If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
The fourth week of camps finished well. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and despite major problems with power, water, and local food supplies, the team was still able to do what was needed. Through creativity and perseverance, they completed everything planned, although not without some frustration.
At night, drones and bombs could be heard and were landing nearby, but during the day, remarkably, there was no activity. After one particularly difficult night, two children were not allowed to return, while others came after hearing the camp was running. Once again, the parents’ reactions were striking. Many remain angry and frustrated because of the war, and distrust is still high.
Click on the image below to watch our YouTube video of highlights from the camps of the children having a great time!
This week has been busy as the team catch up on plans for next week’s camp with the younger teenagers. We are expecting record numbers, which has surprised everyone.
Refugees continue to arrive in Lebedyn, but many cannot find somewhere to live, and all free accommodation has now gone. One woman from the Donetsk region arrived with nothing but used her savings to buy a small, run-down house—more like a shack made of wood and metal. She is trying to rebuild it, with neighbours helping her gather materials from bomb-damaged sites. The government has offered no support. We have provided food and supplies, and her daughter, Eva, was quickly given a place at camp with Farmer Sergey’s team so she could make friends and receive two meals each day. Sadly, situations like this are becoming increasingly common. The team have also been to many houses as well as people coming to the Centre for help.
With the power situation expected to worsen, we are looking into solar power so we can generate our own electricity. Installation is far cheaper than in the UK, but it would still be a major investment but enable us to be self-sufficient. Even so, it would enable the team in Lebedyn to keep baking bread and continue their work throughout the year.
Above is a picture of Natalie, who is profoundly deaf. She teaches sign language and currently has teaching contracts in the Netherlands. During the school holidays, she returned home to Lebedyn to visit family and was shocked by the changes in the community. Church members who teach local children and had worked with Natalie before invited her to join them at church, as she was clearly upset by what she had seen. On Sunday, she chose to follow Jesus and became a Christian. She now wants to be baptised before returning to the Netherlands. When the world offers no hope, people turn to the One who can.
Please continue to pray for the Teen camp next week, the team as they cope in difficult circumstances and all the work they do with all the services within the community.
Thank you for your continued support, especially to those who have recently given financial gifts. If you are a UK taxpayer and have not yet completed a Gift Aid form, please contact me, as we can claim an extra 25% of your gift from the government.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful. This link can show you more info……Hope Lebedyn's page | Stewardship
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
It feels almost miraculous that the camps are running this week.
Weekend bombing left Lebedyn without power, gas or water. Anticipating this, the team collected enough water for the camp, arranged outdoor cooking using bottled gas, and found practical ways to keep going. Once again, as I write, the bomb shelters have not been needed, and no drones or missiles have been in the area during the camp.
Fuel remains difficult to obtain, as petrol stations continue to be targeted. This weekend, Bohdan travelled 100 km in search of fuel. He attempted to go to Sumy, but as they approached the city, drones and missiles were falling, so they turned back because it was too dangerous.
Last week’s camp was for children aged 6–8, and Bohdan said it was the most difficult camp he has ever led. The impact of the war is clear in these young children’s behaviour: they struggle socially, find communication difficult, lack concentration and become angry easily. Because of the dangers of war, many have never attended school or nursery regularly. Parents are increasingly frustrated too; some children describe being shouted at constantly at home. Even so, parents are willing to bring their children to camp because it offers respite and they see it as a safe place.
When asked to draw or paint, around 90% of the children depicted the war ending and happy families reunited with both Mum and Dad present. Sadly, many do not understand that some fathers will not return. Their longing is simple and profound: they dream of the war ending, and they desperately want love and affection. Again and again, what they most wanted was a hug.
This week’s camp, for children aged 9–11, has been easier. Some have attended the weekly Saturday clubs, their behaviour is better, they enjoy the stories and activities, and they are more willing to help one another. What is being modelled at the weekend clubs is clearly making a difference in their lives.
People continue to come for help. One woman arrived from a village near the border that had been destroyed. She was confused and still suffering from concussion. The team gave her food and hygiene products, but the need is great and the aid store is now running low.
