The Firstborn Son

 FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

TO THIS:

TO THIS:

   Granny Lou would be proud of you and your family, and Carolyn and I are, too.

   HAPPY 60TH

Thoughts on Ukraine War

   

   We have watched quite a bit of the news from Ukraine over the past 2 weeks. Some images stand out in my mind.

      The image of baby strollers lined up in a Polish rail station, ready to be given to Ukrainian mothers carrying small ones across the border. A welcoming gift from the Polish people, a people ready to help mothers in a foreign land. A message that "you are not alone".

       A picture, taken from behind two Ukrainian men as they stand alone waving to their families across the tracks, leaving on a refugee train bound for safety in Poland. Men took their wives, children, and others to safety, then turned around and returned home to pick up arms and join the fight against the invaders.

      The looks of tearful anxiety line the faces of Ukrainian mothers, fathers and children, as they participate in one last group hug. The unknown staring each one in the face as they hold each other in a last goodbye. What will each life be like when they meet again, if they do?

   Sure, there are scenes of war's destruction that stay in my mind, and I bow my head in prayer, asking God for peace and safety for those caught up in both sides of that conflict, but it is the reflection of those mental images, the trauma those displaced people have seen and will see in the days ahead.

    Lord Jesus hold their hands tightly.

   The emotion builds up behind my eyes as I look at the TV screen and see that war as it takes place far away, but it also builds as I write this, because it is the people involved who will bear the scars, physical ones and mental ones, of this time.

   Let me end with a little story: A natural reaction to the above emotions is simple: "What Can I Do?"

   I read a short article about a lady in America who worked with airbnb to get funds to hosts in Ukraine to help them through this perilous time. She just realized that with all that was going on, a little cash might make a lot of difference. It was simple, as a traveler here would book a room, or apt. for a couple of nights, not with the intention of going there, but Not Going. The payment for the stays would be sent to the hosts in county by airbnb within 24 hours of the check in date of the traveler. No fees would be taken out by the organization, and the whole amount passed on. The only thing that traveled was the money.

   Now when we look at the news from Kiev, we search for a man with a special spring in his step and listen for the jingle of coins in his pocket.

   Here is a return message from this man:

      "Hello Don! Thank you very much for your kind support, it means a lot to us now :) Sorry, but unfortunately I don't have much free time to answer.

This money will be spent to pay little salaries to my employees who are now staying in Kyiv without a possibility to return home and to make donations to the needs of our army.
Hope to host you in the future! God bless you! Slava Ukraini 💛💙"

   A small contribution to a man who may be giving much more, his all.