The holiday of kindness was organized in social center of Caritas Volyn

20.03.13, Volyn
Day of spontaneous manifestation of kindness is one of the recent charity initiatives in different countries of the world. This holiday has an international meaning and is celebrated regardless citizenship, nationality and religious views. “This day you should try to be selflessly and boundlessly kind to everyone. Action of a good will should bring satisfaction itself. Giving something to other people or helping them, you don’t have to expect the reward,” thinks Fr. Volodymyr Kmet, Director of local Caritas.

However, not many people are capable to do such a ‘heroic act’. In fact, being exhausted, worried and annoyed by routine we stay indifferent to problems of other people. Until these problems become issues of our consideration. Only then we begin to look for support and sympathy among people, for whom mercy, selfless help and delicacy are not the simple words, but the meaning of life that has become a mission.

In order to bring the idea into focus the day of spontaneous manifestation of kindness was celebrated in the social center for youth of Caritas Volyn.

The topicality of the holiday completely coincides with the mission of organization which is founded on the ideas of development of philanthropy traditions, implementation of social work, doing the good and mercy.  

Presenters of the occasion told the audience about the personality that embodied the good in the ХХ century. This was Anjez? Gonxhe Bojaxhiu commonly known as Mother Teresa. Assistance to the poor, ill and unfortunate individuals was the aim and the key vehicle of her life. Mother Teresa received Vatican permission to start the diocesan congregation that turned into the Missionaries of Charity. In her own words, its mission was to care for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.” She carried on her tender shoulders work in orphanages, AIDS hospices and charity centres for people dying where the poor received free care.

Afterwards, the people present watched popular science film about Mother Teresa. Participants of the project Social and psychological support for labor migrants children and the project Organization of activity of ‘Dovira’ center for totalitarian regimes victims showed their skills by means of performance. Middle school children of Caritas Ukraine project on care of labor migrants’ children recited poems dedicated to kindness, sang songs and organized a quiz.

Children’s crew ‘Dzvinochky’ (Bells) involved the youngest participants of the celebration. They performed the cyclus of poems about the good.  Amateur artistic crew ‘Spivocha nadiya’ (Singing hope) that was formed on the basis of folk singing group of project for totalitarian regimes victims sang about kindness and love to mother and homeland. Pona Ivan Fedorovych, the eldest participant of the holiday, is an active member of charity foundation and union of war veterans. He recited poems of T.G. Shevchenko and other Ukrainian poets, encouraged the youth  to be patriotic, devoted and hard working.

After the holiday of kindness was finished all children received plush toys; festive table with sweet things, cookies and fruits was organized. Children and seniors were actively sharing their impressions on the holiday that passed.  

At the end of the event Fr. Volodymyr Kmet addressed the audience: “On the occasion of this holiday I want to wish everybody to do something good not only when it is anticipated, but to assign tasks everyday by asking ‘what does God expect from me when I see him in my neighbor’. This can be considered as spontaneous manifestation of kindness.

Charity activity of Mother Teresa wouldn’t be possible without the support of conscientious philanthropic circles. Such level of conscious is a requirement of time nowadays in Ukraine. A good deal of social issues that are complicated to be solved with help of state orders are possible to be implemented locally. Obviously, on-site charity organizations are aware of needs of the specific community. Never before there is a demand in cooperation of business and non-governmental sector for such manifestation of kindness made by Mother Teresa would be possible in the Ukrainian society!”