Hey there, Changepoint friends!
Some of you might be wondering what's been going on here in Ukraine or have, perhaps, been seeking a little more information about the mood and the situation "on the ground" than you've seen on the news or have read in the posts I've shared from other sources. Well, I'll give it a go.
First off, I want to apologize for not blogging or giving more personal updates on Facebook of late. My (many) daily scans of Facebook are so filled with news, thoughts, speculation and propaganda about the situation in Ukraine that I forget that most of my friends in America are not as plugged in to the many sources which I am. I even get so fatigued from all of the news that I simply have no motivation to post a single thought. Lately, I've even been trying to reduce my time on Facebook, especially time spent reading yet another apocalyptic "prophesy" about the impending invasion and destruction of Ukraine...or the expert analysis of Vladimir Putin's ingeniously evil plans of conquest. I've tried to unplug myself a bit and replace the glut of discouraging news with times of prayer and contemplation of God's truth. What I mean is, the irrefutable truth of God's sovereignty, power and mercy in the face of what even many of my Christian friends seem to feel is an imminent and unpreventable war.
I guess that last statement leads very nicely into my thoughts on the general mood here. It's hard from your perspective in America to realize the depth and breadth of the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine... The aforementioned war includes the largely-bloodless military occupation and annexation of Crimea, which you've probably already heard about. But, more insidiously, there is a psychological and propaganda war being waged on level that would be hard for most Americans to understand. In my observations this psychological war exists on two fronts.
One is the endless stream of misinformation coming from all Russian media sources (internet, print, TV and radio) about the situation in Ukraine. This is directed primarily at the population in Russia and Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine, but also to anyone in the West who doesn't take the time to double-check their news sources. It involves outright lies about the social and political situation here in Ukraine. According to Russian news, there is complete chaos throughout Ukraine, being the direct result of an illegitimate government ruled by neo-Nazis, fascists and homosexual propagandists whose main goal is to persecute ethnic Russians and Russian speakers...and the existence of said government is the sole result of years of planning and training by the American government. No wonder Mr. Putin wants to do everything possible to "stabilize" the situation! Unfortunately, the fact that the revolution in Ukraine was a grassroots "Revolution of Dignity", to throw off a corrupt and abusive government doesn't serve his plans. My own observations of the new national and local authorities shows a varied group of people: Christians, Jews and Muslims; Ukrainian-speakers and Russian-speakers; ethnic Ukrainians and ethnic Russians; eastern Ukrainians and western Ukrainians; street-level activists and politicians. What they all have in common is a desire to live in a country where the government serves the people; where people respect each other, rather than use each other; and where there is no room for corruption. They have decided to put aside the divisions which previous generations of politicians (and current Russian politicians) have emphasized and manipulated in order to make Ukraine a divided and unstable state. Ironically, the brutal actions of ex-president Yanukovych and the current agitation / intimidation of Vladimir Putin have driven all of the different groups in Ukraine together! There is actually a greater feeling of unity among different groups of formerly-antagonistic Ukrainians than there has ever been in the country's existence. I recently read a joke, said to have originated in the largely-Russian-speaking southern Ukrainian city of Odesa: An Odessa native tells his friend from Russia that he has decided to stop speaking Russian and only speak Ukrainian. "Why? Are you afraid of being beaten by Ukrainians?" asks his friend. "No", replies the Odessan, " I'm afraid of being protected by the Russians!"
Back to the second front in the propaganda war; this is the psychological pressure on Ukrainians, designed to break their will and their spirits. It's been brought to bear by the amassing of nearly 100,000 Russian troops, backed by arms, aircraft and equipment of every kind, along the southern and eastern borders of Ukraine. It's been underlined by the way that Russia occupied and annexed Crimea with impunity. The diplomatic and financial sanctions of the EU and US seem to have had no effect on the confidence and momentum of Putin's plans to bring "peace" and "stability" to Ukraine by protecting the so-called interests of ethnics Russians and Russian-speakers in eastern and southern Ukraine. And when the countries (US, UK and Russian) who guaranteed Ukraine's territorial integrity upon the surrender of its nuclear arsenal in 1994 seem unwilling to follow through on their obligations, what hope is there in the face of a better-armed enemy who calls himself a "brother" while openly declaring that the very notion of a separate Ukrainian nation and culture a myth? Where is there hope?!
Now you can perhaps understand why many people - even those whose hope is in "the God of all hope" - are feeling a bit frazzled, downcast and even despondent. "So, it looks like Putin will invade any day now...", "There doesn't seem to be any way to avoid war", "Do you think there's any hope of peace?" are just a sample of the questions I am hearing from friends - and which echo in mind even when I'm alone.
Yet the good news is that there is no turning back. I honestly believe that nobody would trade the uneasiness that grips the country now for the corruption, brutality, apathy and hopelessness that characterized the "peaceful" days before the revolution. If there's an upside to an upside to a dark-looking future, it's that our country's hope now is really and truly in God's hands. But of course, it always was, wasn't it? Who else could have pulled off so many of the miracles that led to a group of unarmed protestors overthrowing a powerful and corrupt government? Who else could have brought every confession and denomination of the church in Ukraine to its collective knees - day and night - to intercede for our protection. As a Christian, I refuse to let the devil or Vladimir Putin, or any of his talking heads steal the joy of the Lord, the strength, the hope, the very foundation I have in Christ Jesus! My trust is not in "horses or chariots or men". While I hope that I'm not sounding naïve, I DO believe in a bright future for Ukraine. Will it come without further blood and sacrifice? I don't know. But I do know that I am incredibly proud, privileged and blessed to live in this wonderful country at this time and to call Ukraine my home. I am joyful that my kids will grow up here and live to reap the benefits of all of those who have sacrificed and are sacrificing to make this great nation a great country.
Sorry to have been so long-winded. That's just the way I'm feeling as of 10.30PM, Saturday, 29 March. Blame those asked me to write more.
~ Mike
