We have our own special experiences, sorrows and needs. As our Church Abroad tries to minister to the needs of our brethren in Russia, it must not neglect the unique needs which we face as Orthodox Christians outside Russia. Our Church focuses on the individual, on each soul's private and independent journey towards God. We all know that problems are best solved if approached individually, if solutions are tailored around each different set of circumstances. It does no good to give an infant sophisticated nourishment, just as an ailing adult is unlikely to do well on an exclusively milk diet.
Different problems require different solutions.
Russia today is beset by a myriad of problems, but we cannot allow this to overshadow our own needs. Our Holy Father Seraphim of Sarov said that if you save yourself, that if you work on your own salvation, on acquiring the Holy Spirit, a thousand around you will be saved. Without turning our backs on anyone, without dismissing anyone, without judging anyone, we must keep a clear perspective on our own spiritual priorities. Let us not gloss over the profound significance of these beautiful instructions from our Saviour, whose every word and action and gesture and inflection were thoroughly steeped in the most sublime and divine wisdom. Love God above all else.