Bohdan also visited two people serving near the front line in Sumy. Elijah came into the church through camps and youth work and is doing well. Another soldier, who also used to attend camps but has not returned to church for some time, has been fighting since the war began. He told Bohdan that what he learnt at camp has stayed with him, and that before every mission he gathers his unit to pray. He believes this is why he is still alive. Bohdan shared communion with them both.
For many of us, it is hard to imagine what life is like in wartime, but we are increasingly seeing prayer make a real difference. Recently, the Sumy Oblast carried out a county-wide inspection of district school directors (head teachers). Under new laws, the consequences of failing appear to be severe: dismissal and, for men, being sent to the front line. In recent months, we have worked closely with schools in Gryntsevo, Mezhyrich and Lebedyn. When news of the inspections came, all three schools contacted Bohdan and asked for prayer. Remarkably, every director failed and was dismissed except those from the three schools that had asked for prayer; they remain in post.
Please continue to pray for:
Thank you for all your kind gifts and ongoing prayers they are appreciated as always.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful. This link can show you more info……Hope Lebedyn's page | Stewardship
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
The camps are under way with over 100 children attending the latest!
As has been the case in the past, there have been no drones or missiles in the area whilst the camps have been running. There has been activity through the night after all have gone home, but we give thanks for the safety of the children whilst attending the camp. Like for many of us in Europe it has been exceptionally hot which adds another dynamic.
Bohdan said that the children are very “emotionally unstable” due to the war as the trauma and grief take hold. Parents are tired, angry and feel trapped by the war as children cannot go out to play, which manifests itself in bad parenting and is why these camps are so important. The team are working to the “limit of their strength” to show a different model of living. Please continue to pray for them.
With a new wave of bombing in the larger cities there has been an increase of people leaving Kharkiv especially and being placed in Lebedyn. Many of them are sent to the Centre for help, and they have been arriving whilst the camps are taking place. The team held a special event for them after the camp on Wednesday. This lady arrived at our door with her child having lost everything. We did all we could to help her.
Also after the camp day was finished they went to visit the village of Hryntsevo again to work with the youth there.
There will be more extensive news next week, but please do continue to pray for safety for all that is happening and for the team. Thank you to all those who have recently donated to the work. Without your help we could not achieve what we are able to do.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful. This link can show you more info……Hope Lebedyn's page | Stewardship
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
The first camp finished well, and the team is now running a camp at the Centre for children with special educational and additional needs. Forty children plus their leaders from the Educational Centre are attending. Power remains unreliable because of ongoing drone attacks on power supply infrastructure, but as you can see from the photos, the children have greatly enjoyed everything taking place so far.
The camp in Hryntsevo deeply affected both the team and the children. The children’s trauma and mistrust were clear, yet by the end of the week many were in tears because they did not want the camp to end. Parents again said the experience had changed their children’s lives.
In his report, Bohdan shared this heartbreaking story:
"Whilst in the camp we noticed a boy named Ivan. He moved to the 11th grade. He didn't look very neat. His clothes were dirty and hadn't been changed for a week, and his behaviour was strange overall. We thought that maybe he had a developmental delay, but everything is fine with his brain. Then the director said that this boy had a mother who was an alcoholic and constantly drank. She drank at the cemetery taking him with her, and when she was lying drunk, Ivan was constantly by her side – he was only 3 years old when this was happening. She died on one of these drinking sessions and people found Ivan sat and crying beside her, nobody knows for how long. His father took Ivan to Hryntsevo, but neither he nor the grandmother have looked after the boy. He was simply imprisoned in the house so that he did not go anywhere except school. This explained his "strange" behaviour. But, interestingly, he constantly wanted to be close to the leaders, to hear something, to feel the warmth of love. I wanted to give an answer to some question. When we talked about the fact that God loves us as parents, it "cut" to his heart, he cried because he had no family. It's hard for him to be friends with his peers, so we constantly tried to fix it. They can joke with him, and he reacts sharply to this. When he received the gift we presented to him there were tears in his eyes as he had rarely received any gifts until now as a grown boy."
While the camps have been running, the team have also been helping as many people as possible. Since the start of the war, they have regularly visited the nearby village of Budilka, which has been badly affected. Missiles have destroyed much of the village, and many families fled, leaving mainly elderly residents and refugees. With no shops in the area, these visits are greatly appreciated. During this time, a church also began meeting in a home, and the team now supports it with aid and by helping with the services.
Tatyana, 73, has been attending the home group for two years. She became a Christian, helps in the village, and, like many others, asks many questions about the war. Her son, Sergey, is serving in the armed forces.
Please continue to pray for:
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers and for the many gifts sent in to help fund the camps. It is greatly appreciated.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful. This link can show you more info……Hope Lebedyn's page | Stewardship
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
There was no update last week as we had the joy of meeting Bohdan, Alla, and their family in Poland. A group of us, including three trustees, travelled to a location near Warsaw.
It was a special week, giving us the opportunity to hear first-hand about life in Lebedyn and the Sumy region—the pain as well as the joy. Some stories were heartbreaking, while others filled us with joy and hope. We also spent a day planning for the future, focusing on the vision and exploring how the team and its work could become more effective. I will share more of these stories and plans in future updates.
Bohdan and Alla’s children greatly enjoyed the chance to stay away from the war zone. On the journey to our accommodation, one of the children asked whether they would be safe there and if bombs and sirens could no longer reach them. We were staying in a house about 35 minutes outside Warsaw, in the countryside near the lovely small town of Milanowek. With more than two acres of garden, the children had space to play safely. Yet on the first day, when a passenger plane flew overhead, fear showed clearly on their faces. Little Zoryana was frightened and asked if she needed to hide. As the week went on, we began to understand more deeply the impact the war is having on children, and discussed what we can do to help. It was not all meetings and we managed to visit the zoo in Warsaw and take them England shirts ready for the World Cup!
Bohdan’s journey back was difficult, with an overnight stop near Korosten where drones and missiles struck the area, leaving little chance for sleep. He returned on Sunday in time to begin the first of six weeks of camps.
This camp is especially significant, as the team has been invited into a school in Grintsevo where 65 children are still attending. The school director asked them to bring the same activities they run at the Centre, so the children are being given two meals a day, along with puppet theatre, games, and crafts. Each day, the children enjoy it immensely and listen closely to the Bible stories being shared. They join in with great enthusiasm, and the director has said they have never seen the children so happy.
Sadly, yesterday late Wednesday afternoon after the camps had finished and in late evening, bombs fell on Lebedyn. The Centre and their houses shook from the blast. Thankfully, there was no damage to the Centre or to team homes, but the power stations and sub-stations were taken out so there has been no power and not likely to be any for some time. The team still went to Grintsevo as the power outage has affected them also, but they took solar generators so all the puppet show equipment could still work. Please do pray for this situation as the team have another camp in Lebedyn next week.
As you can see, the war continues to have a heavy impact on the region, though reports suggest that Ukrainian soldiers are making gains and pushing back. Pastor Andrew also told me that in Samotoivka there are now more soldiers than civilians.
Aid arrived unexpectedly when the Mennonite community in western Ukraine sent a truckload of supplies. Although it did not include food, it contained many useful items, including hygiene products, school materials to help children study from home, and other everyday essentials.
One of our workers, Sasha, is unwell and has been taken to hospital in Sumy for treatment. He is experiencing problems with his lung, which is especially serious as he has only one. Doctors are still assessing his condition, so please do remember Sasha in your thoughts and prayers.
While we were in Poland, we received regular updates. As the site was being prepared for the camp season, Andrew took teams to deliver bread not only in Lebedyn, but also to villages near the Russian border, where poverty remains especially severe and the bread was deeply appreciated. We have also been facing difficulty sourcing flour since the mill we had been using closed because of the war. However, through a supporter who reads these updates, we were connected with another mill just outside Kharkiv that can supply the high-grade flour we need at a much lower price. This is wonderful news, and the first order has now been placed. It feels like a real answer to prayer, and we are so thankful for those who read these updates and can offer help.
The youth also visited another church in town, where Pastor Sergey is originally from. Valentyn is working to build a connection between the two youth groups so they can support one another. Although the other church has fewer young people, the two groups relate well together, and it is a joy to see them united as they lead services.
