Today we celebrate the memory of our New York Workhouse Patron Saint!

An extraordinarily touching story by an artisan about his spiritual rebirth and healing from alcoholism thanks to St. John of Kronstadt:

"I was about 22-23 years old at that time. Now I'm an old man, but I remember well how I saw Father John for the first time. I had a family, two kids. I was working and drinking. The family was starving. The wife begged from people. We lived in very poor conditions. One day I came home not very drunk and saw that a young priest was sitting, holding my son in his arms and saying something to him very kindly. The child listened seriously. It seemed to me that Father John was like Christ in the picture "The Blessing of the Children".

I wanted to swear at first: that all sorts of people are wandering around here... But this father's gentle and serious eyes stopped me: I felt ashamed.… I lowered my eyes, he was looking straight into my soul. He started talking. I can't tell you everything he said. He said that I have a paradise in my room, because where children are, it's always warm and nice, and that there's no need to change this paradise for tavern smoke.

He didn't blame me, no, he was justifying everything. But I didn't even think about justifying myself. He left, and I sat there in silence.… I didn't cry, although my heart felt like it was about to burst into tears. My wife was watching… And since then, I've become a man..."

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homelessny.org/en/help

In snow-covered New York, we visited our friends - homeless brother Marcus and sister with an amazing name Boguslava. This Polish family has been living in a tent for many years, which they always set up at the playground.

Although they are Catholic, they always ask us to come and pray for them.

When we came, they couldn't get out of their shelter - their construction is too complicated inside. Only a hand reached out in warm greeting.

We brought them hot soup to their little den and prayed by the tent. They were very grateful.

🙏❄️🏕️

#homeless #NewYork #mercy #workhouse

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE ST. JOHN'S WORKHOUSE

1️⃣ MIKHAIL KUKISHVILI has been unanimously elected as a new member of the Board of Directors.
Mikhail has personal experience in overcoming addiction and for the past six months has been successfully running an Orthodox rehabilitation program with very good results. In the video, Mikhail gives an interview.

2️⃣ The Brotherhood of the Workhouse has elected its new elder brother - ANDREY GOLUSHKO. Andrey has been in rehabilitation for about 10 months, shows excellent results, and actively participates in the life of our Orthodox community. The brothers highly value his desire to maintain peace and good relations between all members of the brotherhood.

🙏 We ask for your prayers for the new ministers in our challenging field!

#NewYork
#workhouse
#brotherhood #orthodoxy #rehabilitation

7 YEARS OF SOBRIETY: I WON'T ABANDON MY PEOPLE!

We have a new volunteer, Sasha. Sasha is a wonderful person who comes to serve and rarely misses our Tuesday food distributions. The thing is, Sasha himself once lived on these streets and spent quite a lot of time there, knowing many of the guys personally, not secondhand. He has now been sober for about seven years, and throughout all these seven years, he never abandoned these people—he kept coming back and mentoring them. He is not Orthodox, but a member of a Pentecostal community, yet he chooses to help specifically our organization. We run an Orthodox-based organization that joyfully welcomes anyone who wants to help the homeless and bring them together. Of course, the prayers we read are Orthodox. Whoever wishes to join in is welcome. We don't force anyone into Orthodoxy, though with loving hearts we hope that as many people as possible will come to the Church. Sasha is our dear new volunteer.

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Support our work!
http://homelessny.org/how-to-help

HAPPY AND SAD NEWS

We have a wonderful brother from a muslim family in our Workhouse who is deeply drawn to Orthodoxy. His name is Bek Sharipov, and he's our best cook. He prepares food for our community. Recently, he said that he is ready to slowly begin preparing for catechism - which means it's still a long way until Baptism. We have already allowed him to read the Creed ("I Believe") in morning prayers. Glory to God, things are gradually moving forward!

