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As we get ready for Thanksgiving with our families and friends, it’s easy to get caught up in the busy preparations and lose sight at some of our most basic blessings. We are privileged in America to live in a land of liberty and relative safety. Sadly there are parts of the world where that is not the case, and some of those corners of the world are closer to us than we might think. We have pain and suffering here in our backyards. While our tables might be full of food and friends this week, there are others whose lives are filled with crushing hardships.
One such group are the war-torn people of Ukraine. Ever since the unprovoked Russian invasion in February of 2022, hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Christians have lost their lives, on both sides of the conflict. Despite the profound challenges and tragedies surrounding their lives, there are many in the Ukraine who are working tirelessly to help those who have been seriously impacted by the war recover and rehabilitate.
One organization that has done their part in particular is the “Program of Psychological Rehabilitation and Health Improvement of Ukrainian Children of War.” They are a state sponsored relief organization that is committed to helping young children (most who have lost at least one parent, and many of whom have lost both!) negatively affected by the war. When His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America learned of this program and heard of how active they have been providing tangible, front-line relief efforts to the most vulnerable children in the area, he knew he had to help in some way. In his generosity, Archbishop Elpidophoros offered the group the campus of Ionian Village as a summer retreat site for the kids to break away from the turmoil in their homeland.
From August 19-September 2, 2025, Ionian Village became the home for 40 Ukrainian children of fallen war victims, POW’s, or missing people. All of those children were between the ages of 9-12 years old, and 20 of them came from Donetsk region (one of the areas where the fighting has been the fiercest over the past three years). Accompanying this group was 5 adult psychologists, three bus drivers, and an American-based Ukrainian Orthodox Priest, Fr. Vasyl Sendeha.
Fr. Vasyl grew up in Ukraine and received his education in Ukraine and the US. He is currently serving as the Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church (8410 W 131 St. Palos Park, IL 60464). Perfectly fluent in English, Ukrainian and Russian, Fr. Vasyl acted as the spiritual director for the trip and provided critical pastoral care to the kids in their native tongue. This connection was such a tremendous blessing for the kids, who for the first time in years were able to feel like children and not worry about their personal safety, even if only for a couple of weeks.
So this week when we are gathering around our thanksgiving tables, let us be mindful of those who do not have the same comfort, security, and blessings that we enjoy. This awareness is not to meant to generate a sense of guilt within us, but a conscientiousness that helps us recognize the people and ways in which we can offer our assistance. Ionian Village feels proud and grateful to have been able to play our part in helping these young kids this summer. We are in awe and are extremely thankful to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for offering us an opportunity to join him in this charitable outreach at IV.
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