I want to return to the impact of this war on children. Our hope now is to find the right support to offer trauma care to families in need, with help that is suitable for both children and parents. There are several options to consider, and we are seeking the best way to serve them well.
Another burden on these children is the many restrictions they now live under. They are warned not to play in the woods because of mines, they cannot go out in the evenings unless accompanied by adults, and many live with the fear of fathers or loved ones being taken to fight. Even the constant sounds of war bring fear into daily life. Schooling has also been deeply disrupted. Only the first and final years are guaranteed regular attendance, while other children may go in just once a week, often for two short sessions because of the need to use bomb shelters. Their education is suffering, and this is a growing concern for many parents.
This is one reason the camps have such value. They give the children something of the normality they have lost, though the team often say that at the start of each week many of them struggle socially. Please do pray for the camps in the weeks ahead, and for the lasting impact they may have on these young lives mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Finally, Bohdan shared that each night he reads the Bible and prays with his children before bed. Every day he reminds them that they are here only by God’s grace and mercy, and tells them that tomorrow is never guaranteed but they need not be afraid. This is the reality the team are living in, and the faithful spirit in which they continue to serve during this time of war.
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayer. It is truly appreciated.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful. This link can show you more info……Hope Lebedyn's page | Stewardship
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
Another week has passed, and the war continues to take a heavy toll on the communities in and around Lebedyn. A planned trip to Byshkin last Friday had to be cancelled when it became clear that the road was too dangerous to travel.
Bread has been baked again, and additional services and events have been held to distribute it to those most in need. Children’s and youth activities have continued with growing attendance, and the young people also led a service at another local church.
Preparations for the summer camps are well underway. The first camp will take place in the first week of June, when the team has been invited to run its usual programme at the school in Grintsevo. Parents will be invited during the week to share in the excitement and see their children enjoying the activities. There is a large bomb shelter available if needed, though we pray it will not be. We are responsible for providing breakfast and lunch, while the school kitchen team will prepare the meals.
Food prices have risen sharply in recent weeks, significantly increasing the cost of the camps. Please pray that the camps will run smoothly, that all the logistics will come together, and that there will be enough team members to help, which remains a challenge for some of the six weeks.
The strain on family life continues to grow. Arthur, who served on our team some years ago, left Ukraine with his wife to live elsewhere in Europe so that he would not be called to fight. His father had been ill for a long time and sadly passed away this week. Arthur was unable to return in time for the funeral, which added greatly to his grief. As has happened so often, the church had to manage everything for the family, with little or no relatives present. It is heartbreaking to see how much sorrow and pain families are enduring.
On a more encouraging note, Ivan visited the Centre while home on leave. He is a soldier and a friend of Costa, Lyuba’s husband. Like many men in Ukraine, Ivan had fallen into drug and alcohol addiction and was sent to a Christian rehabilitation centre near Kharkiv, where others have also been helped through Bohdan’s recommendation. He came through the programme successfully and has been serving in the army since the war began. On Tuesday, Ivan came to the Centre unannounced and asked to speak with Bohdan. After talking together, he prayed and became a Christian. Bohdan and the team are now helping him find a church near where he lives and serves. Please pray for Ivan, and for many others in the armed forces who are searching for hope.
Bohdan also travelled to Zhytomyr at the weekend for Paulo’s wedding as you can see in the photo above. Paulo served on the team as a youth pastor until three years ago, when he moved there. Bohdan was invited to preach at the service. Paulo’s father was probably our first youth pastor and has since pastored a church in Hadyach. In the first six months of the war, Bohdan and the team helped that church receive aid from Poltava. The church is now struggling and has asked for support, so Bohdan and the team plan to visit in a few weeks. Please pray for Paulo and his wife, and for Andrew and his church.
Please continue to pray for more aid to come our way as this is now desperately needed and for a new resident caretaker to replace Misha as he has left the country.
Thank you all so much for your ongoing support and prayers.
Thank you for your continued ongoing support both financially and prayerfully. It is very much appreciated.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
P.S. It costs around £35 for one child to attend a non-residential camp week. This covers two meals, drinks, snacks, and all activities. We need to send $25,000 to meet these costs, so if you can contribute in any way, we would be very grateful.
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
It has been another week where there simply has not been enough time to help everyone in need. The bakery has been busy baking large quantities of bread, which has been distributed far and wide.
People came to the Centre for the midweek service, with nearly 100 people attending. Many of these were refugees in the town, desperately trying to find help and encouragement while carrying the heavy burden of grief after losing homes and family members. As you can see from the photo above, the fresh bread brings so much joy.
The team also visited the college where many refugees are being housed. It had previously been evacuated due to the threat of bombing, but it is now full once again. Aid and bread were distributed to all those we were able to help.
Under Andrew’s supervision, the team visited outlying villages, some very small and never visited before, close to the Russian border. Once again, the devastation and need were clear, with people desperate for help and support. Last Friday, the team also visited Byshkyn, another small village known to them, and they could hardly believe the damage and destruction they witnessed.
Some of you may remember that, near the start of the war, we helped a family purchase a home in Lebedyn after they had fled an outlying village, thanks to the generosity of one donor. Luda lives there with her son, Sergey, and daughter, Natasha. Natasha was left severely disabled following a car accident more than 15 years ago that broke her back. Luda also suffers from serious heart problems, with her heart functioning at only 50% capacity. She desperately needs an operation, but because of the war this is not possible, and she may even require a heart transplant in the future.
Sergey has been registered as the carer for both his mother and sister and, because of this, has so far not been required to fight. However, as I write this update, Sergey’s papers are with the military commission as the exemptions from military service have once again changed, and it now looks likely that he will be called up to the army. It is hard to know how Luda and Natasha will cope, but Bohdan and the team are trying to find a lawyer to help and to see what else can be done.
Nearly all exemptions that were previously in place now seem to have been removed, and even some members of the team may become vulnerable to being called up. Bohdan has asked specifically that we pray for this situation.
Sometimes there are special moments when encouragement comes your way. This week, after the children’s club, a mother came to the Centre and asked to speak with Bohdan. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for what the team are doing there. For her, the Centre has brought a sense of normality and has allowed her daughter to simply be a child again. She donated all of her daughter’s outgrown clothes to help others, even though she could probably have sold them. Generosity truly breeds generosity.
We must continue praying for a just and lasting peace that will endure for generations to come. Please also pray for the camp preparations as we hope to reach more than 500 children and make a real difference in their lives. In the current climate, this is a huge undertaking both physically and financially.
Thank you for your continued ongoing support both financially and prayerfully. It is very much appreciated.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
Last weekend, the intensity of the war increased in Lebedyn. The centre housing internally displaced people was threatened by bombs, forcing a rushed evacuation. Many residents were relocated to unsuitable living conditions as a result. Fortunately, the anticipated bombing did not occur, and most have now returned to the centre due to the poor conditions of their temporary accommodations. The team is doing everything possible to assist during this challenging time.
Elsewhere in the region, the conflict continues to escalate, and a kindergarten nursery in Sumy city was bombed. Numerous children sustained injuries, though these incidents are currently not being covered by the news.
Previously, we communicated that, through our partnership with Mission Eurasia, we secured a substantial number of wood stoves intended for heating and cooking purposes. These stoves were distributed to families most in need; however, there has been a shortage of suitable firewood. Local forests have been sold for fundraising, eliminating the possibility for residents to gather their own firewood. Bohdan recently engaged a Mennonite charity, which, beginning Monday, delivered two truckloads of wood for the burners. The team visited homes throughout the region to distribute the firewood, an effort that required significant labour and travel but resulted in many families now able to use their wood stoves effectively. Unexpectedly, today the charity provided an additional two truckloads of firewood as well.
Your continued generosity has enabled us to buy enough food to assemble an additional 200 emergency bags, each capable of supporting a family of four for one week. Each bag also contains a copy of the Gospel of John.
We distribute these bags thoughtfully, ensuring they reach those facing the most urgent needs. Unfortunately, the number of people needing assistance is increasing. In just over a year, the cost of the food we include in these bags has more than doubled—another consequence of the ongoing war. We also still have ongoing supply issues in getting flour and yeast for the bakery.
