Ukraine is on my heart. Even before I set up altars around the house as focal points for my peace prayers, there were Ukrainian artifacts in every room but the bathroom. I have been to Ukraine ten times since 1989. In the living room, red and black lacquered plates decorate one wall while the shelves hold a collection of lacquered boxes illustrating enchanting fairy tales. In the kitchen, Matryoshka (nesting) dolls watch over my kitchen table which is covered by a simple Ukrainian tablecloth. In the bedroom, an embroidered rushnyk (ceremonial cloth) festooned with blue and purple flowers covers one table, and in my office, a beribboned headdress reminds me of Ukrainian friends far away.
Victoria and John escaped to Poland and are trying to decide whether to return. Lidiia and her son have found refuge in Berlin where he celebrated his 6th birthday today. Lesya went to Lviv for emergency surgery but has returned home to Cherkasy, southeast of Kyiv. Irina was in the U.S. when the war broke out but flew to Poland to take medical supplies for the refugees. Yulia and her nine-year old son are in western Ukraine with relatives while sons, husbands and fathers fight in the war. Much of my news comes from Ukrainian Facebook posts of horror, friends missing, tips for helping people through panic attacks and fierce determination.
Continue reading “Ukraine, Knot Dolls and Luba’s Story”
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