UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
PRESS RELEASE

College Age Mission Team Departs for Annual Trip to Ukrainian Orphanages!

Reflecting upon the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: “'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”, the college age students of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA prayerfully responded to our Lord’s call and offered themselves to serve as Mission Team Members of the UOC of the USA to the Ukrainian Orphanages during the August 4-20, 2011.

A great American Civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. once said “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity”.  Keeping these words in mind, six missionaries under the leadership of His Grace Bishop Daniel, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA and Olga Coffey were commissioned by Hi s Eminence Archbishop Antony, a founder of the Church’s Mission program, to journey to the Church sponsored orphanages in Puhachiv and Znamyanka, Ukraine.

These adopted orphanages house special needs children ranging in age from 3-18.  The team will be in Ukraine through August 20th.  While in Ukraine they will spend time ministering to the children by providing them special opportunities such as field trips, physical therapy sessions, educational opportunities and Anointing Services.  The main focus of the missionaries is to show the face of Christ to the children and help to improve their quality of life.

This year’s team in comprised of: Christine Chroniy (Maplewood, NJ), Jordan Gladys (Pittsburgh, PA), Christopher McNulty (Philadelphia, PA), Tanya Hluchaniuk (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada), Rev. Fr. Steven Masliuk (Bridgeport, CT) and Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha (Palos Park, IL).

We ask that you keep this year’s team, the children and staff of the orphanages in your prayers.  An update of the team’s activities will be available at the Consistory website (www.uocofusa.org) after their August 20th return. In addition, follow the UOC of USA’s Facebook page for the routine updates from Ukraine during the Mission Trip.