The war didn’t cancel summer. It didn’t take away a child’s need to laugh, explore, create, and feel safe. That’s why the “Hope” Children’s Center continues to be a place where joy finds its way back into children’s lives — even during such uncertain times.

This week, the center was bursting with life. The children — many of them displaced, orphaned, or living through incredibly difficult circumstances — spent their days gathering strawberries from a nearby field, learning to make pancakes and vinaigrette, drawing friends and oceans, watering flowers, and chalking bright pictures onto pavement.

They played sensory games, learned to name and understand emotions, and even tried themselves as journalists. They molded figures from salt dough, folded animals from paper, hiked through the forest, and visited a local art gallery to admire the works of artists from their own region.

And every day brought something new: new skills, new memories, new light in their eyes.

During cooking days, the children learned how to make pizza and cookies (delicious, by the way!). On field trip days, they explored the local history museum and discovered how weather forecasts are made during a visit to the meteorological station. On creative days, they sewed little lavender sachets — tiny gifts for peaceful sleep.

All of this is possible because someone cared.

We are deeply grateful to IMOCE, to Anatolii Petrovych, and to every sponsor who continues to stand with us. Thanks to you, children who have lost so much are now gaining something precious: a summer full of wonder, belonging, and discovery.

And we thank God — for every child who gets to smile, for every caregiver who pours out their heart, and for every act of kindness that brings light into these young lives.