June 29 – July 6, 2024

Fastiv, 29.06.-06.07.2024

Praised be Jesus Christ!

This week, we were with a humanitarian mission in Donetsk region – it was an emergency departure related to a large number of elderly people who had to leave their homes in the vicinity of Toretsk and nearby villages. People were evacuated urgently, whatever they were, saving at the last moment amid fires and explosions. When I met in the transit shelter in Kostyantynivka with grandmothers and grandfathers who were completely disoriented and scared, I remembered the first months of the full-scale war, when we met people from Hostomel, Bucha and Irpin, who were fleeing, because only the road through Fastiv was still “safe”.

The work of the volunteers, the State Emergency Service, the courage of Ms. Svitlana Hrekova and her team is incredibly impressive. We took away beds, blankets, diapers, hygiene, clothes and shoes. We thank our parishioners of the Fastiv Church for bedding sets and towels.

The situation is also difficult in the Kherson region, in particular in villages such as Antonivka and others. Due to frequent shelling and fires there is an urgent need for fire extinguishers. We already have 40 fire extinguishers, thanks for the 30 that were given to us by the director of the International Charity Fund for the Development of Medicine, Mr. Oleg Ovechko

We need 200, so today we are opening a collection for fire extinguishers for the village. Antonivka in the Kherson region and other villages – our goal is 89,600 UAH for 160 fire extinguishers. We are grateful to everyone who supports, let it be as much as you can, good returns, and this fire extinguisher can save a house.

With a prayer for a just peace for Ukraine,

Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP