Kyiv: As Ukraine marks its 35th anniversary of independence, an Indian nun who has spent nearly 25 years serving in the country says the war has brought fear and suffering on a scale she never imagined. Yet she has also witnessed a deep determination among Ukrainians to survive, protect their homeland and hold on to their faith.
Sister Liji Payyapilly, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Saint Marc, has made the monastery in Pavshyno in the Transcarpathia region a place where people come for prayer, spiritual guidance and comfort. During the war, however, her mission has taken her far beyond the relative safety of the monastery.
She has travelled to communities in some of the hardest hit areas, including Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kherson. Her visits have given her a direct view of the human cost of the conflict and the struggles faced by civilians living under the threat of missiles and drones.
Sister Liji says Ukrainians now go to sleep unsure whether they will wake safely. Each morning, she says, people are grateful simply to be alive. Despite the constant danger, she believes they have a basic right to live without fear and to determine their own future.
One of the most painful scenes she witnessed was in Sumy and Zaporizhzhia, where people stood in long lines for food. She recalled seeing thousands waiting for bread and basic supplies, a sight that reminded her of stories she had heard about hunger during the Second World War.
Many people she met had once owned homes and land but had lost almost everything because of the fighting. Humanitarian workers and religious communities have stepped in to provide food and other essentials, offering assistance to families and children struggling to survive.
In Dnipro, Sister Liji visited a military hospital and met wounded soldiers who were learning to walk with prosthetic limbs or live with severe injuries. The experience left her struggling to find words. She said their sacrifice made her feel a profound sense of gratitude because they had suffered while defending their country and its people.
Her journey to Kharkiv showed her another side of the war. Despite attacks and uncertainty, people continued to volunteer, work and maintain ordinary parts of daily life. She was particularly struck by their determination to keep living.
Kherson left an even deeper impression. The city faced severe destruction, shortages of water and the constant danger of drones. Yet residents continued to attend Mass and express gratitude for the lives they still had. For Sister Liji, one of the strongest signs of hope came when a baby girl was born in the city.
She believes that birth showed that life had not been defeated by war.
For Sister Liji, prayer is central to Ukraine's struggle. She sees prayer not as an escape from reality but as a source of strength for people facing fear, loss and uncertainty. She believes faith can help people resist hatred and despair while keeping their hearts focused on peace.
As Ukraine observes its Independence Day, she says true independence means more than having a national identity. It means being able to live freely and safely without constant fear.
Her message is ultimately one of hope. War has destroyed homes, separated families and left many people wounded, but it has not destroyed the Ukrainian people's desire to live. In the places where suffering is greatest, Sister Liji says she continues to find courage, compassion, prayer and signs that life is still moving forward.