Having lived in California for more than a decade, I’ve become far too accustomed to news about wildfires. Hundreds of square miles burned just last year in the state, with two separate fires each burning more than 80,000 acres. That’s why I can especially relate to what the people in Russia are currently enduring. As the Christian Science Monitor notes, they’re suffering through “the worst and most extensive wildfires in memory.” According to the article, more than 550 wildfires are burning, as a blanket of smoke has settled on Moscow (as you can see at right).
Along with offers of aid coming from countries such as China, Germany and the United States, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has stepped in as well with a generous donation, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti. The Moscow Patriarchate has raised 6.5 million rubles (about $217,000 USD) to help people affected by the fires.
As the article reports, volunteers are being asked to collect and provide the aid as needed. A senior member of the ROC, Metropolitan Yuvenaly, was quoted as saying, “In these testing times for our nation, we are called upon to unite and render all possible moral and spiritual support to those affected.” In fact, Yuvenaly did more than just provide a quote. He also gave 300,000 rubles ($10,000 USD) to the cause.
Photo by Lvovsky via Flickr.