CASE
STUDY:
Young Woman with a Severely Injured Knee
Polina
hurt her knee so badly that she could not go to school. Thanks to
our generous donors her knee could be repaired and she is back in
school.
Polina with her mother and grandmother
FROM OPPRESSION TO HOPE
Prior to the October Revolution in 1917, the
Russian Orthodox Church, as the Catholic Church
in the West, had a strong tradition of charity work.
With the advent of Soviet rule, all of this was
forbidden and the church was subject to periods of
severe repression, including physical liquidation of
its clergy and prominent lay
leaders, and the destruction or seizing of many of
its churches by the state.
With the fall of Soviet power, the Russian Orthodox
Church was again freed to engage in is former
activities and to rebuild its churches.
It has had to do so, however with greatly limited
resources and unprecedented needs of an impoverished
population.
Since 1992, the Danish social worker Connie Meyer,
Supported by the Danish Lutheran St. Paul Society,
has been working under the aegis of the Russian Orthodox
Church with Father Pavel Vishnevsky, a Moscow-based
Russian Orthodox priest.
Over several years, a number of Ann Arborites have
become acquainted with Father Pavel and Connie Meyer
and their work with the church and the poor in Russia.
RUSSIA WITH LOVE was initiated in response to a concern
to help in a process of church renewal and outreach to
the poor.
The monies raised by RUSSIA WITH LOVE have gone to
support Fr. Pavel and Connie Meyer's mission church
renewal and outreach to the needs of the poor in Russia.
John Overmars
Last modified: Wed Dec 9 14:17:43 EST 2009
