‘I don’t want my people to die’: Hundreds pray for Ukraine during vigil in Southport
Two organizations came together to host a vigil to pray for the people of Ukraine in Southport on Friday.
SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Two organizations came together to host a vigil to pray for the people of Ukraine in Southport on Friday.
Southport Interchurch Fellowship and Southport Indivisible hosted the event that took place on Friday evening on the waterfront surrounding the peace post. The groups only started planning the event on Tuesday and close to 400 people were there to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Reverend Deacon Sally Learned said it sometimes feels like Southport is the end of the road, but in this case, this is as close as they could possibly be to the people of Ukraine. Sending love and prayers for peace to people an ocean away, but touching people who are on the Carolina Coast, like Heather Nevill.
“It’s just very scary to hear your friends say ‘I hope I’ll write you tomorrow,'” Nevill said.
Nevill lives in Onslow County and works in Wilmington. She says her boss allowed her to get off work early to attend the vigil. Years ago, she lived with 25 Ukrainians here in the United States while they were on work-study visas. Since then, she’s visited them in Ukraine several times.
“Just that something like this is going on is going to mean so much to my friends,” Nevill said. “They’re so happy about the support that they’re getting globally and here in the U.S.”
Nevill says her friends are spread throughout Ukraine and Europe. With the time difference, Nevill says she worries something may have happened while she is sleeping when she wakes up to check her phone.
“The connection is spotty and there will probably be a delay of two to three hours, but I do hear from them,” Nevill said. “It feels like you can’t do anything about it.”
In one case, she says her friend’s fiance went into labor during the invasion and now the family of three is trapped in the basement of a hospital.
One Ukrainian woman addressed the crowd at the vigil, thanking the crowd for being there and pleading for an end to the war.
“I’m praying, I don’t want to lose my family. I don’t want to lose my country,” Nataliya Brynzey said to the crowd.
Brynzey was there with her friend Nataliya Singur. They’re both from Ukraine and have lived here for decades, but much of their family remains in Europe. Brynzey’s youngest sister is fighting in the Ukrainian army.
“I cry every day, I pray every day for them to stay safe,” Brynzey said. “It’s been really hard, very hard for me.”
To make sure she is available at all times, Brynzey sleeps with her phone. She says she last spoke to her parents and they are close to the Romanian border. She says there aren’t bombings happening there now, but sirens are blaring and they are preparing in case something does happen.
“Putting the pillows and blankets on the windows just trying to protect themselves as much as they can, especially because she lives in a 9 story building so I’m really scared for them,” Brynzey said. “I don’t want my people to die, I don’t want our culture to stop. I just beg those Russian leaders to understand that we are also people and we want to have our peace.”
Both women are grateful for the support being shown for their people and their country. Singur says Ukraine and Russia were one country at one time, saying they both grew up in the USSR.
“We all have family all over Russia and Ukraine. They’re all people, they don’t want war. So please, God, stop this war,” Singur said.
Southport Indivisible recommends the following organizations if you would like to support Ukraine financially:
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