Our children returned from a three-week trip to the United States, and we saw their eyes shining with joy from new unforgettable experiences. Incredible emotions and stories about the trip will remain in their hearts. And it was so necessary for them to look at this world in a new way, to transform their thoughts into the future.
The three-week trip was filled with various excursions and entertainment. The young Ternopil residents had the opportunity to visit the U.S. capital, Washington, DC. They visited the National Museum of Natural History and the Museum of the Bible, as well as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The trip to the capital ended with a visit to the Ukrainian House. A banquet was organized in honor of the children and the young Ukrainians had the opportunity to talk to Ukrainian and American diplomats
Together with their host families, many of the children fulfilled their long-held dream of visiting the largest city in the United States – New York. The children saw the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan, Times Square and many other sights with their own eyes. Now it’s no longer a dream, but unforgettable memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Bethany Slavic Church (Ephrata, Pennsylvania), together with volunteers from other churches in the same region, held a 5-day therapy camp for the children of Ukrainian heroes. The goal was to help the children survive the trauma of losing their father and to remind them that each of them is not alone! After all, we have a Heavenly Father who is always with us, as well as our family and friends.
But the greatest joy for the children was their stay in foster families. The American families, most of whom are from Ukraine, became their family during the three weeks they lived together. The love, warmth, and acceptance given by the parents allowed the children to feel safe and recover emotionally. Joint trips, visits to entertainment centers, shopping trips, breakfasts and tea parties, and many other moments left not only unforgettable memories but also built strong relationships.
Both the children and their foster families cried when saying goodbye, and no one wanted to leave. We hope that they will maintain these relationships at a distance and preserve their family closeness with the “strangers” who became so close to them in 20 days.
We are grateful to Together Ministry and the churches in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, for this incredible opportunity for the children from Ternopil region. It exceeded all their expectations and really gave them the emotional restoration they so desperately needed.
