Jan. 14, 2023

For Ukraine

Twenty years ago I traveled to Ukraine twice.  The church choir in which I sang was invited to participate in a mission trip to Kyiv, and I was sent first (as part of a pre-tour group) in addition, to help solidify planning for our larger group's arrival.  During my second trip with my choir, we sang in several concert and cathedral venues, enjoying a return visit to the homes of members of the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Music Mission Kyiv whom we met and had hosted during their most recent tour of the US.  

During my two visits to Kyiv, I was privileged to be introduced to and spend time with a number of widows who were 'under the wings' of the KSOC/MMK for visitations and care [food and medicines].  A number of the widows presented us with intricately cut paper snowflakes as a token of gratitude for our visiting with them.  

When I returned home, I pondered about how I might use these beautiful hand-cut paper works of art and settled on the idea to make sun prints on cotton fabric using the snowflakes as the design element.  I set the paper cut-outs outside in the sun, resting on a background base of fabric [still wet] I had just painted with blue transparent textile paint.  [Blue is one of the main colors of the Ukrainian national flag.]  An hour later, the prints were dry.  They measured a little less than 12 inches by 12 inches, a perfect quilt block size.

A month ago, I hand-quilted around some of the design elements of one print, on top of batting, and framed it under glass.  It has been a reminder of the beautiful hearts and total courage and generosity of the amazing people I met and befriended in Kyiv.  Their daily reality now is 180 degrees the opposite of what we all experienced twenty years ago.  However, an unwanted, undeserved war has not changed the hearts and resolve of the Ukrainian people we visited and came to love so deeply.