Over 200 Ukrainian Children Gathered in Parma, USA, for “Joyful Vacation with God”
The Parish of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Diocese of St. Josaphat, based in Parma, USA, hosted a camp called “Joyful Holidays with God.” The camp was attended by 207 children from local parishes.
This was reported by the press service of the Diocese of Parma.
The ruling bishop of the Diocese of Parma, Bishop Bohdan Danylo, celebrated one of the liturgies during the camp. In his teaching, Bishop Bohdan explained to the children the significance of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. He shared with the participants his testimony of God’s presence in their lives and wished them a joyful camp experience.
The camp was organized by young animators under the leadership of Fr. Bohdan Nasypanyi, a staff member of the Holy Virgin Protection parish. He stated, “Joyful Holidays with God’ is a wonderful, pleasant time full of interesting programs that provide children with knowledge about God and many positive emotions.”
The camp welcomed children of all ages, who were divided into teams. During the camp, the older teams followed the path of the participants of the All-American Youth Pilgrimage, which, like every year, took place in June on the grounds of the Parish of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They walked through the forest and along the river, while the younger participants of “Joyful Holidays with God” engaged in various workshops.
The participants were united by the daily Holy Liturgy. They played various games and competitions together, danced bansy, watched Christian cartoons, and more. At the end of the camp, the children enjoyed time on water rides, which brought them great joy.
The camp concluded with a joint Divine Liturgy for the children and their parents. During the sermon, Fr. Bohdan Nasypanyi urged parents to “be mindful of the spiritual formation of their children, to be examples of faith and love for God, and to take care of their national identity.”
The event organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to God for all the participants. “We thank Bishop Bohdan Danylo for his blessing, support, and presence among us. We are also grateful to the rector of the Holy Virgin Protection Parish, Fr. Mykhailo Drozdovsky, for his leadership during the services. Special thanks go to all those who prepared delicious lunches and snacks for the children. We also thank the volunteers who prepared the parish grounds for the ‘Joyful Holidays with God’ camp. May the Lord bless everyone and give us the opportunity to meet again next year,” the camp organizers wished.
The UGCC Department for Information
