All of us are being touched by the images we are seeing from Ukraine, under such widespread and devastating attack by Russia. Our hearts go out to all affected, including the Ukrainian community here in Poole, who naturally fear for the welfare of family and friends. Having done assignments in both Ukraine and Russia in the years before I became a vicar, it has been awful to see pictures of places I’ve been – how much worse it must be to have loved ones directly involved.
Whilst acknowledging some of the historical nuances of the relationship between Ukraine and Russia, I have to say that what Mr Putin is doing is both evil and misguided. People are dying and suffering as a result of his decisions, which are a far cry from the Bible’s repeated command to love your neighbour. I also find myself thinking of the chilling words “Russia has not finished with Ukraine yet” in Tim Marshall’s excellent 2015 book ’Prisoners of Geography’.
Jesus himself addressed the situation of innocent people being murdered by a foreign power (see the first few verses of Luke chapter 13 for more detail) and it’s no surprise to see it repeated today, as a more recent despotic leader regards as cheap the lives of other people. Inevitably, the war leaves us with big questions. One of these is how we can play our part in welcoming refugees. I recommend the websites https://sanctuaryfoundation.org.uk and https://homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk to investigate how you could help.