I received letters from prisoners...
From those who have no opportunity to make phone calls because, for this, a person must have a personal SIM card with money on it—not everyone can afford that.
I received five fresh letters.
One letter is from a prisoner serving a life sentence—he doesn’t ask for anything, he simply shares his life, his faith, and his hope.
He has already been incarcerated for 30 years…
He has had no one for a long time, so he writes to me, and I read, because it is important for a person to know that someone is interested in their fate.
Two more letters—again, no requests.
They share their thoughts, their lives, poems they have written while behind bars…
And also their faith and hope.
The last two letters contain requests—one from a women’s colony, the other from a men’s.
They ask for medicine—something that can only be bought.
Underwear, hygiene products, shoes, clothing—they ask for the very essentials, things that each of us has, but they do not…
Right now, I cannot fulfill their requests—I have no means to buy these things.
According to the financial report of the charitable organization "Odigitria Charity Fund," a total of 840 UAH was donated throughout the entire year 2024—about $20 per year.
The fact that our Constitution is on pause is very bad.
But if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is on pause, it is a catastrophe.
A catastrophe for society as a whole and for every soul individually…
Because I see a direct connection between following the commandments of the New Testament and victory in war.
I mean the inner war—the war for the soul against passions and lusts…
For if we win this personal inner war, then there will be victory outwardly as well.
But if we do not win, or if we do not even fight against our own flesh—what difference does it make what happens externally if, in the end, the immortal soul inherits hell?
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Matthew 16:26
I have been helping prisoners since 2012.
And I see that the attitude toward them is getting worse and worse…
Recently, things have begun to happen that never happened before…
For example, I send a package to an inmate, and it gets returned with the explanation that "there is no such person," even though I know for a fact that he is there.
I send shoes, and they cut them into pieces right in front of the barefoot prisoner who walks in slippers during the winter—knowing full well that the shoes came from a priest.
I send medicine—it gets returned, and the prisoner is told he needs a certificate.
Of course, because it's such an "unknown" drug for a prison doctor—it’s called paracetamol...
I sent a heat fan, and it simply disappeared: the prisoner never received it, and it was never returned to me.
A person works in the sewing shop for 14 hours a day without weekends. Before, they were paid around 500 UAH per month. Now—50 UAH per month…
And many other terrible things are happening…
Now is a crucial moment in Ukrainian history.
We are at a crossroads, and the path we choose will determine our future, our lives, and the lives of our loved ones and children.
"Open to us the doors of repentance, O Lord!"
Forgive us, sinners, and we will strive to amend our ways according to Your Holy Gospel!
Through works of mercy and love.
To help the needy, the sick, and the hungry.
To support the combat unit formed from former prisoners, you can make a donation:
5169 1551 2816 0056 (A Bank)
5168 7456 1342 0840 (PrivatBank)
WebMoney: Z451417690733
PayPal: [email protected]
Beneficiary: Blahodiina Orhanizatsiia "Blahodiinyi Fond 'Odyhitriia'"
IBAN: UA393005280000026000455012355
Beneficiary's bank: OTP Bank
SWIFT code: OTPVUAUK
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today: I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,
love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him;
for in this your life and the length of your days is found."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
