Letters from Br. Błażej: Night 257

November 8, 2022

Thank God we are alive. We woke up in darkness and morning prayers, community Eucharist were without light, but we are alive.
Russian terrorism is spreading before winter, but so far our people endure. Economy is doing worse without electricity though.
Yesterday Monday in Kyiv was calm, there were no air raid alarms, but often there was no light.

The Kyiv City Council so far doesn’t plan to evacuate Kyiv residents.

The Word… I have a gray beard, I’m 58 years old.  I don’t know if I’m “old” or if I’m an “old man,” but the Word is unequivocal and demanding: “…. that old people should be sober, steady, prudent people, characterized by sound faith, love, patience.” This give God… Amen!!!

The second Word is from Ps. 37, a Word for the time of war days and nights: “Have confidence in the Lord and do what is good, and you will dwell on the earth and live securely. Rejoice in the Lord, and He will fulfill the desires of your heart.”

Trust in the Lord, and He will fulfill the desires of your heart… What do I desire? What desires do I have? I need to think about it. Am I only concerned with ending the war…?
We live in war, we do not live by war.

Kyiv:
With my brother Andrzej Kinel we visited the Darnyts’kyi Cemetery. Polish soldiers who fought alongside the Soviet army are buried here. They fell in 1943. The youngest of them was 17-year-old Zdzisław Kalinka. (photo)
Well, and such a story one must accept and pray for the dead. Eternal rest grant to them, o Lord… Let us remember in prayer our heroes who died in this war since 2014.

Starokostiantyniv:
Convention of the Franciscan Youth, which ended on Sunday. (photo)

Kyiv/Mariupol:
Three friendly girls. On the left and right are girls from Mariupol, currently residing in Transcarpathia. In the middle, a volunter, Anna, who often went to them, to Mariupol, before the war. Our Kyiv parishioner. (photo)

Request:
Mr. Szymon from Poland, a young married man, asks me, us Capuchins and the people reading this letter to pray for children for their young family. St. Padre Pio, pray for us.
I would also like to add that a donation has also been made to our account. Let us pray for our Benefactors.

Kyiv:
Invitation to a meeting with Mrs. Olga B., a therapist, at our monastery. The topic of the meeting: “Emotional stability in the dangers of war.” (photo)

Kamianske:
Today Lonka and I were with soldiers in the Kherson District, near Arkhanhelske. We brought them food, a power generator, a stove. On the way we visited Russian trenches. Our people expelled them from these territories already on July 1. (photo)

Lviv:
In Chernivtsi there is a course “The Way of the Inmate” for chaplains in prison. There are 6 of us Catholics from Lviv. (photo)

Dnipro:
We continue to support refugees with medicine and items. It’s worse with food.

 

May God bless and protect us.