Since 2020, Christians from Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant communities in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk have joined forces to organize daily meals for the homeless. For all members of this ecumenical team, including the Sisters of Mercy of St. Charles Borromeo, their motto has become: “Mercy is not about pity, but about help.”
By Sr. Wiera (Elena) Isachenko, SMCB
According to the independent research company Validata, there are about 2.13 million homeless people in Russia, more than 36,000 of whom are in the Krasnoyarsk Region. Krasnoyarsk has only one shelter, which offers just 33 beds.
For many years, Christians of different denominations helped the homeless, each in their own way. Since 2020, they have united in the project “Mobile Feeding Stations“. Their goal is to provide daily hot meals for the homeless.
Today, there are nine permanent locations, two of which offer daily lunches. Each day of the week, one of the Christian communities is responsible for preparing and serving the meals: Catholics on Mondays, Orthodox Christians on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Protestant communities on the remaining days.
Food is only the first step on the path of helping someone in need, but it opens the door to conversation and support for those facing seemingly hopeless situations.
The Christians help restore lost documents, secure placement in shelter or rehabilitation centers, and supply medicine, clothing, and shoes. When necessary, funerals for homeless people are paid for through the shared donations of the Christian communities.
Each person came to this ministry in their own way. Often, it began with an encounter with a person in need.
Lyudmila Samoylova, a member of the Protestant “Christian Life” community, recalls a homeless man she met at a bus stop. “It was very cold, and he didn’t have any money for the fare,” she says. “I saw him being kicked off buses. My heart ached. We got on the next bus together. People winced at the unpleasant smell. I paid for him. He didn’t have far to go, just two stops. He got off, and I kept looking out the window for a long time, thinking about him.”
Feeding the homeless continues even in the extreme Siberian cold. Photo: SMCB archive (Archivio SMCB)
For five years now, the Sisters of Mercy of St. Charles Borromeo have been serving the homeless together with the parishioners of the Transfiguration of the Lord Catholic Parish.
Everyone contributes in whatever way they can. For example, one family has taken on the commitment to bake 40 buns every week for those in need.
“God acts through us,” says Sr. Letycja Gorniewicz, SMCB, “through those who prepare the food and those who come seeking help. This is a place where one person encounters another.”
Around 100 people come to the feeding stations every day. Photo: SMCB archive (Archivio SMCB)
Sergey, Ivan and Andrey
Over the years, there have been many stories—both sad and inspiring. One of them is the story of Sergey.
“We literally pulled him out of a dumpster,” recalls Kristina Kisidi from the Pentecostal community. “He was covered in bruises and saw no way out. Now he has a wonderful wife and three children. It was so important to help him in that difficult moment.”
Among the many tales of the Community, those of Ivan and Andrey are the ones everyone remembers fondly.
Ivan arrived in Krasnoyarsk from Norilsk, a city in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Region. He was robbed at the railway station. Shocked, he went to a bridge intending to end his life. A homeless man saw him there. “Come with me, I’ll take you to a place where they can help you,” he said.
This is how Ivan ended up at the help center of the Christian Life community. He was fed, taken to the police, and assisted in filing a report about his missing documents and money. He was given a place in a shelter and some clothes. A few days later, his documents were found. The man dared to call his family to ask for money for a return ticket.
There was also Andrey, who said that he came not for the food, but for friendly conversation. He always took his portion last, and if someone arrived late and missed a meal, he would give them his own.
Once, one of the homeless people said that Andrey had died. A month later, he showed up at the feeding station. It was Easter Monday. That day, the Catholics greeted him joyfully: “Christ is not the only one who has risen!”
Everyone deserves a holiday, Sr. Samuela Walczuk SMCB baked 40 cakes for the homeless for Christmas. Photo: SMCB archive (Archivio SMCB)
Several times a year, Christians involved in the “Mobile Feeding Stations” ministry meet to pray together and share their plans and needs. These meetings always help strengthen unity. “When Christians are united, it’s not ‘us’ and ‘them’—it’s ‘we’,” says Marina Balchugova from the Orthodox Church.
“Our experience of ecumenical ministry is, for me, an example that the Lord desires unity, and that it is possible,” says Sr. Letycja Gorniewicz, SMCB. “We don’t need to wait for Church authorities to unite us. We can unite around Christ ourselves. To bring God’s Mercy to people together is a powerful sign for all who are searching for God.”
