After two years of diligent work, the Kidsave Miracles Center in western Ukraine opened its doors and welcomed 30 orphans and children in foster care for four weeks of much-needed respite, trauma therapy, and fun. Kidsave CEO and Co-Founder Randi Thompson traveled to Ukraine in mid-July to be there.
“I saw firsthand the transformative power of the Miracles Center,” said Randi. “When the kids arrived, they were closed off and scared. Every time there was a loud noise or a car engine backfired, they jumped and ducked. After two weeks, they were playing, hugging, giggling with abandon. They felt safe and free to be children there. What our team has created is a place of hope for a better future for these kids who have been through so much.”
The kids enjoyed playing on the playground and soccer field, watching movies, and doing activities together, such as creating their very own self-portraits. The staff took photos of the children which were then printed out while the kids created a handmade picture frame for their photos. Once the frames were ready, the kids placed their photos inside them. These framed self-portraits would be keepsakes and reminders of their summer at the Center.
Another highlight of the stay for the kids was mealtimes. The kids enjoyed delicious food and snacks, and one day, they even got to help prepare the food. As one of their activities, the children learned how to make Ukrainian shawarma. The kids loved the hands-on activity and getting to eat a dish they’d prepared themselves!
While there was plenty to do at the Miracles Center, the staff also took the kids on several excursions. One day, the group went for a short hike up into the Carpathian Mountains to get some fresh air in nature, far from the noise and conflict that has been plaguing their daily lives for nearly three years now. Another day, the group visited Skansen in Kolochava, one of the oldest open-air museums in western Ukraine. And during the kids’ last week at the Center, the group visited Lake Synevyr and the local wildlife rehabilitation center where they learned about how brown bears and wolves who are injured are treated, rehabilitated, and rereleased back into the forest.
Whether or not they realized it, the children have quite a lot in common with the animals at the rehabilitation center. They, too, have been hurt badly. The war that’s raged in their country for years now has cost them their homes, their feeling of security, their sense of normalcy, and—for many—their loved ones. The Miracles Center provided a safe place where the children were able to sit down with therapists trained in trauma informed therapy—specifically trauma caused by conflict and war—and begin to process what they have been through. Licensed therapist Tatiana Koval leads the therapy at the Center and provides crucial training on working with youth impacted by trauma and war for staff and volunteers.
“Trauma training is extremely important for children, especially in times of war,” said Tatiana. “It provides psychological support, helps them develop self-regulation skills, supports their physical and mental health, helps reduce the risk of them developing serious emotional and behavioral problems in the future, and it helps them develop mutual support through group trainings where they can share their experiences and support each other.”
The children will be able to take the coping skills, as well as the fun memories, back with them as they leave the Center and better navigate future challenges. Our team is working on additional materials that children and youth will be able to access from anywhere to help them continue their healing journey.
It was truly an incredible summer for these kids, and as the end of their stay began to draw near, many began to express that they didn’t want to leave the Miracles Center. However, thanks to the diligent work of our team, many of them will be heading to much better circumstances than before.
Of the 30 youth who spent the summer at the Miracles Center:
- Eleven children are being reunited with their biological families,
- Four children have moved in with foster families,
- Two children have moved in with a pending adoptive family
- Two children have pending guardianships with families,
- Two of the older youth are going off to college, and
- One of the older boys will be returning to the Center in December when he turns 18 and join our team as an intern.
Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better inaugural summer for the Kidsave Miracles Center. Lives were truly changed for both the kids and the staff, and this was only the beginning. We plan to have more children at the Center very soon—December 2024—to fill the halls with laughter once again and provide more opportunities for healing and connection during the holidays.
Sponsorship opportunities for the Kidsave Miracles Center are available. Email Tatiana Stafford at tatiana@kidsave.org to learn more today.
