Zaporozhye and Sumy, Ukraine, March 3, 2020
Photo: pravlife.org
For the 10th year in a row, the Zaporozhye and Sumy Dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are holding large-scale charity events to benefit children suffering from cancer.
The start of the events was timed to the start of Great Lent.
The “Love is Merciful” project of the Zaporozhye Diocese aims to collect enough funds to purchase expensive medical equipment and also blood donations for seriously ill children and others especially in need, according to His Eminence Metropolitan Luke’s message about the program.
“True love manifests itself in concrete actions. Of course, not everyone can do a great good deed. But if everyone does something small in accordance with their capabilities, the good will multiply and transform this raging world. It doesn't matter what kind of wealth we have, even a small portion given from the heart for the sake of a needy person will be valuable in the eyes of God,” Met. Luke writes, inviting believers to participate in the event.
Whether by our money, blood, or prayers, “Let us make every effort to make sure that sick children find hope for recovery, and that all people who require our help, seeing our active care, are comforted by Heavenly joy and the highest hope,” the Zaporozhye archpastor writes.
In November, Met. Luke and the Zaporozhye Diocese donated a hematology analyzer worth $7,000 with funds raised by the local faithful via “Love is Merciful.”
In the Sumy Diocese, the faithful will raise funds for the purchase of equipment and medicine for the treatment of patients at the Sumy Provincial Children’s Clinical Hopsital, as part of the “Bright Deeds for the Bright Day” charitable program.
As in previous years, special boxes with the Bright Deeds logo will be placed in every church throughout the diocese, where the faithful can make a donation towards the treatment of cancer-stricken children. A special bank account has also been set up to accept donations, His Eminence Metropolitan Evlogy explains in his letter to his flock on Forgiveness Sunday.
“Dear fathers, dear brothers and sisters, fellow countrymen! God gives us the opportunity to do important things. And the child in the hospital room is suffering from unbearable pain, waiting for our help. The hope for his life is in the donation that anyone can put in one of the boxes. Let us unite in charity to soothe the pain of the tormented body of the child, upon whom Christ the Savior Himself has compassion!” Met. Evlogy writes, encouraging his flock to give of themselves this Lenten season.
Along with the collection of donations, throughout the Sumy Diocese the Psalter will be read for the healing of seriously ill children.
More than $40,000 was raised in the Sumy Diocese last year during Lent.
