“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” - Matthew 19:14

From the earliest days of the brutal war that engulfed the Donbas region in 2014 to the ongoing tragedy of the full-scale Russian invasion that began in 2022, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (UOC of USA) has remained a steadfast beacon of love and compassion for the suffering people of Ukraine - especially its most vulnerable: the children.

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and the continued pastoral concern and coordination of His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, the UOC of USA has developed a long-standing and spiritually rooted partnership with the Donetsk Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Serhii. Together, they have formed a lifeline of humanitarian aid flowing across the ocean, bringing hope to the war-torn communities of eastern Ukraine.

The city of Bakhmut and the surrounding areas of the Donbas, once alive with the sounds of children’s laughter and bustling families, now echo with the tragic silence of destruction. Windows are shattered, schools stand in ruins, and playgrounds - those sacred grounds of childhood wonder - are now pocked by shell craters or transformed into shelters and bunkers. The children of Donbas have grown up too soon, learning the sound of air raid sirens instead of lullabies.

Amid such loss, the Church steps forward - not merely as a provider of aid, but as a spiritual parent to the children of a wounded nation. With every box of food, every bag of toys, every delivery of medical supplies and clothing, the message is the same: You are not forgotten. You are loved. And your childhood still matters.

“IS THERE ANYTHING FOR THE CHILDREN?”

This is the first question asked by displaced mothers arriving at the humanitarian hub of the Donetsk Eparchy. And thanks to the faithful of the UOC of USA, the answer is a resounding Yes! Through the sacrificial giving of parishes across the United States, support has flowed unceasingly: ambulances, transportation vans, medical equipment, and, most tenderly, care packages designed specifically for children - nutrition kits, hygiene supplies, warm clothing, and toys.

As the faithful in America celebrate their liturgies in safety, their offerings become lifelines to those whose entire lives have been disrupted. As one displaced mother shared: “My husband was killed defending our home. My children have nothing. But when we received these gifts from abroad, I saw my son smile again for the first time in months.”

At the heart of this compassionate outreach stands His Eminence Metropolitan Serhii of Donetsk - a shepherd who has not abandoned his flock even in the valley of death. Daily, he and the clergy of the Eparchy walk among the broken, bringing physical aid and spiritual comfort. They cradle crying infants, offer words of comfort to widows, and create moments of joy amid despair. Their “Hub” in the Donbas is not simply a place of distribution - it is a sacred sanctuary where tears are shared, and hearts are lifted.

Together with the UOC of USA, Metropolitan Serhii ensures that humanitarian aid is not an occasional gesture, but a sustained ministry. Children receive not only food and toys, but also the witness of faith - a visible expression that God’s love flows even in the darkest corners of the world.

Archbishop Daniel has made clear that this support is not mere charity - it is an act of ecclesial unity and Christian love. “The children of Ukraine are the children of all of us,” he said in a recent appeal. “When a child cries in Bakhmut, the Church must hear that cry in every corner of the world. This is the body of Christ in action.”

Families receiving the aid have called it a ray of goodness across the ocean, a light shining from the hands of American Orthodox faithful to the war-weary faces of children. Parishioners in America have collected thousands of pounds of supplies, written cards of encouragement, and prayed fervently for peace.

As the war drags on, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA remains committed to this sacred mission. Not only because aid is needed - but because the soul of Ukraine depends on preserving the joy and innocence of its children.

“Childhood must remain childhood,” declares a sign above the humanitarian hub. “Even in the darkest times.” Indeed, this is a ministry not just of food or toys, but of restored humanity. It is an effort to ensure that Ukraine’s youngest do not grow up remembering only the sounds of war, but also the warmth of Christian love and the embrace of a global spiritual family.

May God bless all who give, all who serve, and especially all who suffer. Together we are stronger. Together, we cradle the future. Together, we make room for childhood that tastes of hope.

To all those who have opened their hearts and given generously - parishes, clergy, families, youth groups, and individual donors across the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and beyond we offer our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude.

Your love has crossed oceans.

Your kindness has become warm jackets in winter, jars of baby food in shaking hands, bandages for the wounded, and laughter in the faces of children clutching toys they never thought they would receive again.

You have not forgotten them - and because of that, they know they are not alone. Every donation, every prayer, every act of compassion has become part of a sacred ministry that does not just change lives - it saves them.

To you who have given: Thank you. You have become Christ’s hands reaching into the ruins. You have given not only aid, but hope.

But the need continues. The pain deepens. The children are still asking, “Is there anything for us?”

And so we ask, with humility and hope: Do not grow weary in doing good. Continue to walk with us in this holy work. Give again. Pray harder. Speak louder. Be that light shining in the darkness of war.

Because the war is not over. But neither is our love. Neither is our faith. And neither is the ministry of healing that Christ has entrusted to His Church.

Together - with your hands and our prayers - we can cradle Ukraine’s children with dignity, joy, and hope.

Let us not forget them. Let us not stop until the sound of sirens is replaced by songs, and tears by laughter.

May the Lord reward you a hundredfold for your compassion.

And may He bless all our efforts with peace, with justice, and with the dawn of a day when childhood in Ukraine is no longer touched by war, but by the loving hands of a world that refused to look away.