Veronica’s story

Veronica’s family have moved home six times in the past ten years. When you are only 12 years old, that means you have been moving around all your life. Displaced from their original home in eastern Ukraine as far back as 2014, they were living in Kharkiv when full-scale war broke out in 2022.

“That city became a target for the Russians”, says Tanya Shpygunokva who has been helping the family. “Veronica spent most of her time in the bomb shelter hiding from rockets and was unable to play with her friends, go to school, or sleep in peace”.

Now Veronica, with her mother and brother, have found a place of relative safety in Irpin, north west of Kyiv, while her father helps to evacuate people from frontline areas.

“This summer we invited Veronica to our children’s camp and she had the best time of her life”, Tanya says. “She participated in all the activities and made new friends. She heard Bible stories for the very first time and talked about God with the campers and leaders.

“Although the war continues and the children face many challenges and worries they learn that God is always near and will never leave them”.

Veronica and her mum have become part of a church in Irpin. Tanya who works for Serve Now says, “We are so grateful to Blythswood for supporting people like Veronica and her family and causing a miracle in their lives.

Patric's story

Patric absolutely loved his time at camp. Through Blythswood’s camp appeal you gave him something to remember.

For an eight-year-old being brought up by his grandparents in a low-income community in western Romania it was a life-changing experience.

“Patric enjoyed every moment of it”, says Adrian Popa who leads Talita Kum, Blythswood’s after-school project in Jimbolia. “He was the youngest and the smallest to complete the course at the adventure park.

“And he’s still singing the song, in English and complete with actions, which the volunteer group from Scotland taught him – Our God is a great big God”.

Adrian says that during his first year at Talita Kum, Patric has never missed a day. “He has made great progress in reading, writing and counting”.

“He was on the list for the camp because of his excellent attendance. For children like him, a week at camp gives them new experiences and an awareness of life beyond their own town, which they would not otherwise have had”.

Madalina and Adina’s story

The sisters from Moldova are cared for by their grandmother. Moldova has many children who don’t see their parents often. It’s expensive to come back from central Europe where many of the mums and dads have gone to work, leaving children with grandparents. Finding work in Moldova is very difficult.

The girls mum has gone to France and dad has a drinking problem so Grandmother has to look after them.

At camp, the girls enjoy company of their own age, participate in the fun and learn about Jesus. Sometimes there’s a maternal figure among the leaders that they can get alongside and talk to. Madalina and Adina needed that connection and found it at camp.