One of our Global Peace Warriors is Veronika Voloshyna from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro (click here to learn more about Veronika). After a few days into the conflict she made the difficult decision to try to leave the country. She will be producing a series of blogs about her experiences and thoughts as someone deeply involved in the work of conflict transformation. We invite you to join in this journey with her, and feel free to share her blog in your networks.
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A time for war
There is a country in the heart of Europe, whose longing for freedom and choosing her own way after breaking free from the soviet empire is like a stick in a tyrant`s craw and is being paid a high price. According to Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything. Almost 80 years after the World War II, when for a long time Ukraine had been occupied by German fascists and experienced all kinds of war horrors, we are being attacked by russists (russian fascists). It`s hard to believe, but there is a time for war in my country.
The following text was written by me on the second day of war. Today, almost 3 weeks later, it is even more relevant.
A time to curse
Several days before the current stage of russia`s war against Ukraine when the horde had already gathered around my country and the tension increased highly, I deliberately and consciously cursed putin and all those who support him by action or inaction – all of them – up to the seventh generation. That happened for the first time in my life, and as a believer I understand how serious my decision is.
Pronouncing it, I literally felt that Old Testament power of a curse aimed at the aggressor, invader, rapist. No guilt or hatred – by doing that I proclaimed my faith in God`s judgement, in the power of words and the reality of spiritual laws.
Years ago, I used to be too quick with forgiveness, you know, that pseudo-Christian attitude of whoever whatever does, I have already forgiven (since God has forgiven) … Yet it led to the indulgence of those who had done something wrong, harmed somebody and never repented. Since 2011, when I got acquainted with conflict transformation and began to act in this area, my understanding of forgiveness has changed. No doubt, in my personal relationships with God I make a decision to forgive and am ready to give it.
However, for forgiveness to occur in my relationship with the offender, several actions must be taken by them:
- *admission of guilt,
- *asking for forgiveness (and in this case the words “forgive me for everything” are unacceptable, all wrongdoings must be recognized and named),
- *compensation for damage.
It means active repentance, and it doesn`t exclude fair trial. Moreover, the willingness to accept the punishment is a sign of repentance.
In this case only is the movement to forgiveness possible. Otherwise, we indulge the aggressor, make it clear to them that it`s OK to trespass and harm us with no penalty.
The same principles are true to restorative justice (mediation between the offender and the victim). As mediators we do not begin to involve the injured party unless we make sure that the offender takes responsibility for what is done.
russians say they`ve come to free us from nationalists – and they bomb residential houses, schools, maternity hospitals, evacuation trains and buses, shoot volunteers and those who they help to evacuate, and ordinary people standing in line to buy bread… When I see how much damage and destruction russian terrorists cause, how treacherously they act, how many lives are taken, I don`t know what can compensate that, my heart aches.
I don’t need to curse the aggressors constantly – I did that once, pronounced loudly and firmly, that is done. I remind myself about it when anger comes.
On the contrary, I constantly bless those who defend and support us, with more power. And I do feel this power of blessing and gratitude much more vividly now.
Follow Veronika’s continuing posts in the days ahead. The photos are from the November 2019 trip of Dan and Sharon Buttry where we led conflict transformation training workshops and conferences with Veronika in Dnipro and Kyiv. The tank was in a memorial about the war in Eastern Ukraine at the Dnipro historical museum. Sharon and Veronika are pictured in a memorial park in the center of Dnipro.
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