A month into the Russian invasion of Ukraine a powerful story and photo emerged of a 27-year old Ukrainian mother who shielded her 6-week old baby as the Russians shelled Kyiv. The mother named Olga, received 24 wounds from flying glass while her baby was kept safe. The mother is recovering in a hospital and will be released soon. The image of the mother and child was quickly shared around the world.
Rusudan Gotsiridze is a Baptist bishop in the Republic of Georgia, a country that has also known life as part of the Soviet Union and invasion from Russia as an independent nation. She is also an artist and a deeply dedicated peacemaker. She has responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine with empathetic art and reflections shared with Dan Buttry:
“I live in Tbilisi, Georgia. More than 25 % of my country is occupied by Russia. You have been here so many times and seen our refugees and have heard the stories of their pain. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union my country has suffered several armed conflicts (which actually were wars with our Northern neighbour ), civil wars, and the last one was in 2008 when it was officially declared war with Russia.
“War is not only armies, the militaries, tanks and bombs… War has a much uglier face. War is, when death is a relief… the war is when a mother finds her 4-year old son among the bodies shot by the enemy, when she is happy she has found him and that her little boy does not feel any fear or pain any more… War has much, much uglier faces than destroyed cities and villages… War is, when pregnant women are delivering their babies in cold and dirty basements… when 40 children (the oldest is 14) are all raped and all of of them have their teeth pulled out…
“My son’s girlfriend’s family is from Abkhazia (part of Georgia occupied by Russia in a war ending in 1993). When I listen to her, I feel that she understands Bucha much better than we do…
“I do not have happy thoughts… I do not have thoughts of hope or encouragement. I am just like the disciples after the crucifixion – feeling hopeless, useless, powerless…
“I paint to share…
“If you see any light there, I am happy about it. Maybe there is a light, only I can not see it yet.
“Going through the most difficult Lent time, anticipating Easter . . . My prayer is that Ukrainian crucifixion is finished soon and the resurrection follows the pain and despair.”
Click here to read some of our recent blogs about the war in Ukraine.
Click here to read more about Rusudan Gostsiridze.
Click here to visit our page in the Global Peace Warriors Art Festival about Mamuka Karpanadze and his icon on “Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace.”