November, 26 – December, 2 2023

Fastiv, 26.11.23 – 02.12.23

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Yesterday we returned from Kherson. We have visited the residents of the Dnipro district, which is just across the Dnipro from the temporarily occupied city of Oleshki. In a city that is slowly being killed by the Russian army, we met with women who remained, despite constant shelling, to live in their apartments. On the one hand, because of loneliness, and on the other hand, they do not see any other place for themselves, except their own city, where they have housing. At that moment, there was no light, so we went down to the dark basement, bringing blankets and beds, which were brought to make their stay a little safer in their own house. A gloomy atmosphere prevails everywhere in the city, many houses do not have windows, because the windows are broken, and a few residents sweep leaves near their own houses to keep them tidy: “this is our house!”. We delivered 732 sweet gifts for children, because St. Nicholas’ day is in a few days and not every family can afford to entertain children.

Missile threats and artillery shelling do not abate, so we continue to help equip shelters in the city of Kherson. For the second time, we visited the city hospital and provided humanitarian aid – 1,000 disposable beds for the elderly.

We would like to thank our partners: the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and the Agency for Strategic Reserves, who delivered much-needed humanitarian aid to us this week. We thank the Charitable and Charitable Freta Foundations, volunteer Mr. Pavlo, for delivering household appliances to the victims after the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP. Thank you to the Matthew 25 Ministries charity fund, which so quickly delivered humanitarian aid, clothes and paper products from the United States of America, we appreciate your concern and are already planning to give everything we received to those in need as soon as possible. Thank you to the Zupa Foundation in Monciak, Gdansk Poland, for remembering and supporting us.

This week, we distributed 9,500 kg of humanitarian aid to overcome the consequences of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression. Thank you to everyone who supported us with a kind word, call or donation. I know that now, in winter, it is not easy. We continue to collect funds for heaters, candles, warm clothes, gas burners and generators, baby food, diapers for adults.

With prayers

Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP