Tears of Joy
by Tanya Yashvili
Throughout human history, war has been the most painful subject. It has revealed the intricacies of the human personality. After all, our true selves are revealed under pressure.
Ukraine has a long history of war and it’s had an impact on me. I would like to share something unique and important that happened in my life.
At the end of December 2014, I was invited to a Christmas concert. I will forever remember the thoughts and feelings that I experienced in the room where the concert took place. For the first time since the beginning of the war, I cried for joy. I enjoyed music again. I saw beautiful and happy people who sang about the birth of our Lord. I trembled as I began to ask myself, “Why am I here among the listeners? Why am I not singing there on stage together with those beautiful people?” In one month, I came to Music Mission Kiev, and this mission has changed my life’s trajectory. Initially, I thought it was just a highly professional music company that could perform any sacred work (regardless of its technical complexity). They did sacred works of various styles coming from different countries and eras of musical history. It was truly fantastic! I have been dreaming of a thing like that ever since I was a child. Later, my attention was drawn to the Music Mission Kiev ministries. It turned out that musicians are only a part of this large Christian mission.
I was bruised by the war in Ukraine. I went through a long period of despair and helplessness. Finally—after all this—I got an opportunity to do something meaningful. I was able to join the army of volunteers who are trying to maintain an equilibrium in Ukraine at this difficult time. At last, I was able to sing for the sake of the destitute, the humiliated, and the wounded; for the sake of military widows and children affected by the war … My life was divided into two parts—‘before the war’ and ‘after the war’ … I have found myself … During our tours in the United States and Canada, I talked about my country and its ancient culture. I also talked about this mean, terrible war. The more I spoke, the more I rediscovered my Ukrainian identity. Not that I didn’t identify with Ukrainian culture before, but I was sort of ambivalent about it. However, now I promote it and am proud of it.
When performing, I see a lot of tears, but some tears warm the human heart—they are tears that inspire. Wherever we perform, in North America or here in Ukraine, our listeners cry. They cry because music has enormous power. It has the power to remind us that we were created in the image of God. After all, the human voice is the only instrument created directly by God Himself.
As long as we are able to cry for joy, mankind has hope. It means we are ALIVE. We are able to hear one another, trust in other people, and respond to their needs.
