From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 1117)
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Psalm 67:1-2
I once listened to a podcast where the speakers suggested that the whole story of humanity on Earth comes down to becoming adults. Let me explain further. The difference between a baby and an adult is that an adult is aware of the consequences of decision-making and is willing to take responsibility for his actions. The speaker then suggested that the same is true of our relationships with God. We live in sin, like babies, incapable of thinking about the consequences, but God keeps pursuing us until we are “adult” enough to own to our fails, come with a repented heart, and start living as a new creation in Him.
The more I read the news, the less “adults” I see. Instead, I see people who cover their eyes and pretend that the problems vanish. Or they throw tantrums until everyone agrees with their picture of the world.
But then I come to school and see real adults. They may be 4th-grade students, but their hearts are mature. And that’s what gives me hope.
Here are just bits of conversations among my students from last week.
– Did you hear they said there may be a ceasefire?
– No ceasefire is possible. They simply want us to go to bed trusting them, and then they’ll bomb us again, like that morning when they started the full-scale invasion.
– I wish we had nuclear weapons.
– Yeah, they wouldn’t think we’re helpless if we had nuclear weapons.
– I wonder if it’s hard to create it. Maybe we should make it.
(I joined their conversation to explain the Budapest Memorandum, how Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994, and how there are international obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but they weren’t convinced those were good enough reasons)
(conversation on our way home)
– Mom, when I grow up and have a family of my own, I want to build my own house. I hope the war will end by then, but I want to make a special place in the corner of my room. I want to make a small memorial to all the fallen soldiers to make sure I never forget about this war and the people who gave their lives.
(below is the poem written by my 10-year-old son today and translated by me)
The War
I am sitting here and wondering if people can really fight for nothing,
When they don’t understand what they are defending or attacking?
Are you one for all? Or one against all?
What should we be fighting for with javelins and missiles?
What should we call it?
A war?
In a war, there is an aggressor and a victim.
Now, we have something to think about.
Voice of Ukraine 