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"We must manage the voice of fear. If fear is turned way up, we will have a hard time trusting." -- Patrick O’Neill
Hello! This week’s stories show how, when we focus on ‘what’s working’ and look for meaningful opportunities, we feed the human spirit. In a world full of challenges, these stories remind us of what is possible when kindness and compassion are present: a five year old donates all his money from his piggy bank, 100 violins join with 20 year-old Illia Bondarenko as he plays a Ukrainian folk song, and 100,000 people in the UK offer their home to Ukranian refugees. May we always remember the power of love. Wishing you a good day!
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Joel Wyncott | Unsplash
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Illia Bondarenko, 20, recorded himself playing a Ukrainian folk song on his violin and posted it on Instagram, asking for others to join in support of his people. "The meaning is that now everybody, every person in Ukraine and in the whole world is a soldier in their own battlefield. Not only for musicians but for all people. Music is the best language to say emotions because in that horrible situation, sometimes words, it's not enough. I think now every human in the world should say something about the situation and support Ukraine," Bondarenko said in his video. The response was stunning: nearly 100 violinists from around the world created their own videos. In a compilation video, they play alongside him, pledging their support to the Ukrainian cause. One of the violinists who made his own recording said, "The violin has always had that ability to sing from the heart in a way. Any little bit we can do to help, we're willing to do."
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Pakkin Leung | Wikimedia Commons, CC-by-4.0
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It's not often a website crash means something good. In the case of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities of the United Kingdom it reflected the generosity of the British people. More than 100,000 people offered their homes to Ukrainian refugees in the first 24 hours of the government scheme, Homes for Ukraine. Families and individuals can come to the United Kingdom and be allowed to live and work in the UK for up to 3 years receiving full and unrestricted access to benefits, healthcare, employment and other support. Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said, "I'm glad the website crashed, because it is a reflection of that generosity of the British people."
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George Heard | New Zealand Herald via AP
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On March 15, 2022, in Wellington, New Zealand, Temel Atacocugu entered the Al Noor mosque at 1:40 p.m., the exact time he was shot 9 times in 2019. He made an emotional speech, having just completed a two-week walk and bike ride for peace in which he retraced the 360-kilometer route that the gunman had driven that fateful day to the mosques where he killed 51 Muslim worshippers. Although Atacocugu suffered from blisters and blood poisoning along the way and often felt pain from his injuries suffered during that terrible event, he never gave up. "I wanted to fix this damage," Atacocugu said. "Because three years ago, he started that journey with hate." Blessing the route along the way, Atacocugu also raised NZD$64,000 during his journey for three charities benefiting children.
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Igor Ovsyannykov | Pixabay
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Tesco eliminated over 1.5 billion pieces of plastic from its packaging afterlaunching its 4R packaging initiative in 2019. The 4Rs stand for Remove, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. "We all have a responsibility to take care of our planet, and removing unnecessary plastic is an important way that Tesco can reduce its environmental impact," said Sarah Bradbury, the company's quality director.
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Christian Wiediger | Unsplash
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While the adults in the world are expressing helplessness and frustration at the situation in Ukraine, 5-year-old Liam Moore from Ontario, Canada, has no doubt at all about his ability to help. When the kindergartener heard about the fundraiser being organized by the students of his school, he told his mother he wanted to help, "because they're in danger and not in a very safe place like we are." The little boy donated all $20 in his piggy bank, earned by doing chores around the house, much to the admiration of his seniors. Though he was saving the money to buy himself an action figure, little Liam has no regrets. "I'm actually fine with the toys I have," he says.
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