|
Today, we have a special edition of Karuna News, as a small invocation for peace amid a war that is shaking the world.
Life is unpredictable. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic pivoted lives across the globe. Many wondered, "Is this a love or war story?" Two years later, the relevance of this question continues to resound. As fear and uncertainty, disinformation and loss of life pulse through the veins of our collective humanity, the fervent potential of compassion has never been more ripe. As war wages in Ukraine, nations and heads of state, companies and social workers, celebrities and everyday heroes are weaving a stunning tapestry of resilience, rooted in millions of distributed acts of care and an indefatigable conviction in our interconnection.
In less than a day, friends around the world are converging in songs and prayers for peace in Ukraine: Join Here.
|
|
Reuters
|
Ukranian refugees are being welcomed into Germany with open hearts and arms. Upon arrival into Berlin's central railway station free train tickets to anywhere in Europe are being offered to those who want to continue on. For those who don't know where they should go, they are ushered to a room welcoming them with food, drinks and sim cards for phones. There are medical teams, translators, volunteers and organizers all there to help. German families are holding up signs offering their homes to stay in. One person took in 13 people. Despite the numbers of refugees arriving, it seems there are more than enough German families to take them in. Matina and her husband Timmo have moved into one of their children's rooms. Their 13-year-old twin girls, Juna and Joli, are now sharing a bedroom. "When we started reading the news we said, right away, we need to take someone in, to give someone peace, because it could have been us, this is how we feel," Timmo says.
Read Full Story.
|
|
Pexels | Pixabay
|
With the country of Ukraine devastated by air, land, and sea, thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing underground, crowding themselves into metro stations. Many sleep for days on the cold floors of metro platforms, with air raid sirens and the sounds of explosions trembling the makeshift bomb shelters. Amid dark times, people found ways to keep their hopes up. One man played the Ukrainian national anthem on trumpet, others sang folk songs to their children, and authorities in Kyiv requested trains to be brought into stations so people would not have to sleep on the floor. Yet, despite such conditions, they understand nothing compares with those fighting the war outside. One lady said, "I understand that now I'm in a better position than people who fight ... outside."
Read Full Story.
|
|
Nikoli Afina | Unsplash
|
As Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, sees Ukranian refugees pour in, the government and companies are scrambling to give them chances to work through acts of charity that coincide with a national need for labor. Legal barriers to their employment are being swept away, as the nations' classrooms welcome Ukranian teachers. Moldovans have driven hours to border points to pick up strangers. Homeowners offer spare rooms to fleeing families in need of a place to sleep. The incoming refugees also represent an economic opportunity to bring skills into a country that has struggled to keep its most talented at home. Refugees "should be integrated economically and earn money," Igor Grosu, president of the Moldova parliament, said in an interview. Moldova has already simplified procedures for Ukrainians to open bank accounts, enroll their children in local schools, and access health care.
Read Full Story.
|
|
Immo Wegmann | Unsplash
|
Jos Ands' relief organization, World Central Kitchen (WCK), is working to feed Ukrainian refugees in Europe. WCK has established operations at border crossings in Poland and is partnering with Caritas Internationalis to help feed Ukrainians still in the country. As part of that partnership, Andres himself delivered about 400 pounds of flour to a bakery in Lviv, Ukraine, to help them keep the bakery running. Additionally, WCK is financially supporting restaurants in five cities and two border crossings inside the Ukraine. It is establishing meal distribution points in other countries, including Hungary, Moldova, and Romania. "We are the tip of the iceberg. A lot of things are happening. The Polish government is doing their part. Individual organizations. The mayors of local towns," Andres said. The WCK model was established in 2017 on Puerto Rico, where locals without power, water, and fresh food for weeks on end as the government struggled to get the island's infrastructure back online. Everywhere Andres and WCK go, they partner with food trucks, restaurants and catering companies to serve fresh meals in disaster areas where access to such food can be limited. This model helps the organization invest in the local economy and engage with the community at the same time.
Read Full Story.
|
|
Mitchell Hartley/Unsplash
|
A man from Dorset, UK, is on his way to the Ukraine-Poland border with a 16-seater minibus loaded with blankets, sleeping bags and toys for refugees. He said he wanted to show refugees they were not alone and bring them "a tinge of hope and warmth". The inspiring Briton, Tom Littledyke, said, "There's always something we can do. Too often, we think that we have to do something grand and if it can't be grand, what's the point." But he added: "It doesn't matter what we do, as long as it's something in the right. direction. There's so many of us who want to help, it will all build to this gigantic thing."
Read Full Story.
|
|
|
