It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of folly, it was the age of faith, it was the age of unbelief, it was the age of Light, it was the age of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.”

— Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

This is life in Ukraine.   

Tuesday, August 18th was the 4th anniversary of our Center for Creative Activities in Izmail, Ukraine where we open our doors and programs daily for families displaced by the war in Ukraine. We now average 5 air raids a day. Twice in the past week, drones hit targets in our city. On the 21st a drone struck the roof of an apartment building 150 yards from where Oli and I live. Yesterday, I heard the "whump" of a drone exploding in our city. I do not know where. It is 11:41 am August 27. Drone number 6 circles the region while we sit on the floor of our small corridor between our kitchen and living room. The text on everyone's cell reads, "increased danger to the city; immediately go to shelter."

What we are doing (and doing well) is living in a tale of two Times. Ours is: to create the best of times in the worst of times, to find wisdom in an age of folly, to witness faith in an age of disbelief, to see the light in an age of darkness, to uncover the spring of hope in a winter of despair, to remember  "We had nothing ahead of us.... We have everything before us." 

 (Hold a finger or click on any photo to expand). 

I am a Presbyterian Minister working in Ukraine.* I invite you to print and post our news on your church bulletin board or include it in your Presbytery or Church's email news.