You instinctively crouch. There’s been another explosion. This one closer. Maybe the next street over. Your teeth are clenched and you hear nothing but a deafening roar in your ears. Adrenaline bristles through your veins screaming, “run.” But you hold fast. You wait to see if there’s another. And pray hard that if there is, it won’t find you.
War is personal. It’s neither news nor entertainment. There’s no flag waving or trumpets. Just fear. And it’s palpable. Overwhelming your senses with the stink of thick black smoke and the lingering taste of cordite and burnt flesh. As a onetime UN peace keeper, I have seen the face of war close up and ugly.
That’s why I was moved to read that despite fierce fighting raging once again between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian forces, a small group of brave women have chosen to say goodbye to their families and sacrifice their lives by staying in harm’s way. Now, huddled together behind the bullet riddled walls of the Donetsk city animal shelter, they alone, are doing what no one else will. Caring for over 800 dogs and cats abandoned by the terrified, fleeing residents of this once thriving centre of culture and commerce.
The women used to sing while they fed, cleaned and saw to their injured, but no more. Joyful voices have given way to dread and tears. Food, fuel and much needed medical supplies are running short. The little they have left is rationed. Refugees, some of them children, have also found their way to the shelter, looking for protection. Still the bombs keep falling and every day their situation becomes more and more desperate.
Please join with me in helping these women.
I have distributed donation jars around our community as well as, being an artist, donated a piece of artwork for silent auction. The proceeds will go entirely to this cause and funds raised by the sale of my papering will be tax deductible.
The artwork is called the Secret Meadow. It’s an impressionist landscape measuring 36 X 72 inches and created entirely of paper. It was recently valued in a Vancouver gallery at $3,000. The papering will be on exhibit at the Bowen Island Public Library until closing on Sunday, September 28. It can also be viewed on my website at www.marcbaur.com.
Together, we can send a message to these brave women, that they are not alone in their noble cause.
For more information: http://www.care2.com/causes/extreme-bravery-from-the-women-saving-ukraines-dogs-of-war.html
