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A chaplain called “Dad” and father to 33 children

Source: Hromadske
Translated by: Christine Chraibi

Hennadiy Mohnenko is a chaplain from Mariupol, who founded and runs the orphanage Respublika Pilihrim (Pilgrim Republic). For 17 years, this institution has sheltered and educated more than 3,000 orphans. The chaplain himself, who is affectionately called Batya (Dad), has adopted 33 children.

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Hennadiy Mohnenko and his wards were among the first to volunteer to dig trenches around Mariupol (major city situated in southeastern Ukraine on the north coast of the Sea of Azov-Ed.).

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“I have a dream – I see myself sitting by the fireplace and telling my grandchildren how the century-old Russian imperial ambitions were stopped at the Mariupol trenches that my kids and I dug together.”

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Video: Khrystyna Bondarenko, Anna Tsyhyma

 

Source: Hromadske
Translated by: Christine Chraibi
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