, whether it was a mere pat on the back, a hearty hand shake, or a full embrace. 

The real story was the team; it became evident to me that God had selected each one of us, not for our unique abilities, but rather in spite of our lack of talent.    Some of us had not spoken in front of groups before; some of us were shy to share the Gospel.  Some of us had never been to another country, let alone flown ten hours to get there!  God took us as we were, farmers, optical dispensers, teachers, insurance salesmen, retired persons, and young students.  He chose us and molded us into a unique instrument for His glory. 

We were strangers for just a short while; as we gathered at the New York airport, we got to know each other; some were first timers, others had been on five, six, ten, or more mission trips with Global Aid Network.  We discovered that we had so much in common, but the main thing was a love for the way God changes lives through His Son Jesus Christ.  As ministry continued from day to day and site to site, we would share our individual experiences with the rest of the group as we rode on the chocolate bus between boarding schools and orphanages or youth shelters.  We realized how blessed we have been in our own lives and how much our caring attention to the less fortunate touched these people of Ukraine.  From sharing our insights to sharing the food off our own plates with each other, we became a family.

One of the churches we visited was called “Family of God” and indeed this was our ministry; we introduced many to Jesus and the Holy Spirit called them into the family of God.  Praise God for using us as is instrument for this time; may we continue to share this same good news once we have returned to our routines back home.

We made many friends, Jerry M. said, but to see how each place we went to brought us to more friendly, searching souls was overwhelming.  Each of the volunteers was touch in ways that will linger; those we reached out to were blessed, not only with the physical humanitarian aid we distributed, but more deeply, emotions and souls were stirred to repentance, and many experienced rebirth.  

Those in the HIV Church Center received not only food goods and Bibles, but hope for a better life while they remain here, and assurance of eternity with God because of Jesus Christ.  The run aways in the youth shelters and those incarcerated for crimes learned that Someone cares for them; all we met were invited to accept the forgiveness of sin through Jesus, turn from their past ways, and grow in fellowship with other believers and relationship with God.  We taught them that prayer was simply talking to God and that God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible.  To see how each place we went touched the lives of many new friends and adopted them into the family of God as brothers and sisters really impressed Jerry M.

Each contact was touched in a different, but special way: some were touched with joy, some were moved to tears, but best of all were the tears of joy shed for deliverance from the burden of sin as these sweet people of Ukraine came to understand and believe and repent to a new life with Jesus Christ.   We welcomed them into the family.

To see how God worked through this trip –that had been bathed in prayer daily, both here and back home by many supporters- really kept us safe, healthy, and vibrant to minister.  Thank you all, each of you who prayed for this special ministry; your  prayers have been answered a hundred fold.  God worked though this trip, kept us safe in daily travel on very busy but poor roads, He opened doors to locations that had been quarantined and provided other ministry sites when doors were closed.  None of our chocolate bus team experienced illness; there were no accidents.  God is good.