March 10th, 2022

Fastiv, 10.03.2022

Dear friends!

This night was restless and difficult. We received information from several sources that a unit of Russian troops was heading towards our city. But fortunately our armed forces have repelled this pressure and put an end to the threat. It will be quiet for now…

Today was a great day of the humanitarian aid distribution, which we received from our friends from the western part of the country and from Poland, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland Adam Kwiatkowski, Charytatywni Freta. We distributed over 500 parcels to the pensioners, the lonely, the people with disabilities, etc. Our wonderful volunteers unfolded and delivered aid, and helped the elderly people. I would like to thank them for all this! We took help to a social welfare center, bread for the Territorial Defense and food for the elderly from a retirement home in Mały Połowiec near Fastiv.
People who have survived the horrors of the last war days in shelters, in the basement, among others from Bucza, Irpień and other cities come to us. This fear is written on the faces – you can see it in their frightened eyes. You can also see that people are exhausted. After a sincere welcome and a warm meal, probably the first in the last few days, you can see how people relax and enjoy the feeling of security.
Thank you for dozens of calls and notifications. Even if we cannot answer them all, we assure you that your attention, concern and solidarity are the most precious and dearest gifts that help us to survive in the dark when fear creeps into our hearts. We ask for prayer and we thank you for it.

And at the very end – an extraordinary surprise and a gift for us was a telephone conversation with His Eminence the Papal Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who, during those days in Ukraine, conveyed words of encouragement and blessing to our Center. His Eminence assured us that the Holy Father was suffering with us, that he was praying for our country. He also stressed that today is the most important in our situation, when we have the opportunity to do good things. At the end of the conversation, the Cardinal blessed our volunteers and our entire center, wishing you a peaceful night, which is extremely important in our situation. Special thanks to Father Mariusz Krawiec SSP for the possibility of this telephone conversation!
о. Michal ОР