Our Mission in Ola

In 2000, we opened a chapel in the village of Ola. Ola is a small town 35 kilometers from Magadan, on the coast and the Ola River. It is an area rich with fish. In soviet times, it was a village of more than 10,000 people, with fish processors, a technical school, large communal farm, and even plants producing construction materials. Now that is almost all gone, and the village is less than half that size. The technical institute still struggles on, mostly with native students, and one or two small fish packing houses. All the rest is closed down, and dilapidated.

And so we are there. We opened a small chapel in one apartment, and have the neighboring apartment for a parish center. We completely gutted the one apartment to make into a chapel, the other we were able to furnish with several computers, for a learning center for kids, and also put in a washing machine, (the only one in town!) which we let our people use. They also help out a number of the poor with their laundry.

Fr. Dave goes out every Sunday evening for Mass. Misha, our driver, will take us there in our van on Sundays and then also play the keyboard organ for Liturgy. On Wednesdays Fr. Dave will take the public bus there for Mass and pastoral work with the people. They all look to him to help survive each month, either with extra groceries, or minimal compensation for their work in the learning center, or cleaning.

We often have more children than adults, and they have been the best evangelizers.

Our Mission in Sokol

     Our latest mission effort is in the town of Sokol, where the local airport is located. It is also about 35 kilometers (50 minute bus ride) from Magadan, but on the ‘main’ highway going north and inland, unlike Ola which is along the coast and farther from everything. And, of course, being at the airport, everyone arriving here goes through there. So it was always a good place to have a presence, but only in 2004, did we find some Catholics there who wanted a parish, and who would help and give it a start. Fr. Milosh is the pastor there, and he goes out every week for Sunday Liturgy. The parish is still small, but Fr. Milosh’s presence there and performing the Works of Mercy, people are starting to show interest. But much prayer and evangelization is still needed. Now one of the airlines, the one that flew to Alaska, has gone bankrupt. Many of the residents of Sokol worked for them, and are without work and in great need. So our presence there is needed more than ever.

Fr. Milosh did the artwork in the Sokol Chapel himself.