Several older teens are developing their Christian faith impressively. They demonstrate remarkable care and compassion for those around them, and their understanding of the Bible is both profound and evident in how they live. Despite ongoing sirens and blackouts, all regular meetings continue, and attendance increases each week, which is truly encouraging.
This Sunday, our church will join with another local Baptist congregation for a youth-led service. Bohdan is looking forward to this event, as our church was originally established by Sergey during his tenure at that congregation many years ago. This collaboration demonstrates unity within the church community at a particularly important time.
The team is preparing for six camps this summer, which will begin in just over three weeks. Each child’s attendance costs about £35, covering nutritious meals, access to resources for crafts and fun activities, puppet shows, a gift for every attendee, and, importantly, support and care from the team when the children need it most.
According to the spring camp report, one young girl asked her leader for hugs, reflecting how much children are longing for attention—especially since many men are away fighting and women must work to provide for their families. Whilst we can’t hug every child, we aim to create a safe and welcoming environment where they feel valued and loved. Through these six camps, we hope to reach more than 500 children and youth. Any support you can offer would be sincerely appreciated.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
Throughout the week, the situation in the Lebedyn area has largely remained unchanged.
Missiles and drones continue to be a daily occurrence, generating ongoing fear and concern among the local population. The persistent attacks have made access to food increasingly difficult, exacerbating the challenges faced by residents.
Villages situated near the border, particularly in the Samotoivka area, have been among the most severely affected. In response to these hardships, the team made another trip to these locations, bringing bread to those in need. The photographs above illustrate the impact of the conflict, with bombed buildings visible in the background as people gratefully receive their loaves of bread.
Preparations for the busy summer season are progressing, with camps scheduled to commence in June, coinciding with the conclusion of the school term. The school in Grintsevo has finalised arrangements with Bohdan, ensuring that the first week of the camp programme will align with the last week of the academic year.
The team intends to resume English classes at the Centre, recognising that many parents are eager for their children to learn. This initiative will provide an opportunity to engage with additional families who may benefit from the support and services offered by the Centre.
Attendance at all regular activities remains strong, with services often reaching full capacity, and children and youth continue to enjoy gathering at the Centre whenever possible. However, we still need to secure a new source of flour and ongoing aid to support our efforts.
Please pray for:
Thank you once again for your ongoing support.
Every blessing.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
This past week has been challenging as the intensity of shelling and drone activity is getting more regular and consistent. Every night is broken with the sound of explosions and now the days have this happening too. So far the Ukrainian military have shot down all missiles, but this has caused fires and debris damage across the town and wider region. Last Saturday evening was the worst it has been, which was frightening for all.
The reason for this increased activity is that Russian troops are advancing into the Sumy region. The map above, published by the Institute for the Study of War, shows in blue the alarming advancement being made. There is a large black dot south west of Sumy city where Lebedyn is, and this shows why Lebedyn is becoming such a target. I showed this map to Bohdan and he concurred that this is how they see everything happening.
Despite everything, the team has visited many villages to deliver bread and aid. Unfortunately, one or two villages near Samotoivka were inaccessible because they are now under Russian control. The aid distributed is bringing much joy.
Getting flour has been difficult since our supplier went out of business. Even though we didn’t ask for help, word got around about the shortage, and people started showing up (see picture below) to donate their own flour so we could keep baking bread for the community. It’s truly an inspiring example of spontaneous generosity!
The teen and kid’s clubs over last weekend were amazing, with Bohdan reporting that numbers were very high and children in good spirits after the camp week.
The team has spent this week preparing for an ambitious summer designed to bring fun and relief to children. There are currently plans for 6 camps, including one at a village school, another for children with special needs, and 4 for those living in and around Lebedyn who experience the daily challenges of war. More updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
Please pray for:
We deeply appreciate your ongoing support and prayers. Recently, we have received several financial gifts from generous individuals, but we may not have your contact information to personally thank you. If you make a donation, please do let us know so we can express our gratitude and check if your gift qualifies for gift aid, which could increase the impact of your contribution.
Thank you all once again.
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
