February 5-11, 2023

Fastiv, 5-11.02. 2023

Praised be Jesus Christ.

A few words about Kherson – this was the sixth humanitarian mission to this hurting city since the day of its liberation. It is noticeable that there are fewer and fewer people in the city compared to our previous visits. The main statistics office in the Kherson region provides information that on January 1, 2022, 279,131 people lived in the city of Kherson, as of today, according to representatives of the administration, it is an estimated 40 – 50,000 people, which is 20% of the entire population from the beginning of 2022. The streets are surprisingly empty, closed shops and cafes, few cars, people are not present anywhere where we usually meet them. This state of affairs is depressing and more and more people are planning to evacuate. Although on the other hand, we had a wonderful meeting, a “picnic” with the residents of the building, who stick together as families and spend time together in front of their high-rise building. At the request of the employees of the Kherson Regional State Administration, we set up five shelters for residents in different areas of the city and it was in one of them that we met this wonderful company, they told their stories, shared their preservation with us and treated us to spicy lecho, fried potatoes and homemade wine. The extraordinary atmosphere of friendliness and openness motivates even more to return with help to this beautiful city and its inhabitants.​

We are finishing the project with the Saint Gobain Charitable Foundation, which gave us building materials that will be used for the restoration of the second floor and the attic of the Center on the Kyivska 57 street. Many thanks to the Saint-Gobain foundation and company for your generous support.​

This week, we distributed 3,127 food packages (23,700 kg), most of them in Kherson, as well as for forcibly displaced persons, for Chernihiv and families of the Armed Forces. We couldn’t do it without the help of our friends who care about us.

Thank you for the visits of the Orla Straż – Eaglewatch Foundation from Gdańsk, with whom we jointly restored houses in the villages of the Kyiv region, we thank the MHP for 2,000 liters of scented oil, as well as the Dolindo volunteer center represented by director Yevgenia Ivanyuk for their support. Thank you Fr. Mariusz Krawiec for remembering us and helping us, our thanks go to the benefactors: Social and Educational Association “Orzeł Biały – Strzelec”, Non Notus Foundation, Prometeo Foundation and Sisters Apostolinki from Skierniewice – many thanks for the generators and alternative stoves, which are needed right now. Our volunteers are in Lviv today, loading humanitarian aid that will go to the liberated areas of Kharkiv region.​

This week, our volunteer community worked very hard, because many volunteers fell ill, so our thanks and prayers are for you, who worked as a team and sacrificed this week and prepared everything necessary. Thank you to everyone who supported us with funds on the Privat Bank card and in other ways, I know how difficult it is for everyone right now – so a double “thank you!” for your compassion and mercy, I pray for you!

father Mykhailo Romaniv OP