03.11.2014, Lviv
During the past days children’s artistic initiative to support Ukrainian military men was held in Caritas Lviv. Kids were drawing pictures and writing letters to soldiers in eastern Ukraine. In such manner Caritas workers want to warm and support army men by forwarding kind children’s words and illustrations to them. Pictures with wishes will be sent to soldiers from ‘”Aydar” battalion.
Blue and yellow, red and black flags, houses that symbolize coming back home and peaceful sunny sky are main elements of children’s drawings.
Young clients of Caritas wish soldiers to win and ask them to come back from war alive. They also wish them health and are worries for military men no to get ill in winter.
“They defend Ukraine so that we can live peacefully,” retells young Bogdan. He is only 10 years old, but he understands that Ukrainian soldiers are fighting against the aggressor to protect the country and its people. These are his words on the reverse side of a drawing: “… you protect our peaceful sky and us from Russian invasion. We won’t forget you, Ukrainian soldiers!”
12-year-old Andriy says that if he was older, he would go to defend Ukraine. He is worried that winter will come soon and soldiers will be cold. He wishes them to go back home quickly. Next to a heart painted in blue and yellow colors, a boy wrote an address to soldiers:
“We wish you to win, our heroes,
and not to get cold,
please, come back home,
your parents will be happy and calm, will kiss you
and say – ‘You are my hero’.”
“I know that it’s cold now in the ATO zone, but my letter will warm you. You will win and we will live in peace,” writes little Maryana. On her drawing black birds are flying away and blue and yellow colored ones are flying back. First ones indicate evil and the latter – the good. Apart from victory of the good, Marya
na wants Crimea to be a part of Ukraine again: “I got used that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.”
Ksenia, who is only 8 years old, is painting a big house. “This is a house for Ukrainian military men where they can hide from Russian,” she shyly explains. Karina calls soldiers who are at war in eastern Ukraine the best Ukrainians. She dedicated a poem to them:
“You have come back home,
parents welcomed you with cakes,
embraced and caressed you,
kissed your cheeks and cried,
greeted you with victory.
They cooked borshch for you with love,
served a table with donuts.
Ukrainian kids kissed you, thanked and helped,
friends greeted you and called heroes.”
Social teacher Yulia assists young beneficiaries of Caritas social center in drawings and writings. During such initiatives kids can learn how to give kindness to other people. Yulia retells that apart from such event children benefit from Cossack amusements, they learn Ukrainian songs (notably, anthem of Ukraine) and explore history of their country, there are various initiatives dedicated to Holodomor anniversaries. This helps to foster patriotic attitude and love to Ukraine.
Youth social center of Caritas Lviv of the UGCC is a meeting place for kids and youth from families who find themselves in complicated living circumstances. Caritas provides young beneficiaries not only with social assistance, but they can develop in a comprehensive manner: master basics of informatics, play football and table-tennis, ride bikes, participate in bicycle trips, visit interesting places in these parts, museums and theatres, organize special holidays.
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