June 24 – July 1, 2023

Fastiv, 24.06-1.07.23

Praised be Jesus Christ!

One more week of our volunteer service is behind us. At this time, God’s Providence gave us the opportunity to communicate closely with His Eminence Cardinal Konrad Kraievsky during our ministry in the Kherson region. Together with the high emissary of Pope Francis, we delivered lunches and beds for people who suffered as a result of the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPS. We visited the villages: Antonivka, Zymivnyk, Sadove, Ingulets – a total of 442 folding beds that we received from the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and the Agency for Strategic Reserves fell into the hands of those in need.

Common prayers, conversations, in particular the common table, Cardinal Konrad made sure that everyone had full plates, and his attentiveness and “fatherly eye” were especially touching to the soul. The social kitchen in Kherson served 4,600 meals this week. We must emphasize here the work of local volunteers who work from six in the morning to deliver lunches on time. Instead, foresters from Transcarpathia served us with their transport, delivering food for residents with reduced mobility and liquidators.​

This week, the children and sisters of the Orionists from the “House of Hope” from Korotychiv, in the Kharkiv region, visited us at the Martin Center, we are glad that we could help the children they serve to with rest and gaining strength. On Friday, the children of our school returned from vacation in Poland, in the coming days we will share with you bright photos of a wonderful time full of impressions and children’s discoveries. We are glad that the children regained their strength and could simply enjoy their childhood. Thanks to Mr. Krzysztof from Raicha for the care and very good organization and logistics.

This week, more than 300 forcibly displaced families received humanitarian aid at the Martin Center, a total of 1,050 food kits, 12,000 kg of humanitarian aid were distributed. This week we received 500 beds and blankets from the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, we thank the Strategic Reserves Agency for the quick delivery to Fastów. We thank Mr. Oleg Ovechko for the humanitarian aid for the victims of the Kakhovskaya HPS, which he delivered in his own transport to our social kitchen in Kherson, and we distribute it to those in need. We thank the community of secular Dominicans from Zwolle, who collected and sent a donation for humanitarian missions.

Thank you to the volunteer Mr. Ireneush, who delivered the much-needed adult diapers and long-term storage products, which are currently very expensive to purchase. Thank you to everyone who supports us with prayers and charitable contributions.

​We have opened a fundraiser for new and used equipment for the victims of the hydroelectric power station explosion, bring it to the Center, support it, the next departure will be next week. Maybe someone wants to fill us up? We do not refuse any help.

May the Lord protect You.

With prayer Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP