As our friends continue to face the fears and challenges war inevitably brings, hope can still be found, sometimes in the most unlikely of places …
In the middle of a club song, teenagers laughing and singing, me accompanying on guitar, the all-too-familiar sounds of warning sirens screamed overhead. There was no decision to be made — I immediately rounded up everyone and took them to the nearest bunker under a shopping center.
When we reached the bunker, we continued. We had a portable speaker, the guitar and a Bible. We managed to turn this negative experience into something interesting and unusual for our teenagers and everyone else in the bunker! At that club, we had roughly around 30 teenagers.
Prior to the war, we used to complain that the only club spaces we could afford to rent were basements (e.g., spaces in Rivne, Khmelnytsyi, Kharkiv or Zaporizhya). Little did we know those spaces would serve as perfect bomb shelters, not only for the leaders and teenagers, but also as temporary dwellings for hundreds of Ukrainian refugee families! These club spaces were now blessings for so many! We didn’t know, but God knew!
— Valentin Utkin, Young Life Ukraine staff
Inspired by the extraordinary
Sarah Davison-Tracy, founder of Seeds of Exchange, went with a team to Ukraine to provide water filters to those in desperate need of drinking water. Their hosts, translators and friends for their mission were the Young Life leaders.
“We were excited, and truth be told, a bit nervous, as we walked across the Poland border into Ukraine. Once there, Young Life Ukraine’s regional director, Sasha Utkin, met us, and drove us to the city of Chernivtsi.
“Here we were inspired by the extraordinary — and numerous — ways we saw Young Life care for people. Although the focus is still ministering to kids, the leaders expanded their mission during the time of war to also caring for families in Ukraine by providing humanitarian aid.
“They converted club rooms into bedrooms for refugees who needed a safe place to sleep and stocked kitchens with food for those staying at Young Life clubs, churches and homes of leaders.
“But it didn’t stop there. Vans typically used to transport teens to clubs now delivered aid to the most dangerous and targeted parts of Ukraine. Once emptied of food, water, clothing and medical supplies, the vans then filled with evacuees who had to flee their homes — leaving gardens and even pets, with no idea when they would return. In Chernivtsi alone, the Young Life community provided shelter and food for 1,000 refugees.”
— Sarah Davison-Tracy
Illuminating
In a year of darkness and dying, many kids have found light and life at Young Life camp.
“I enjoyed the camp, the club, the games, the food and talking with my leaders about God at night. I loved hearing stories about the creation of the world. Hearing about Jesus and how He died for us left a huge impression on me. At the end, when my leader asked me if I believed Jesus died for us, I said yes.”
— Pavlo, Capernaum camp
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have some rest this summer — something I couldn’t have dreamt of in the middle of the war … I needed to get away so much! To not think about the bombings, the sirens and the awfulness of the war. And I needed to be with my peers. I came home from the camp full of unforgettable feelings.”
— Oleksandra, teen camp
“I came from Kharkiv to Poltava because of the war. I was invited to a Young Life club and liked it. Shortly after, I learned about summer camp, and I was happy to go … My dream of spending all day with some good friends finally came true! Mountains, games, nights spent in tents, delicious food — we had it all at the camp in the mountains! Thanks to Young Life, I began to believe in God. For me, it happened gradually: I listened to the stories about Jesus and His miracles, and even though at first I didn’t believe, gradually my heart began to change … Now I know that if something happens to me, I know who to turn to.”
— Veronika, teen camp