From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 1009)
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Psalm 109:30-31
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate today!
Being thankful in Ukraine today felt both easier and harder at the same time.
Our morning started with a massive missile attack on Ukraine’s power grid (the air raid began before midnight and lasted over 9 hours). The attack caused damage in 14 regions of Ukraine. Our apartment building had only three hours of electricity since 5 a.m.
However, in all of this, we felt thankful. Thankful that we have a gas burner that allows us to have breakfast and hot coffee in the morning even during a blackout. Thankful for light bulbs with batteries that give a dimmer light yet make power outages barely noticeable. Thankful for an extra hour at home in the morning while we were waiting for the sirens to clear, as it turned out to be a fun family time with silly dancing. Thankful for our school, where we can invest in our kids and help them become the light in the darkness. Thankful to be alive and have no casualties after the morning attack (they launched 88 missiles and 97 drones). Thankful that amid the insane nuclear threats, I have the blessed assurance that even if the strike does come, I will be safe in the Lord’s embrace.
And thankful for all the people faithfully praying for Ukraine!
P.S. Psalm 109 may not sound fitting for Thanksgiving Day, but it perfectly describes how we feel today. Thankful that I can open my heart before God.
Voice of Ukraine 