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Dear Friends,
This is just a short update this week to inform you of what has been happening with the start of the first week of camps.
The preparations, including the new wash station we need to comply with new regulations, were completed on time – just! Heavy rain, followed by searing heat leading up to the start, hampered this work. The wash station also has toilet facilities behind the door in the picture below.
On the first day (Monday), 106 children arrived. They had planned for 85, but knew more would arrive. It was a hot day at a humid 32C, ending with a massive and spectacular thunderstorm. Air sirens sounded once through the day, so they had to leave to go to the bomb shelter but all were safe.
Bohdan has said that there are more behavioural issues this year with the children, but their excitement and over enthusiasm of all being together can be clearly seen.
The main problem for them seems to be the constant lack of power supply. Lebedyn as a town is badly hit with this, and now it is also affecting both food and water supply. Shops are closing when they do not have power, and their fridges remain off limiting the supply of fresh food. Water is not getting pumped through, and so yesterday morning I had a text to say that Bohdan had been to a water station to collect enough fresh water for the day. It is likely this will have to happen every day. Power is not too bad at the Centre, and we have the new generator so this helps. However, because of the heat they have bought a second large fridge to help store food, and a small, second, air conditioning unit.
The heat makes it hard for those in the kitchen. Bohdan said that when they are cooking it is over 40C and the catering team are melting!
Even though there are logistical challenges the children are loving the camp. They seem to be excited all day long and listen intently to the stories and have so much fun. As always the puppet theatre is a hit and they all want to bring their families to see this!
After the last camp we held in the Spring, I wrote about a troubled young man called Rad. He has returned for this camp and Bohdan said he is a completely different boy. He behaviour is so different and the first thing he did was to run up to Bohdan to say he reads his Bible and has almost finished it! Bohdan promised that when he finished it he would give him another one. His face lit up with joy and went to play with the other children rather than fighting like last time. We cannot underestimate the positive impact these camps have on children that have been caught up in the war. They face grief and uncertainty daily, often in displaced or broken homes as they suffer from the effects of war.
There are just few pictures to share below of the camps.
One other piece of news is that in Sumy, Larisa and the orphanage that is helped so often, has similarly struggled to get fresh food supplies, including meat for the children. The reason is twofold. Firstly, supply issues, and secondly her budgets have been cut or frozen, but with rampant inflation they are struggling to feed the children. We often get gifts coming in asking if we can use these to help feed the children, and so we sent funds recently meaning Bohdan could purchase a month’s supply of food for the children there. She was so grateful. After the camps at the Centre, Bohdan is taking the team over, if safe, to run a day camp with her and the children, and will be taking the puppet theatre.
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers at this time. We keep praying for safety over all that is going on.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
