Recently the guests of the Belarusian National "Caritas" were representatives of CRS (Catholic Relief Services) Mark Da Silva and Samuel Nichols. CRS responds to emergency situations around the world and is interested in helping its Caritas partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia so that they in turn can carry out their mission as efficiently as possible.

 The guests visited Belarus for two days to familiarize themselves with the activities of Caritas Belarus, learn more about the Catholic Church in our country and discuss some joint projects with Caritas Belarus, in particular, the development of Caritas activities in the parishes. 

– I am by nature a person who will always support the needy, those who need my help, – Samuel Nichols shared with his Belarusian colleagues. – We strive in our organization to find resources and opportunities, to which we have access in the CRS or other countries to thereby facilitate the implementation of various humanitarian projects. I also accumulate experience and knowledge about how Caritas employees work in Belarus, and then I will tell about them in my homeland. 

– I can say that “Caritas Belarus” also has an interesting experience, which its employees shared with us, – Mark Da Silva added to his colleague. – It concerns the development of social ministry in the parishes. So at a meeting with the bishop Oleg Butkevich important information was sounded that bishops should tell their parishioners about “Caritas” as much as possible and more often about its activities, that to be a Christian is in the first place to be merciful. It's very nice that the priests understand their role in the development of Caritas and are ready to help the organization in its activities.

CRS employees called their visit to Belarus fruitful and useful. Many-hour talks showed that there are great opportunities for cooperation between “Caritas” of the two countries.

 And the guests really liked Belarus and its capital. Mark Da Silva and Samuel Nichols were simply delighted with the children's rehabilitation center in the village Leskovka of the Archdiocese Minsk-Mogilev.