Three months ago N.’s husband deserted her for a younger woman – there are plenty of young single women in Kiev – so many young men are dead. Then she lost her job in Kiev, as her employer no longer had enough money to pay her. Next, she learned that her adult son had been forcibly kidnapped off the street by a pressgang of corrupt and sadistic recruiters. They are everywhere. employed by the Neo-Nazi regime to abduct and torture, all paid for by unwitting Western taxpayers.

N. started experiencing panic attacks. So, on the morning of Sunday 8th November, N. went to church in Kiev, had confession and took communion. On leaving the church, she learned that a fire had broken out in her flat. The firemen were delayed, so her neighbours broke a window, got in, turned off the gas and managed to put out the fire. I saw the video and the damage. It was sent to me today.

She returned to church and saw another priest, telling him about all her problems. This priest told her that she should not anger God, or else things would get even worse. N. fell into despair and said that she would not go to church again. She no longer wants to live. She told her friend, a parishioner-refugee, who told me this whole story, not to pray for her any more.

Her friend asked me what to answer her. I told her the following:

There are those who believe in the Old Testament. They believe that God hates the people, gets angry with them and punishes them. They are called Pharisees.

There are those who believe in the Old Testament. They believe that God loves the people and helps them and is merciful towards them. They are called Christians.

I told my parishioner that N. should not despair, but, in the absence of compassion from that priest, she should get down on her knees in front of an icon of the Mother of God and beg Her for help. For after the storm will come sunshine and calm. And that our parishioner and I will pray for her and send her help.