CTL's partner in Ukraine sends frequent updates as they prayerfully and faithfully continue ministry in the midst of a war. Seeing the staff and children joyfully celebrating the birth of Jesus this Christmas through such dark circumstances is a powerful representation of the peace and joy that can be found only through Christ. Below is an account directly from Future for Children about the Christmas ministries and activities held and how God's light is shining brightly to children facing so much loss.
Christmas in Ukraine
In November and December, our foundation, Future for Children, began large-scale preparations for Christmas, uniting children, teenagers and parents in good deeds. We worked together not only to create a festive atmosphere but also to bring joy to those in need.
A trip to children from remote villages
We organized a holiday program for 40 children from remote villages: We held a fun Bible lesson about the birth of Jesus, prepared by our psychologist Tanya. The children did not expect the story to be about Christmas and were intrigued by what it was about until the end. The children participated in a workshop on painting a wooden angel and sang Ukrainian Christmas songs together, which created a special atmosphere. Fun games brought unforgettable emotions. Children from villages are very different from city children. They are more open, quicker to make contact and very friendly. The joyful faces of the children and their sincere smiles were our reward.
“A jar of kind words” for the elderly
The children came up with their own ideas and made notes with warm words of support for the residents of a nursing home in Lviv. We passed these wishes along with our care and attention and bought fruit and candy. The elderly people were touched and grateful for the warm words and support, and the children realized how important it is to give good to their neighbors.
Cookies for the homeless and food for the needy
Our task was not only to hold a volunteer event to feed the homeless, but also to teach children and teenagers to do good for others, to show that anyone can find themselves in difficult circumstances and that is why it is so important to help those in need. Therefore, the children from the younger group prepared the dough for the cookies themselves, then baked and packaged the cookies with wishes for the homeless. While the teenagers bought food and cooked two large pots of soup themselves. Then, together with the children, we distributed the cookies and soup to the needy in the center of Lviv. Our team experienced as much joy as the people we served with food.
“Waiting for Christmas” a time for families
During the four weeks before Christmas, we wanted to strengthen the relationship between parents and children, to better understand the meaning of Christmas and to spend more time together. So we gave them holiday tasks to do together: Read Bible stories about Christmas, watch Christmas cartoons, solve crossword puzzles and create crafts.
Not all of our children have the atmosphere of Christmas, cleanliness and comfort in their homes. That's why we wanted to show and teach children how to prepare their homes for the holiday. So we cleaned our room together, rearranged the furniture and decorated it in a festive atmosphere. We didn't forget about the symbol of Christmas - the Christmas tree, which we dressed up with toys and garlands. We also talked a lot about the essence of Christmas. We hope that the light that has been lit in young hearts will continue to burn in the future.
