Isles of Invincibility providing warmth and hope in Ukraine

“There is no electricity in our building. No hot water. The refrigerator has defrosted, and is now just a cupboard. Frozen food is holding up on the balcony, as it’s -11C outside. Today, almost all power banks are dead, and after the latest massive shelling, it’s unclear when the power will be back on.”  Nadia Panchuk, Kyiv, Ukraine

Since last November, Russia has ruthlessly been attacking Ukraine with upwards of 5000 drones per month aimed at Ukraine’s already fragile infrastructure. The result is that amidst one of the coldest winters in recent memory, millions of Ukrainian’s are coping much of the day with the realities of little to no heat, water, or electricity. It’s not the first winter that Russia’s strategy has been to freeze the Ukrainian people into submission. In fact since the onset of full-scale war, Ukrainians have been forced to add more than 2 million generators to their arsenal of devices aimed at keeping the lights on and life moving as normal as possible. This winter, however, the intensity and the frequency of these attacks are unprecedented, and so are the difficulties.

Where do Ukrainians find light in the dark nights of winter?  Where do they find hope, when even faith is shivering in the cold? 

According to Nadia Panchuk, full time Christian ministry worker with Youth with a Mission in Kyiv, there is hope in the darkness, and she has seen it at work right in the heart of her neighborhood!

“There is hope and Isles of invincibility in the city, says Nadia,  thanks to the people of Kazakstan, who put the Yurt of invincibility in our neighborhood. It’s a place where we can stay cozy and warm, we can charge our devices, and drink hot tea!”

According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrdenko, more than 10,600 of these so called “invincibility points” have sprung up in cities across the country where people can shelter from the cold, charge devices, and receive support.

Thank-you Kazakstan, and so many other countries around the world, whose practical help is reminding us of something so important.  The power of community.  Galatians 6:2 encourages us to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor, and I love the way Kazakstan has shown us such a practical example of what that can look like. Historically, the Kazakh people have lived nomadic lifestyles. They lived in their yurts, while riding horses and migrating with livestock across the steppe. They know how to build temporary shelters that stay warm throughout their cold and windy winters. 

Kazakstan saw a way they could lift the burden for their Ukrainian neighbors. They sent some yurts, some beautiful yurts, and set them up in cities around Ukraine. A simple act of kindness meant to provide warm spaces in order to help ease the suffering of the Ukrainian people during black outs. So practical. So profound. So impactful. In that place children sit and draw pictures. Grandparents drink hot tea. My friend Nadia charges her phone, battery packs, computer. Community comes together, because another community took the time to care.

But something else I think happens in that place. It’s in these Isles of Invincibility that Ukraine is reminded that they aren’t alone in the dark, and faith in the goodness of humanity is rekindled.