KYIV. His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr Sent Greetings to Organizers and Participants of Annual Festival of Children and Youth with Functional Disabilities

Greeting Word of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr to organizers and participants of the annual festival of the children and youth with functional disabilities "Let's Believe in Ourselves"

 

Dear children and grown-ups, brothers and sisters!


It is with a special feeling that today I'm addressing the organizers and participants of the festival dedicated to the creative work of the children and youth with functional disabilities. Because the people who care about the problems of our children, the people who help them, take care of them inspire sincere gratitude and respect.  One feels like bowing lowly to all those who does not forget children, who takes care of them. Since it is an extremely hard work, which only the true Christians are capable of.  These people in fact, not in word fulfill the chief apostolic commandment: „ Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Galathians 6;2). May the Lord grant you His assistance and patience in this difficult matter!

It is a consolation to realize that the festival enables the artistically gifted children with functional disabilities to reveal their talents. An inspiring example of the young talents is also a good impetus for our commitment and good determination which we often lack. On our part we are to lavish attentions on the children, to make their lives interesting and full of joyous events, to give them possibilities to grow up worthy and good people. I'm sure that this festival will also serve further assertion of the Christian ideal of sacrificial love, kindness and mercy in the hearts of those having relation to it.  God grant us to be a unified family, and in a good family one always help another, sharing his capabilities and talents.   


Dear children! May the creative work that you share with us today serve God, and consequently - goodness, truth and beauty.  And may the life difficulties defined by God for each of us for our benefit be a chance for us to get closer to God.  

I hope that holding the festival "Let's believe in ourselves" will attract once again the attention of the state and local authorities, charity organizations and the Ukrainian society on the whole, will urge the purposeful and systematic solution of the problems of children and youth with functional disabilities, satisfaction of their spiritual and material needs.

May the All-mighty God «Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen» (Евр. 13;21).
 

† Volodymyr
Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine
Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church