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Dear Friends,
The second week of summer camps have come to an end today. It has been a challenging week, and the children have reacted much differently to the first week. They had a difficult start, as on Monday morning the air raid sirens sounded for 5 hours, with news breaking that the children’s hospital in Kyiv had been badly hit with casualties. The children all understood what this meant. This news was breaking as they were in the bomb shelter waiting for the sirens to stop.
Some parents thought it unsafe to send their children to the camp as the weekend had been very difficult. However, still 98 children turned up, and from talking with Bohdan I think he was glad that there were not too many more! Many of the younger children are struggling with psychological and behavioural issues, which has been challenging to cope with. When questioned the children all say that what they dream of and really want, is for the war to stop and for their fathers to come back home. A fuller report will be created and sent out in the next week containing further impact stories from the children.
Each week, along with all the activities, every child will be given a present. The picture at the top of the page shows the joy of one of them receiving this. This small act has bought some light and hope along with a little normality in this little girl’s life.
Power cuts have featured a little in the early part of the week. It is a disruption the children seem to be used to as a way of life. Heat has also been an issue, with it being a very humid 34C, and in the kitchen nearly 50C. A small air-conditioning unit has been installed there now.
Following is a link to a video that has been created in Lebedyn showing some of the highlights of week 1. This video will help you to see the enormous level of joy and impact these camps have on the children who are living in very difficult circumstances.
In Lebedyn, the team have been still active within the community. Whilst busy cooking in the kitchens, the team have made extra and then taken food out to the new soldiers and their families arriving in the area. They have been very grateful. Aid has run dry again, and we find ourselves looking for more supplies for those in need.
In previous updates I mentioned about Svetlana (pictured below). She is a lawyer and runs the main bakery shop in Lebedyn.
She had heard that we were giving out bread and came to one of the services to see what was happening, and to get one of the loaves to try it. The service had such a personal impact on her and her life, it resulted in her becoming a Christian and joining the church. This picture show her last Sunday sharing her testimony as she will be getting baptised this next Sunday. What she thought would be her competition has become her family and spiritual home, so much so, that the last batch of flour and yeast her company had they donated to the Centre.
In Lebedyn, as in much of Europe currently, the Euros football competition has gripped the nation. As we spoke yesterday Bohdan was pleased for the England win, and said they will be all cheering for England on Sunday. His family are football crazy, but there was no power at home last night to watch it. However, the power was still on at the Centre so they could watch it on the TV there. Ukraine is 2 hours ahead of us here in the UK, but they set off across town to watch. There was one problem in that at 11pm there is a curfew!! They stayed to the end, and Bohdan said they had to creep home at midnight with all the family. They drove the car slowly with no lights on to avoid any attention and made it home safely. The things you do to watch England play football, even in war conditions. They will all be cheering England along on Sunday evening. Where? That remains to be seen!
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. Bohdan says he can feel these and please continue to pray for the team, for safety, for the baptismal service on Sunday, and for the prep for the next camp the week after next for the younger teenagers. Thank you too for the gifts that have been donated to help towards the costs. We are blessed to have this support.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
