July 2026 became truly special for 140 children. The “Premudryky” (The Wise Kids) summer day camp was held at the Church of St. Sophia—the Wisdom of God, bringing together participants aged 7 to 14. It was not just a vacation, but a highly meaningful time for the youth, featuring community prayer, learning, games, creativity, and spiritual growth. The camp became a space that fully embodied the values UCU cherishes in its community.
The camp’s program was built on a clear spiritual foundation. Each week was thematic, introducing the children to a new aspect of Christian life. The first three days were dedicated to the theme of Kerygma [from the Greek κήρυγμα, meaning announcement, proclamation, call, or sermon; a theological term referring to the initial announcement of the Good News about Jesus Christ—Ed.]. This initial period was a time for getting to know one another, forming teams, and immersing the children in camp life.
Over the following weeks, the participants embarked on a spiritual journey, exploring the themes of “Faith,” “Hope,” “Love,” and “Wisdom.”
“It was a wonderful opportunity not only to have fun but also to get to know God better and make new friends. We owe boundless gratitude to the priests and sisters who, throughout the month, lovingly sowed the seeds of God’s word and God’s love in the children’s hearts,” noted Anna, a camp counselor.
UCU Premudryky Summer Camp
Michelle Kardinal, Communications Manager for the Deanery of Pastoral Affairs at UCU, organized a large-scale Christian camp of this magnitude for the first time. She noted that the parish successfully brought together a beautifully diverse group of children. Many of them have since joined Christian communities, and many more are now inviting their parents to Sunday Liturgy at the church so they can reunite.
“The most important thing we achieved at the camp was bringing the Word of God to the children. I had a tradition: during the break between lunch and master classes, I would talk with the kids about what they remembered from catechism. Every time, almost everyone raised their hand to share the thoughts that our priests and sisters had sown in their hearts. It was incredibly impressive, and this will likely be one of the camp memories that remains in my heart for a long time,” said Michelle Kardinal.
UCU Premudryky Summer Camp
The camp’s itinerary seamlessly combined spiritual development, sports, intellectual activities, and creativity. Each day began with the Divine Liturgy, followed by spiritual exercises and sessions where the children had the opportunity to discover God’s presence more deeply in their lives. They were guided in this by the church’s rector, Father Nazariy Mysiakovsky; the camp’s spiritual director, Father Volodymyr Bytyuga; as well as Father Deacon Vasyl Prokopchuk and the nuns.
“Each child arrived with their own story, but they were all united by kind hearts and sincere love. They shared their experiences and successes, perhaps not even realizing that they had taught me much more than they could have imagined. Thanks to this time of genuine communication, I witnessed a profound simplicity and trust, which I will carry with me for a long time,” shared Marta Narepekha, a camp counselor.
Equally important parts of the day included camp dances, sports games, relay races, and quests. These activities not only provided the children with immense joy and energy but also taught them how to work as a team, trust one another, offer support, and find common solutions. Meanwhile, the creative workshops served as a space where each child could try something new, showcase their talents, and enjoy the creative process.
“I thank God for every child who came to us, for all the spiritual fruits we are already seeing, and for those that will appear in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We have already received numerous testimonies from parents about how their children began to change and grow spiritually at the camp. One child learned their first ‘Our Father’; another reflected with their parents every night on what the priest said at catechism; another taught their parents to sing the Christian songs we learned together for our final evening prayer. There is so much more I could list,” said the camp director, Michelle Kardinal.
Children at the UCU Premudryky Summer Camp
According to the organizers, this was the ultimate goal of the “Premudryky” camp: to sow the Word of God in the hearts of the youth so they could carry it home to their families, and to unite these children around the church, giving them the opportunity to remain in the parish family by joining Christian communities.
Not only the children but also their parents were deeply impressed by the camp.
“Here, you don’t have to worry about ‘bad company’ or that your child will pick up bad habits. I know that my son is safe, that he will be well cared for, and that he will spend his time engaged, happy, and doing something meaningful. This was my son’s fourth camp, but for the first time, it was difficult to pull him away to take him home at the end of the day. He doesn’t normally like to talk about his emotions or his daily adventures, but this time I kept hearing, ‘It was cool!’ and ‘I really liked it!’ For me, that is the best indicator that the camp was truly a success,” shared Natalia, the mother of a participant.
Ukrainian children are going through extremely difficult times today. That is why it is so vital to offer them love and support at every opportunity. Vivid camp memories like these help build children’s confidence, reassuring them that they are important, that their dreams and life goals matter, and that there will always be a community ready to support them.
