“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40)

These are the words which inspired us and still do to organize and hold a charity fair prior to Easter.

Starting in February, for the third consecutive year, we gathered in Kiev on Saturdays to paint wooden Easter eggs according to Ukrainian (and this year also Slovak) tradition, make embroidered cards and during the last two weeks of Lent to bake and paint cookies. To us volunteers, these meetings are joyful service because by committing our time and talents we can serve our brothers and sisters who found themselves in difficult situations. During these meetings we learn how to share warmness, kindness and how to communicate with others. The example of Sisters of Mary of Miraculous Medal, Vincentian Fathers  “ignite” us. Looking at their work, their service to the needy, you just cannot stay indifferent – you are starting to help them.

During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, volunteers from Kiev went to a rehabilitation center for women in Odessa to instruct them how to create well-painted Easter eggs. Consequently, with our joint efforts we managed to make more painted eggs so that everyone willing to buy those beauties could do so. Part of the funds and donations raised in the Charity Fair were dedicated for keeping up of  the Odessa Rehabilitation Center (for both men and women) run by Vincentian Fathers and Daughters of Charity (from the organization “Community in Dialog”). Raised funds were also used for the needs of our partners from Caritas Spes and for poor, homeless, and lonely persons under care of the Vincentian Family.

We would like to thank parish priests for allowing us to hold the Easter Charity Fair in their churches as well as to all those who prayed for us, who helped us with Fair arrangements, who attended the Fair, who bought our products and who donated money.

And to all of you, may the Lord reward your kind hearts!

Volunteers of the Vincentian Family