Voice of Ukraine

From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 912 – missed 911)

The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked
and the one who loves violence.
Psalm 11:5

I’ve missed posting on quite a few days lately. Allergies and summer heat exhaust me more than I thought they would. However, today is an important day to post.

On August 23, Ukraine celebrates the Flag Day. For decades, our blue-and-yellow flag was banned. For decades, the prominent fighters for Ukraine’s independence kept hoping to see it flying high over our country one day. The day the blue-and-yellow flag was brought into Ukraine’s Parliament on the eve of the proclamation of Ukraine’s independence became a national holiday.

This holiday remained unnoticed for many years, a political statement that made little difference. Yet it gained a new value once we were on the verge of losing it. Now, our flag is more than a cloth or national symbol. It is the people persecuted and tortured in the occupied territories for using the blue-and-yellow color combination. It is the stripe on military uniform that lets you know that you are safe. It is a sign of liberation and deliverance. It’s what we see in every other children’s picture. It is our unity and sense of belonging. It is something that’s defended at a high price.

Tomorrow, Ukraine will celebrate its 33rd Independence Day. Please pray for safety and protection over our country. Some experts talk about possible provocations or massive missile strikes on this day. How would that be different from the past 900 days, or the past 10 years, to be more accurate? We know what Russia is capable of yet we have no choice other than resist and defend what’s ours.