Voice of Ukraine

From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 391):

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1

March 21 is the World Down Syndrome Day. People with Down Syndrome are vulnerable in any nation, even during peaceful days. The Russian aggression has increased the challenges these people are facing every day.

Families with children with Down Syndrome usually have a range of medical specialists, development assistants, and special schools or tutors to help their children live their lives to the fullest. I doubt we can find statistics on how many of those essential chains and activities were disrupted by Russian aggression. During the early stages of this invasion, evacuation could take 3 to 5 days (depending on the route taken) – imagine what it could be like traveling with a child with a mental or physical disability. And imagine being this child – feeling anxious, or scared by the crowd, or uncomfortable from being away from home, or tired and hungry. I remember reports from the first weeks of this invasion when volunteers were seeking out people with disabilities in Kyiv to provide them with help and support, as oftentimes they were on their own, scared and confused.

On July 14, 2022, Russian missiles took the life of 4-year-old Liza from Vinnytsia. That precious girl had Down Syndrome and was returning from a speech therapy class with her mom. Her story is one of those that won’t go out of your mind once you hear it.

However, World Down Syndrome Day is also about raising awareness and doing our best to help these people enjoy their lives with the dignity they deserve. I have shared before about the “Good Bread from Good People” bakery (https://bit.ly/3yXs3XS) that employs people with mental disabilities to give them a chance to work and socialize. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, they started baking and distributing bread for free. In the past year, they have given away more than 300 000 loaves of bread to the needy people in Kyiv, the defense forces, and people staying in the newly liberated villages and the war zone. And they have given employment to more people with mental disabilities. This initiative gave them a unique chance at empowerment, showing the whole world that people with mental disabilities want and can make a difference once they are seen and provided with means. You can learn more about the bakery and support them through their website, which is linked above.

Lord, let your love shine in these people and through them!