Winter Camp in the Carpathian Mountains

BY OKSANA POLEVICHENKO

When kids, who went to the “Fountain of Hope” summer camp learned about the plans for a winter camp, they kept asking me to send them there. I answered that I would pray for that, but I couldn’t promise anything.

For three of them, their dream came true. MMK covered expenses for vouchers and tickets, so these three children could be refreshed physically and spiritually. For 24 hours a day there was a Christian camp counselor with the kids, who became a loyal and attentive friend and mentor for them (like a caring mother or father). In camp kids truly felt valued, they were surrounded with love and care the whole time.

For the first time, our kids tried their hand at skiing and used a ski lift for the first time. God blessed us with good weather and we all considered it a success.In addition to skiing, there were a lot of different clubs, tasks and games for kids centered around building community and relationships.

However, the main focus was how the entire camp program was built on God’s Word. Kids had theatrical sketches, Bible lessons and evening companionship on the Biblical topic every afternoon and every evening. They were immersed in God’s love for them.

The topic of this camp was “They did it”. On arriving at the camp, children got into the imaginary maze. Every day, on the example of characters from the Bible (Joseph, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Nehemiah, Mary and Jesus Christ), children were learning to seek the right way in mazes of life. Jesus was the center of the maze. It is He, who helps us to find a right way in every maze of life.

Artem, Nastya and Nikita are very grateful for a wonderful time they spent in a camp. Even staff members from the boarding school told us that children were full of great memories and positive emotions by the end of winter camp. Two of our sponsored children were awarded with a special document for “good behavior” which served as a good example for other children.