On International Women’s Day, we have a special video and devotional from Revd Maria Gusztinné Tulipán, Rector of European Nazarene College.
Maria both challenges us and encourages us “…in our everyday interactions, we are bringing this good news. The message of hope, the hope of the resurrection, the very message of life – into every situation. Into each relationship, into the space to which we have been called to.”
We hope this is a blessing to you today!
Video breakdown:
00:12 Tell us about yourself.
01:00 As you carry out the role God has given you, what key gifts, talents and characteristics do you use?
01:51 What encouragement would you offer to women across our Region, as we celebrate International Women’s Day this year?
We also have a reflection from Revd Teanna Sunberg, who was reflecting yesterday about the strength which she sees displayed in women, as she serves at the border aiding refugees from Ukraine:
When I saw the online trending photo of the strollers left by Polish moms at the train station for Ukrainian moms, my heart surged. “Moms getting it done!” I thought.
I had just been at the very same train station shortly after the photo started trending. I took my own photo at this station at 11 a.m., on March 2. It was Day 7 of the war in Ukraine. I struggled for nearly an hour to find two moms with four kids whom I was supposed to pick up. I’ve only blurred faces for safety. No other edits. This is real life right now.
While the stroller photo is a comforting snapshot of some human kindness in the midst of this dark nightmare, I caution us about romanticizing human trauma.
Consider this: in nine days, 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled their country. Men between 17 and 60 cannot leave. That means that Ukrainian mothers and aunts and sisters and grandmas and friends are guiding kids through war zones with active shelling. These women are packing them onto trains and carrying kids and bags through borders on foot for kilometers.
It is primarily women who are protecting kids from traffickers with heightened radar. They haven’t showered or slept in days. They’ve left husbands and sons and fathers behind in war. They are single-handedly carrying their kids into foreign countries, into foreign homes, with foreign people.
Some of them don’t have money. Some of them don’t have documents. Some of them don’t speak the language.
Most of them don’t have strollers.
These Ukrainian women are literally and single-handedly rescuing a generation out of a war zone with true grit. It is these women who are getting it done!
The world has learned the phrase, слава Украïнi. As a mom of four, and bearing first-hand witness to the sheer strength of Ukrainian women, this is my cry on the day before International Women’s Day: ‘хвала Украïнським жiнкам’ (Thank You Ukrainian women) as you get it done!
We see you. We see your sweat and tears, your fear, your determination, your weakness and your strength. We see you. God sees you.
“Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur. ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai,’ he said, ‘where have you come from, and where are you going?’
“So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: ;You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘Here I have seen the One who sees me!’”
Genesis 16: 7-8, 13
Photo Credits:
Please see the image that is referenced at the start of the article here.
#1 People in the station – Teanna Sunberg – highlight
#2 People in the station – Teanna Sunberg
