With the political situation tense right now between the United States and Ukraine, some Virginians are voicing their support for people caught up in the war.
In Charlottesville Tuesday, protesters gathered outside the city’s federal building. In other places, the support came at church in recent days.
Inside the Blacksburg United Methodist Church, the choir sang “How Great Thou Art,” a hymn with Ukrainian roots. The choir also performed a traditional Ukrainian prayer, set to music in 2022 at the beginning of the war.
Fred Vanderwerf was the guest speaker at this event.
“I’m encouraged, especially a church like Blacksburg, by their ongoing support of Ukraine. It means a lot,” said Vanderwerf, a pastor who leads a ministry partnership between Methodist churches in the U.S. and in Ukraine. They’ve built shelters for displaced people in Ukraine, and support other humanitarian programs. Last week, Vanderwerf was in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is watching how the rest of the world is responding,” Vanderwerf said.
He talked about fellow congregants in Ukraine, who are living amidst the ongoing war. A pastor there is training in psychology, to be able to help people who have experienced trauma of war.
Here in Blacksburg, congregants voiced support for friends who they have gotten to know through zoom the past several years. Children made 101 paper sunflowers to honor Ukraine’s national flower.
