April 26 – May 3, 2024

Fastiv, 26.04-3.05.2024

Christ is risen!

Since the beginning of the Great War, on the eve of the Easter holidays, we greet the families of our defenders who died. It is somewhat symbolic that this year on Good Friday, according to the Eastern calendar, the mothers and wives of the Heroes of Ukraine gathered in our church. Two hundred and seventy-eight Easter baskets were prepared jointly by our volunteers and San Angelo bakers, we made more Easter baskets so that families could take more for someone lonely. Such meetings are touching, there is a lack of words, because death touches every family and takes away the most precious – so many tears and suffering. Despite this, we believe with all our hearts that Christ defeated death and enlightened the world with the victory of the Resurrection. We thank our Defenders and their Families for so courageously bearing the cross of pain and we ask that the Lord, who wipes away every tear, will turn this suffering into the pure gold of peace.

Thank you to all the benefactors who donated funds for this charity event of Charytatywni Freta and Fundacja Charytatywni. We would like to thank TM Georgian Traditions, which donated part of the meat delicacies we bought from them.

This week, our volunteers delivered humanitarian aid to Odesa, where we have been taking care of forcibly displaced people from the South for about two years, together with a local charity fund managed by Mrs. Victoria Krushkovska. Diapers and food products are a great support for families with children.

At our Center, this week was intense as well. A certified course of emergency first aid was conducted by a qualified doctor – trainer of the Red Cross, and the teachers of the Catholic School of St. Martin de Porres and our volunteers passed. We are grateful to our Partner, the “Wings of Victory” charitable foundation, for the financial assistance, and for the loyalty and support of its director, Mrs. Victoria Kramarenko.

We would like to thank the Charitable Foundation, director Ms. Anna and her husband Mr. Pavel, for bringing humanitarian aid so quickly to the Ustyluh border crossing. From there, within the framework of the permanent partnership program, Humanitarian Nova Poshta delivered it to Fastiv at its own expense. We are grateful to the XENIA Association Foundation for the donated seeds, which will be delivered to war-affected households in the coming days.

This week, we distributed 12,960 kg of humanitarian aid, 1,364 food kits of basic necessities according to requests. It is a pleasure to share with you that our social bakery in Kherson baked 6,395 loaves of bread and 5,800 pieces of butter pastry on 1-4.05, and during this Easter time, it baked 1,888 paskas for the townspeople. I will be grateful if you support us with a donation or a repost.

With prayers,

Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP