A place that many only see as a war torn country. A place of fear. A place of fighting. And unrest. Military, protests, fires and death. Election Day and worry. This is the face of Ukraine to the world.
But yet, in the midst of this media coverage, some things are lost. Like the laughter of small children, the waving of Ukrainian flags on a sunny day, families spending a picnic together in the many parks that cover the countryside and most of all life. Peace, laughter, love, hope. These things have not been shaken, not for all.
My view of Ukraine is biased, and I in no way mean to dishonor the lives being lost and freedoms being challenged in this country. There is much unrest and brokenness, yet these are not the only things thriving in Ukraine. And since most people only receive what the media decides to show, I can show you pieces of what doesn’t make it across the pond.
I’ve been staying with a team on the far Western region, about two hours from Lviv in a small city called Rivne. A city filled with so much history, as the old capital for the western half of Ukraine during the Hungarian-Austrian Empire, it boasts of beauty and culture. Also, beneath the surface is hidden many of the old reminders of WWII, when Rivne was used as the head Nazi base for Germany in this region of Poland, Ukraine and the East. Rivne is host to many demolished concentration camps that held Jews, Roma-Gypsies and Homosexuals from the region, and the graves of hundreds of tortured and murdered souls.
Yet, each day Rivne is bursting with new life.
The sun rises so early, about 4am, and it does not set until after 9pm. Ukraine walks in the constant DAYLIGHT of life, a promise that though evil exists in the world, it does not taint us from still finding good. There is hope here, hope in the future, and hope for life to the fullest.
In Rivne, we have been working with Salvation Church, building relationships with the Ukrainian followers of Jesus in the area and learning about their lives. They welcomed us into their homes, taught us many traditions, cultures, fed us traditional meals and dressed us up in their patriotic clothing. And they taught us as much Ukrainian/Russian as our minds could hold. We helped teach English camp to adults from the city as an outreach for the church. An incredible bridge to meet people and hear their story while telling them about ours. We spent the week in the classrooms, and took a weekend field-trip to the woods to teach our students about real “American camp-outs,” complete with s’mores, hot dogs & a bonfire. We also helped with kids Awanas and just getting into the community as much as possible.
Most importantly, we made life-long friendships with the Ukrainian church. The women and men we hung out with represent the heart and soul of Ukraine. They are so funny, very witty, loud and rambunctious. They laugh too loud, they love games and sarcasm and cookies are the main food group for any suitable gathering. The first European people I feel absolutely at home with, Ukrainians and Americans are made of the same kind of heart.
Ukraine has felt more and more like home, and our friends became more like family. Amazing that in the midst of warning and news to flee this country, we found a deeper love for the people that made us want to stay. Ukraine quickly became a place my heart will stay. Tania, Tanya, Tania, Dima, Anna, Vita, Diana, Angelina, Albina, Peter, Sasha, Sasha, & Olia, you are now a part of a bigger family I cannot wait to see again someday. 🙂
That is the power of love in our lives, the power to draw us in, to heal and to bring hope in a world that so many try to escape. It causes us to open our arms and hearts to the people around us, and to live hand in hand with a bigger family that spans boundaries, cultures, languages and physical space. Though life is full of hellos, goodbyes, beginnings and ends, lots of good and many evils, there is always hope on this side of heaven and the next. There is hope that the sun will rise, bright and early again, that war horrors will finally rest in peace and love of true friends can conquer all.
Slava Ukraine, Heroim Slava!
