Warming Hearts with Warmth: How Resilience, Heating, and Mutual Aid Centers Operate in the Donetsk Exarchate
January 31, 2025
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing for over 1,000 days, causing suffering to millions of people and devastating thousands of cities and villages. But we still persevere, live, and help each other thanks to unity, kindness, and support.
Such valuable places of assistance are the resilience, heating, and mutual aid centers, of which there are 18 in the Donetsk Exarchate, spread across three regions: Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia. These centers are not just about “sitting and warming up.” They are much more profound, as they warm not only the body but also the wounded human heart.
In the cold season, in difficult life circumstances, due to the shelling of homes, loss of communication, inability to buy or prepare food, lack of heating, and lack of support, everyone comes to the resilience center for different reasons. But everyone receives hot, delicious food, access to communication to talk to loved ones, and experiences respect and love, which are so lacking in times of war. And thanks to the support of our partners, each of the heating centers is equipped with everything necessary to meet a person’s basic needs.
Every challenge is also an opportunity. So, for many people, the presence of such heating centers at parishes is an opportunity to realize their needs and abilities: to cook so deliciously that it’s as if you’ve entered the most exquisite restaurant; to share their warmth and support as if you’ve been in a mother’s embrace; to help those in need, to be those who are a strong support, and to be the reason why people believe in goodness and God.
“When the city lost power again, Iryna Zaitseva went to the heating point at St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish to charge her phone and do some work. She didn’t plan to stay long, just wanted to wait out a few hours in the warmth. Around her, volunteers chatted over tea, discussing urgent matters, and sang patriotic songs accompanied by a guitar. It turned out that today was Volunteer Day.
At first, Iryna came only when she needed to charge her devices—phone, power bank. But then she got involved and, without realizing it, stayed longer each time because it was so warm and home-like here. People shared their stories, and somehow, she also felt ready to talk. After sharing what she had carried inside for so long—the story of her home, which remained in an occupied village in the Kherson region. And one day she lingered in the church. The light returned to her home, but more importantly—to her heart,” shares Father Ivan Talaylo from Kryvyi Rih with a touching story.
These small rooms or tents also become an oasis of life for children. After all, they have repeatedly hosted educational and entertainment events, giving children a taste of carefree and joyful childhood, which is essential for growing up, despite the war. Father Serhiy Palamarchuk, who actively works with children in the frontline city of Dobropillia, also shared about this:
“The St. Nicholas space has started operating at the resilience point, where various events are held for children, and relevant humanitarian aid is provided, especially for families with children in difficult life circumstances. Even three teenage girls—Mariyka, Katya, and Khrystyna, with the help of us adults, organized a small volunteer group ‘Good Heart’, came up with an emblem and a motto. And now they regularly help in the activities of our resilience point, including helping to register, meet people in need, communicate with them, sort and distribute humanitarian aid, and engage with younger children during events and activities for children.”
For adults, this is also a space for building community, communication, and prayer. After all, sometimes finding external warmth is a way for a person to warm their heart. Finding like-minded people helps to share one’s pain and find support, and communication always inspires and brings one back to active life.”
One such story is shared by Father Yaroslav Shvachuk from Shakhtarske.
“Due to the proximity to the Pokrovsk front, which is dynamically changing, our city has an increasing number of people who need support in meeting the most basic needs. Due to the large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), they have to settle in conditions where there is not even a bathroom. One elderly man has been forced to flee the war for the fourth time in recent years. He settled in a garage because he doesn’t have enough money for anything more. And finding housing is becoming increasingly difficult.
People constantly come to our heating point, where we can feed them. We also offer the opportunity to take a shower and wash clothes on some days. On such occasions, we invite people to pray together and talk about various spiritual topics.”
Another such story is shared by Father Ihor Pahulych from Kamianske:
“Valentyna Nizvetska is a 73-year-old resident of Avdiivka who was forced to leave her home in 2022, leaving everything behind, due to the war. Her home is destroyed…
Ms. Valentyna moves on crutches and rarely leaves her apartment. Every day for her is filled with pain from loneliness and helplessness. A particular challenge for the elderly woman is the lack of a proper washing machine, as she cannot wash clothes by hand, and her difficult financial situation does not allow her to purchase expensive equipment.
Volunteers from the Transfiguration of the Lord Parish in Kamianske took Ms. Valentyna under their care. They provide her with food assistance, hygiene products, and help with trips to the hospital or other institutions. Among other types of assistance, volunteers periodically bring clothes for washing to the church basement, where a washing machine is installed.”
Such support is very significant and important for a person with limited mobility, as clean laundry helps improve their emotional state and overall well-being. The support from the parish has become a lifeline for Valentyna Oleksandrivna in difficult circumstances. Now she knows that there are people nearby who will not let her face challenges alone.
“Thank you for having such kind hearts nearby. They help me not to lose faith in people and hope for a better future,” shares Ms. Valentyna.
Coming as strangers to resilience, heating, and mutual aid centers, people leave happier, having found friends, support, understanding, and a spiritual family.
Based on materials by Angelina Vovk for the Donetsk Exarchate of the UGCCPress Service of the Patriarchal Foundation “Mudra Sprava”