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Dear Friends,
I’m pleased to be able to write that the Autumn Camp has taken place this week.
85 children arrived, with many other requests by parents for their children to attend turned down as there were simply not enough helpers to take more. These parents were upset. However, the team have been able to have some good chats, and have invited all to the weekly children’s clubs which they were happy about. Bohdan expects numbers now to increase for these as a result. Here are a few pictures:
Bohdan has said that the camp has been a miracle. Despite what we have often seen with previous camps, there have been no power cuts or air raid sirens. The children have loved the week, and have been able to communicate well about all that is happening in their life. Most are very concerned for family members that are away fighting on the front line. A fuller report will be available in a few weeks with stories and more pictures.
The realities of this war are still having huge impact on daily living. Wednesday, Bohdan had to drive to Sumy which took much longer than anticipated. Checkpoints are more widely placed throughout the region with increased soldiers, and they are being far more thorough. It is getting more challenging and even more dangerous to get around the region.
Bohdan’s good friend, whose children came to the Summer Camp, was conscripted late summer. Yesterday Bohdan found out that he had been quite seriously wounded whilst in an armoured military carrier. All his colleagues were sadly killed, and the trauma of this will stay with him forever. These stories are being repeated more and more within family life in Ukraine. This week, figures have stated that over 1,600 Russian soldiers have been killed in a day. This number keeps on increasing. The loss of life on both sides is staggering and so hard to imagine.
The team have started visiting an elderly lady who sadly lost her husband earlier this year through natural causes. She has not been out of the house since that time as she is not physically able to do much. They have taken in food and bread to her, and now visit regularly to help. She has no family nearby anymore.
Another large family in the area needed some urgent help so they were able to visit them as well and do what they can. See below.
At the Centre, services have been taking place as well as the camps, with growing attendance. To cope with this their new generator has been converted to use propane gas as well as conventional fuel, as it is much cheaper. This generator is so effective it will power everything when there are power cuts in both of the buildings, with the exception of the kitchen as this takes a special phased supply for all the commercial ovens and equipment. Computer classes and homegroups have growing numbers attending, so there is much activity going on.
The government are insisting that schools go back after this break, but as Bohdan has said - it simply is not safe! The bomb shelter at the school is woefully inadequate as it is constantly damp, has no toilets and has little heating. If required to use, not all children would fit in. There is a parents meeting to discuss this over these next few days.
On Sunday, we were able to have a video chat with Bohdan’s family. They had been over to visit Pastor Andrew, and sadly they found out he has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At present they are struggling to get the right drugs for this condition. In addition to pastoring the church in Samotoivka, he works in a specialist manufacturing plant making flooring that is sold in Europe, and the factory was demolished due to a bomb over the weekend which is adding to his stress. Please pray he will be able to get the correct medication and will be able to keep working.
Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. They really are appreciated. Please do keep praying for everyone’s safety in these difficult days.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
