Ruined streets. Shattered homes. Bombed-out churches. Hospitals turned to rubble. Shelters converted into sanctuaries for children hiding from shelling - this is not the aftermath of history, but the daily reality of war in Ukraine. While international leaders search for diplomatic solutions to one of the most devastating conflicts of the 21st century - the aggression of the Russian Federation against the sovereign nation of Ukraine - the Church and the faithful have chosen a different path: the path of service and love.

With the archpastoral blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, the spiritual father of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, in cooperation with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, its bishops, clergy, and volunteers on the ground, continues its mission of healing and mercy. Led by Archbishop Daniel, the Church’s charitable efforts have enabled the transfer of critical humanitarian funds used to purchase food and vital nutritional support for shelters housing displaced children in the bomb-stricken eastern regions of Ukraine.

These children - the most innocent and vulnerable - now live in shelters that strive to become havens of warmth and peace amidst the terror of war. Yet what they need most is not just survival, but the gift of normalcy: a shared meal, a loving embrace, the sound of music, and the freedom to laugh, dream, and play. These moments of joy - however fleeting - are small victories over violence, signs of the Kingdom of God breaking into a broken world.

As Fr. Serhii Kramarenko, a frontline priest and director of charitable initiatives of Donetsk Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (under the spiritual leadership of Metropolitan Serhii of Donetsk), movingly testified:

“Today the sky cried… And with the sky - our hearts. Because we once again looked into the eyes of children who saw war closer than they should have. Children who should have dreamed of bicycles, of new notebooks, of their first love… And they dream of only one thing: not to be shot. For their mother to come back. For a home.”

“We arrived at the shelter - a place that temporarily replaces family warmth. There, little eyes shone above the world when we brought them a little holiday. A simple pizza. A little music. A smile. And - hugs. The kind of hugs that have the power to heal cracks in a child's soul.”

“We cannot give them back what the war took. But we can be there.”

Indeed, this is the Gospel in action - a living out of the Beatitudes of Christ, who said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7) and “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed Me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:35, 40).

Archbishop Daniel, reflecting on the Church’s sacred responsibility, reminds us: “It is not enough to proclaim faith - we must live it. If we can feed the hungry child, embrace the wounded soul, and shelter the innocent from evil, we are proclaiming Christ not only with our lips but with our lives. This is the true confession of the Church.”

Scripture teaches us that care for children is at the heart of our spiritual calling:

• “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed” (Psalm 82:3).
• “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” (James 1:27).
• “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

To care for children is not only to protect our future - it is to redeem our present. Their joy, their safety, their dreams are a reflection of the moral soul of our society. If we fail to protect them, we fail to be human - and to be Christian.

To all those who have given: thank you. You have become hands of Christ in the world.

And yet, the need continues.

We call upon you - our faithful, friends, and people of goodwill - to continue offering your prayers, support, and charitable donations to the humanitarian outreach efforts of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Every contribution helps bring warmth, food, shelter, and hope to a child whose world has been shattered by war.

Donations can be made to support charitable missions in Ukraine through the UOC of USA website and designated funds.

Together, let us restore peace, comfort hearts, and help heal the wounds of war - one child at a time.