Doing Summer Camp in a War Zone…again
We are barely over our jet lag from traveling abroad for an entire month. They say that you need one day per time zone entered and I am here to say, that is true! The exhaustion of travel is real. Marty and I are so happy to be back home after traversing 5 countries; there is nothing better than your own bed, bathroom, shower and especially your own espresso machine. We are creatures of habit and comfort, but truthfully, it is vital to get out of our man-made comfort zones and to be stretched. The main thrust of this trip to Prague, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Poland, Armenia and Ukraine was to do another Mercy Projects camp. I have had the privilege of doing art programs and other activities for many years now, but this was the first time that Marty has gotten to attend one. I have to say, he was just blown away by the teens and young volunteers. So many children have lost fathers, uncles and grandfathers to this unjust war-not to mentions moms and grandmothers-that they attached themselves like Velcro to him. Marty was in perpetual tears as the boys sat with him with their arms around his shoulders and hugged him throughout the day. This summer camp was held in a suburb of Kyiv, in a semi-professional soccer team’s facility. We were limited as to location because nowadays camp must be held only at locations that have an adequate bomb shelter. Mercy Projects camp for the little kids that was held the prior week before made good use of that underground protection, as kids spent two nights sleeping there as part of their summer camp experience.
I can’t express how amazing it felt to embrace the young people, whom I have established relationships with over the years, as they got off the bus. On the flip side, as they leave camp at the end, my eyes well up with tears as I say goodbye. Once they are waving out the windows and pulling out of the parking lot, I am grieved to think that perhaps I will not see some of these dear souls again, at least not on this side of eternity. They are dealing with the complex trauma that this invasion has brought to their nation in ways that may not be understood for many decades. One child casually shared how his home was bombed and now he has to live elsewhere. As we traveled throughout Kyiv, we saw homes and high rise buildings that had been decimated by the unceasing shelling. While we were there doing camp in July, Ukraine suffered through the worse month of civilian deaths so far in the war. I slept peacefully through nightly barrages and Marty sat near the bed in disbelief that I could do that. (I think only 4 hours of shut eye a night because of the early morning runs that I do and packed camps schedule is the best sleep aid!) I did witness many fighter jets overhead and air raid sirens in the distant…imagine that this is your life though. And yet the kids are sweet, resilient, fragile, hope filled and joyous. But let me quit explaining. The attached video says it best.
To find out more about the camps that Mercy Projects do in Ukraine and Armenia or to sponsor a child to attend an upcoming camp, go to our partner Mercy Projects website: WWW.Mercyprojects.org
