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Iana, a volunteer coordinator in Kyiv, Ukraine, sees how volunteering can change lives.
“They do not practise what they preach… Everything they do is done to attract attention.”
How often do you come across people that like to shout about how wonderful they are? They are full of talk – about what the right thing to do is, about how they are contributing to making the world, the country, or their local neighbourhood, a better place.
But then, have you noticed that it is those who are just quietly working away in the background, who so often make an actual difference? They might not shout about their convictions, yet they live them out every single day.
Iana lives in Kyiv, Ukraine. When the war started, she was able to open up her home to people who were displaced. From there, she went on to volunteer with a local Church organisation, and then to become their volunteer coordinator.
The volunteers give out aid to those who need it, help in children’s centres and support the elderly, by visiting them and helping them to prepare their meals.
“I have volunteers who are IDPs [internally displaced people] but they are such awesome volunteers. The people who are receiving help from us were shocked that people who have just been receiving help themselves can help others. I’m very happy that some of those volunteers are in our projects now and are working as part of our team… I see how volunteering changes the lives of others. It motivates us to keep on going.”
This Lent, let us try to make sure that we are practising what we preach and in our own quiet way living out our faith in our day-to-day lives.
Prayer
Living God, may our words and actions be in tune with each other as we strive to live out our faith and follow your Son Jesus every day. Let us not seek glory but the quiet satisfaction of knowing that you see all that is good. Amen.
Act
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