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In the spring of 1993, we sent a humanitarian convoy to Russia, to Saratov on the Volga River. The parish priest there, who is now the Bishop of Siberia, spoke with the bishops and told them about the houses that we were sending to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They asked us if we could do the same for them: to send chapels to Russia! At the initial moment, we thought hat this was impossible, but we found a man who was ready to build them in his free time, if we give him the material. We have built them according to the model of the chapel in Marienfried. Bishop Konduszewicz wanted them in Rostov on the Don River. This is how, in October 1993, we went for the first time with a big truck to Rostov on the Don. We were all volunteers, friends of Medjugorje and others. The parish priest there was named Fr. Jaroslav, he was Polish, his parish had about 40 or 60 parishioners who were going all over the city, from one hall to another, from place to place. He asked for the construction permit and – against all expectations – he got it! He had the ground in the heart of the city of Rostov, but under condition, to begin with the construction in 1993 itself, otherwise the permit would become invalid. Everybody knew that they were extremely poor and that they would not be able to begin with construction, but it would seem that the authorities had shown a good will… From the day he got the permit, Father Jaroslav was going every afternoon at 5 pm into the city; he was putting a table on his car and he celebrated Holy Mass. In the park, in the open. There were three of them or more, depending on the day and on their possibilities. They were praying to have their church. One day, there was a phone call from Moscow: a church was coming from Germany! They could not believe their ears. Three days later, here we were with our trucks at the entrance of the city: the church has arrived! You cannot imagine that joy! We took ten days to put up that first church in Rostov. We had many problems. Twice, the ground was given to someone else... we had to prove that it was our ground! The parish priest ended by resolving the problem. I remember the first Holy Mass with the parishioners, and I remember their joy… They were no more nomads, they had their church!!!
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