From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 682):
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 82:3-4
We are still enjoying our family reunion over the Christmas break. Today, my son and niece painted some pictures to be auctioned off to our family to use the raised funds for the Ukrainian army’s needs. It was a fun time painting with them, and their auction was the most adorable show!
Around the same time, Russia shelled the city of Pokrovsk. They hit a few private houses. As of now, 11 people, including 5 children, were killed, and 8 people were injured. These families also might have been enjoying family reunions, and these kids could have been painting or performing a show for their relatives when their homes were shelled and their lives were taken.
Our lives are too fragile to be handled carelessly during peaceful days, but how much more fragile they get and how much more precious these moments are when your country is attacked by a vicious neighbor.
Voice of Ukraine 
One response to “1/7/2024 – Our lives are too fragile to be handled carelessly during peaceful days, but how much more fragile they get…”
A year ago:
From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 318): I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3
It was a great Christmas day. It seemed so ordinary. We took my son and niece caroling in the morning, and it was almost like any other year, except everyone would get extra emotional and add wishes for peace and victory to the traditional Christmas greeting.
Then we went to the Christmas church service, and it could have felt like an ordinary service if not for the repeated prayers for our defenders and the people in the occupied territories.
We continued with a great family time – a tasty meal, gift exchange, and fun games, just like any year. We would only sneak out to check the news and someone would quietly ask, “Have they done anything? Has there been anything massive?”
I am incredibly thankful to God for these glimpses of the ordinary. It’s a priceless treasure. I’m also grateful for this urgency to live and appreciate life – it’s not something I would choose to experience, but it’s an experience I’m thankful for.
Thankfully, there were no large-scale provocations today. The enemy kept shelling Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and the Kharkiv region. They continued attacks on Bakhmut and Soledar as well as along the frontline.
Ukraine’s energy system is under control with scheduled blackouts during the day, and no power cuts at night due to consumption decrease. However, the situation may change at any moment because of the temperature drop (to below freezing) or if Russia chooses to attack our energy infrastructure again. Please, keep us in your prayers.
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