From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 661):
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!
Psalm 61:2-4
As soon as I posted my last night’s update, I got an air raid notification on my phone — kamikaze drones were approaching Kyiv. Once again, we moved our “bedroom” into our hallway and spent the night there as the air raid lasted about 4 hours. Thankfully, our air defense shot down 30 of 31 drones.
How long, oh Lord?! German BILD published an article, allegedly based on their intelligence data, that states that Russia is planning to occupy new parts of Ukraine. They say Russia plans to occupy all of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and most of the Kharkiv region by the end of 2024, and then take over Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro by 2026, making the Dnipro River the natural border. The Institute for the Study of War says this goes along with current Russian military planning. This is a reminder that the enemy hasn’t given up its bloodthirsty ambitions, and there is a long process ahead of us.
Voice of Ukraine 
One response to “12/17/2023 – Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,for you have been my refuge”
6/18/2023 – Let us be the light!
Today’s pictures were created by Pavlo Dorohoi to bring hope to the devastated villages and remind Ukrainians to be the light.
From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 479):
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
Psalm 29:1, 11
An 85-year-old woman has been making knit woolen socks for our defenders since 2014. She has made over 900 pairs of socks. When she is done, she puts some candy or a children’s drawing in the socks to give some warmth not only to the feet but also to the soul.
A lady in charge of a hospital library in Kharkiv brings books to the wounded soldiers. The books are sent from all over Ukraine after she shared that the wounded soldiers often ask for something nice to read. When she brings them the books they request, she also listens to their stories. Many ask for children’s books to bring back happy memories, a lot of soldiers request history books to make sense of this cruel war, and some dream of a peaceful future like the soldier who asked for books about plants because he dreams of planting a large garden after Ukraine’s victory.
Pavlo Dorohoi, a photographer from Kharkiv, visited a destroyed Dovhenke village and lit up the destroyed houses as a symbol of hope. He says, “By lighting the lights in these houses, I wanted to give them hope that one day, life will return to them again. Hope that someday, a song and a child’s laughter will be heard within these walls again. I hope that someday there will be people inside these walls again. By lighting candles, I wanted to remember all those who died during this time. All those who had to leave their homes. All those who still cannot return home. All those who have nowhere to return to. By lighting the candles, I wanted the light to reappear in this place. I wanted it to dispel the darkness.
Because we, Ukrainians, need to be the ones who light the light. We are the ones who dispel the darkness.
We are the light!”
Let us be the light!
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