FAITH IS NOT JUST PRAYER: Priest’s wife Danijela has been volunteering and preparing food for the homeless in the church kitchen for 3 years!

Faith is not just prayer – prayer is also a good deed, Danijela Jeremić (50), a priest’s wife from Sibnica near Sopot, tells Kurir. For three years, she has been volunteering in the church kitchen of the Religious Charitable Guardianship (VDS) in Belgrade, where she prepares meals several times a week for the most vulnerable who, by force of circumstance, have been left without a roof over their heads.

Danijela usually comes to volunteer on Thursdays, but lately, as she tells us, she has been coming even more often. It is not difficult for her to wake up at five in the morning to travel from Sibnica to 31 Francuska Street in Belgrade, where the premises of the VDS church kitchen are located, in order to prepare a meal full of love for the homeless, large families, and those who are not in a financial position to provide food for themselves.

It started with Lenten sarma

-My husband is Father Goran, but I didn’t hear about the church kitchen through him. It happened by chance. Three years ago, I was preparing Lenten sarma for a church slava; a guest was Vasilije, who works at VDS, and then I heard about the church kitchen from him. I asked if I could come and see what it was like, and here I am, volunteering for three years already – Jeremić says with a smile on her face while stirring a meal in a large tin pot.

While volunteers in the church kitchen room busily prepare meals for those in need, she points out that since childhood she had a desire to help others and to fulfill herself in that way, and today, as she says, she is grateful to have the opportunity to cook for the hungry and provide help to those who need it most.

-My husband knew that this was my wish since childhood and he supported me, even though he thought I would give up – she says through laughter.

On the days she volunteers, she wakes up at five in the morning and sets off for Belgrade by six. She and the VDS volunteers first light the vigil lamps, read a prayer, and start their duties. However, it is not easy to remain immune to the stories of those who, by force of circumstance, ended up on the street.

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Poignant stories

-The first time I came it was hard for me; for the first few months, I took everything hard because these are poignant destinies. It’s hard when you look at a person coming for that meal. They all have dignity; somehow you recognize that in a person. And I can freely say that it is not a shame to ask for help. Here we are, thank God, to provide for them, and they should know that VDS exists, that we are always here for someone who needs help – the priest’s wife emphasized.

The story of one Boris left a particular impression on her.

-He is the grandson of a monk who was in our parish. His grandfather told me about him, and then, after 30 years, I met him through this religious path. He talked about how Boris was separating from his family, how he had strayed a bit from the path. That monk had a desire to bring Boris back to the right path, but Boris did not succeed. Then I saw him once in the church kitchen. I heard that he had returned to normal a bit.

According to her, Boris first came forward as a volunteer at VDS, and after two months he returned, but as a user. By volunteering in the church kitchen, she has also made numerous friends.

-I invite all good people to join us, to turn their love and faith into a good deed. Anyone can volunteer, and those who cannot can always send an SMS 200 to 2844.

“This is my second home”

Marko Olimpić (31), a dental technician from the vicinity of Loznica who lives in Belgrade today, slowly entered liturgical life through photography and interest in the church, and after the death of his father while he was living in Australia, faith became much more important to him. He found out about volunteering at VDS through social media and came to the church kitchen a year ago at the invitation of a friend. In the beginning, he came almost every day, and today somewhat less often due to work.

-This is my second home, we have all become friends – says Marko, who also mentioned a musician.

-He used to play and sing, and his life suddenly turned around and now he is on the street. Despite being in a difficult situation, he still fasts and goes to church, which shows how much faith and dignity people can have in such circumstances.