I have been closely following what is going on in Eastern Ukraine noting that the central government is going to suspend activities for the weekend as it is Easter, and suddenly I was reminded of my first visit to Ukraine 10 years ago in May. There is lots I could say, but I would like to share about one small village we visited in the Chernihiv oblast not too far from the city of Laden called Podeshae.
When we arrived we were more or less warmly received, but there were people watching us suspiciously. The principle of the local school had turned all the children away from our meeting and my friends were warning be about some superstitions that were in place that could cause us a great deal of trouble. Our leader, Pastor Dick Addison had given me the go to bring the word and he and his wife were encouraging me to "Go for it" ;bring a strong message. But our Ukrainian friend Yuri Malishkin had warned us that the people there had some very odd ideas about "Baptists" or protestants. They believed that protestants drank blood and drowned their new converts. I am sure this misinformation had been started by the Orthodoxy.
Many of my esteemed religious colleagues believe in going for the sale as soon as possible. I like to think that we need to be aware of the culture we are talking to and that we need to make sure that there is good soil before scattering one's seeds. So as I prayerfully considered how I might share with this community where there was so much superstition and distrust of outsiders. After a while the Lord granted me the wisdom in how to share with these people.
I started with what we all know... the world is broken. I talked about all the things wrong in the world and how sad it is. Then I talked about how when God created the world that He said it was "Good", but then how things quickly began to fall apart. Eventually I got to the good news of Jesus Christ, although because of the advice of my friends, I didn't use the name Jesus, but merely referred to Him as the Son of God. That He came to pay the price for all the wrong in the world and was showing us a better way. I don't remember exactly how I finished it all up, but the results were very positive. The pastor who had invited us was told by the city officials that he was welcome to come again. The parents of the school children were questioning the principle as to why their children had been kept from such a positive message. The Holy Spirit had helped me open a door so that future ministry could take place in Podeshae.
Why this comes to mind is that when we are confronted with different ideologies or theologies we are so often temped to just jump to our differences and point fingers, accuse the others of being wrong and proclaiming our own rightness. But I have found in my experiences in Ukraine, a country of strongly held beliefs that the quickest road to understanding and healing is finding a place of common ground. Often times when I talk to Orthodox people, I start with the Apostles Creed. It shows them that I have something in common with them and that they don't have as much to fear from me. I am not there to convince someone I am right but rather to lead them onto a path of discovery.
I cannot but wonder if that is the answer for some of what is going on in Eastern Ukraine. Obviously the "little green men" don't want anyone having dialog, but every pro-Ukraine protester has the capacity to become a broker of reconciliation and peace.
As long as we remain in our camp, reciting our slogans and chanting for unity this really doesn't change the mind of the pro-Russian camp. In fact it may just intrench them in their thinking. But if we can find 'safe' ways to cross the line, hear their fears and concerns, and convince them that we have heard them, then maybe they might be willing to consider our position and listen to our concerns and then together as Ukrainian brothers and sisters we can find solutions.
The "little green men" and other agitators are feeding the fears of the people. They are telling them that they need to be afraid of the west and that the west wants to destroy them; all lies but still to themit seems all too real. We cannot get them to change there minds by calling them stupid or ignorant; name calling merely isolates and divides. If we are to really bring Unity, then we are going to need to cross the lines and meet our opposition and tell them that we recognise their concerns.
Now obviously we need to be careful as there are those foreign agitators and their hirelings who would like nothing better than to beat your brains out. If I can borrow the words of Christ, "Be wise as serpents but as innocent as doves" and "Do not cast your pearls before swine." We need to be wise about who we speak with and where we speak with them, but in either case we need to become ministers of reconciliation if we're are going to heal this nation. Jesus didn't say blessed are the self-righteous for they shall get their way, he said, blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God. He also challenged us to love those who we would count as enemies, because anyone can love someone who already loves them.
Okay you have thrown off some of the tyrants, but new ones have come. If we can win back our brothers and sisters by hearing them out and helping them to see a better way then they won't listen to the "little green men" and Putin's other hirelings. But this won't happen on just the social media. It's going to have to happen in living rooms and coffee shops and on park benches. Its going to take people of courage who are quick to listen and slow to speak, so that they might win back their Ukrainian/Russia brothers and sisters. "A kind word turns away wrath."
Leave the "little green men" to the army, avoid the violent and speak peacefully to the fearful and angry. Focus on those who you can reach. The government is not going to bring this unity and neither are Russia nor the West, only neighbor talking to neighbor sharing hope for a brighter tomorrow can bring this about. As you win back your neighbor your neighborhoods will become stronger, safer and more peaceful and you will be able to withstand the ruffians and repulse the foreign invaders. Ukraine's unity is in your hands, live in such a way as to win back those hearts have become fearful. Speak the truth in love and help your neighbors to be free of the lies and fear spread by the bringers of havok.
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