Remembering Mothers In War on Mother’s Day
Mother’s day is one of the most popular celebrated holidays in the world. It is a day to celebrate and honor mothers and motherhood. Mother’s day is mostly observed in the months of March and May. Most countries have their day on the second Sunday of the month of May including Ukraine. Unfortunately, mother’s day was very different in Ukraine this year. When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Ukrainian lives were disrupted. Most women including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities fled the country to seek refuge.
Remembering Mothers
Despite the war, the rest of the world did not forget the mothers in war. People around the world have shown random acts of kindness and support for the mothers of a nation that is in the middle of a war.
One Francesco Malavolta, a photojournalist has captured many moments showing the conditions of the Ukrainian war. Malavolta not only captures the sad moments but also the kind and beautiful moments.
Malavolta took an iconic photo showing strollers left behind at a train station for women arriving with small children. When we think of war, everything revolves around survival with food, shelter, and clothes being the main necessities. The thoughtful strangers didn’t do it just for the children but for the mothers in war who had been trekking and carrying their babies for hours and days.
Anything For A Mother
They say a mother’s love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. For some Ukrainian children, their mother’s love turned them into soldiers of the war. Iryna Babenko is among the many who did the impossible by going back to Ukraine to save their mothers.
Babenko’s mother who has medical issues was afraid to leave the country with unfamiliar people thus her decision to go pick her up herself in the middle of the bombings. ” I just arrived from the U.K. on the plane to Poland to collect my mother.” one Lesya Manifold said, ” Even if it takes my country life and my children will be without mom, I must save my mom.”
A Mother’s Love
A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. The mothers in war have shown us and demonstrated this with their strength and resilience during the Ukraine war. On 9 March 2022, the Russian air force bombed a Maternity Hospital, a hospital complex functioning both as a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol, Ukraine.
One expectant beauty blogger, Mariana Vishegirskaya was among the pregnant women in the maternity ward. Ukrainian photographer Evgeniy Maloletka captured Mariana as she fled the maternity hospital after the airstrike.
Mariana who is fully pregnant and carrying her birth essentials as she walks down the stairs shows nothing but strength. Most mothers get tired during their third trimester. Legs get swollen, the baby gets heavier, and even walking becomes tough. Mariana, who is fully pregnant and carrying her birth essentials as she walks down the stairs, shows nothing but strength.
A mother’s determination to get herself and her baby to safety. Mariana did give birth to a beautiful baby girl named Veronika and was lucky enough to have her husband by her side.
Happy mother’s day to all mothers including the mothers in war. Thank you.