Of course, we also have negative examples. There is one brother, Alexander Shafir, who is extraordinarily educated. He's a fourth-degree alcoholic, at the fourth level of decline, which is essentially what we call "terminal." It's very difficult for him to recover. He lived with us and was even the senior member of the Workhouse, but unfortunately, he didn't actively work through the steps. Having convinced himself that he had been sober for more than six months, he relaxed a bit, relapsed, and is now on the street. We are trying in every way to guide our brother back to the path of salvation, but it's a bit difficult right now.

Please remember the suffering Alexander in your prayers!

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Please, support our work!
homelessny.org/how-to-help

On Saturday, the brothers from the Workhouse took part in an Orthodox pro-life prayer service, protesting in front of an abortion clinic in Brooklyn

We were visited by Father Michael Carney from St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church (Lake Odessa/Woodbury, Michigan) and brother
Brendan from St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania!

Our leader Vadim Arefyev attended a regular meeting of the Russian Alcoholics Anonymous club:

"Yesterday, on Wednesday, there was a wonderful event — one of our sisters, sister V., was celebrating one year of her sober, happy life in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Sister is not just connected with St. John's House of Diligence, but professionally helps our alcoholics and drug addicts. Thank God, her regular job involves organizing professional assistance.

In the photo, I'm sitting with our new coach and administrator Misha, who is himself an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

They only allow people to attend open meetings, for example, when anniversaries are celebrated. I always try to come on this day. I call myself co-dependent. Parents and friends come to support those celebrating anniversaries, to embrace everyone together.

After the meeting, we all went to a local café and sat there until late, sharing stories, building good friendly relationships with many fellows who have already reached the twelfth step and take on sponsees. For our guys, for the residents of St. John's House of Diligence, it's very important to find such a sponsor and walk hand in hand with them into a sober life"

Dear St. John Team!
I created a post in LinkedIn for us - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/va3_faithinaction-compassionworks-hopeandhealing-activity-7368431546392813569-10Ob?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAKzv2UB6OYBVywRnDPNdcp2XpoNdUdszCc

September 11th was the All-Russian Day of Sobriety!

On this day, we were visited by Hegumen Nikodim, the Deputy Head of the Parishes for the Moscow Patriarchate. Father Nikodim had consecrated the building of the House of Industriousness several years ago and now had come to visit us again.

Father Nikodim held a prayer service and conducted a spiritual conversation with the brethren.

COMMEMORATION DAY OF ST. JOHN OF KRONSTADT

“If you could see the image of God in every beggar, you would not be able to pass by without compassion.” (Saint John of Kronstadt)

On November 1st, volunteers from the "St. John Gives Hope" Foundation (New York) marked the commemoration day of their heavenly patron, the day of his first glorification within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Righteous John of Kronstadt dedicated his entire life to the poor: he distributed donations and was a fervent prayer intercessor, a clairvoyant, and a non-possessor.

Today, our volunteers continue the holy mission of John of Kronstadt - they help the homeless, those struggling with drug addiction, and ordinary people who have found themselves in difficult life situations.

The volunteers help them to take the first step towards a new life: providing hot meals, assistance in undergoing rehabilitation for various types of addiction, organizing support from specialists, and providing clothing and shelter.

Friends, your support is very important to us. Any participation in our work can help someone start a new life!

Currently, our Foundation urgently needs to pay off a utility debt totaling $15,000 (part of the debt has been forgiven by great efforts and with God's help).

Dear friends, we earnestly ask for your help in paying the remaining portion of the utility debt. Otherwise, our activities will be suspended, and we will be unable to continue helping all those in need.

You can help us via the link:
homelessny.org/how-to-help

We will publish a report on the specific use of funds on the Foundation's official website.

Friends, please help us, for God has no other hands but ours!

Brother Christian is preparing for Holy Baptism. He found this treasure for all of us -

https://youtu.be/qxYYmjyEwB4?si=f1VDcd6-1mKxP9Oq

Thank you, Christian!