Camp in Kamyanets-Podilsky
Empowering Futures: Camp in Kamyanets-Podilsky
We held a two-day camp on the theme: "Happy Mom, Happy Child." Our goal was to create an environment for restoring mental clarity and personal life balance. Many of the mothers are internally displaced persons (IDPs), many have multiple children, and some are single mothers—all facing the same obstacle: the war. These women carry the burden of managing their households, worrying about the future, and feeling anxious about their husbands who are at war. It's a very difficult situation, and the women fear being left without the head of the family. The children suffer the most, as the mothers’ stress and fears are transferred onto them. They worry, "If I give birth, what comes next?"
That’s why we decided to create a space where the mothers could attend workshops on finding happiness in the midst of darkness and remembering that everything is temporary. We emphasized the importance of asking for help during challenging times and discussed the need to care for the spirit, soul, and body. We guided their attention to these areas of life. We held master classes on both the first and second days, and, of course, we prayed for each mother. A psychologist and a pastor were with us for both days, providing personal counseling for the women.
The second day was focused on mother-child interaction, with shared games and a workshop on what makes a child happy. We explored how a child's happiness is deeply affected when parents love each other rather than argue. This is the first and most important factor, followed by memories from childhood—what we wish to forget and what we cherish for a lifetime because of our parents. We also prayed for the children. The atmosphere of trust was so powerful that one of our mothers, along with her entire family, began attending church (Svitlana, who is pregnant with her second child at 42 years old, was raised in a military family, and had never attended church before. She even mentioned this when she first came to our Life Center four months ago). Now, everything has changed, and God is doing His work. Additionally, several other mothers are on the verge of repentance, and we believe we will soon witness God’s glory.
The camp's expenses totaled nearly $702, of which $675 were donated ($216 from the Holy Trinity Church and $459 through Instagram and personal connections).
Thank you to our donors for making this possible. Your support allows us to continue our vital work and make a difference in the lives of women and their children.
Together, we can uphold the values of life, dignity, and love.
