“Vacation with God. The Wisdom of God”: Summer Camp for Children in Philadelphia
On June 24–28, 2024 a Summer Camp for Children “Vacation with God: the Wisdom of God” was organized by St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics, Inc. The event was held at the Basilian Spirituality Center in Jenkintown, PA. 32 children aged 6–13 from the Greater Philadelphia participated in the event. Among them were refugee children who fled to the USA in the face of the war in Ukraine.
The organizers based the curriculum on the foundation of the wisdom of God. The camp’s program was created with the goal of molding the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people. The children enjoyed catechism classes, songs, dances, crafts, aromatherapeutic and bag painting workshops, a diamond pictures class, an embroidery masterclass, a financial education class, games, Ukrainian fairytales, and a talent show topped with a cotton candy parlor.
The program was coordinated and directed by Iryna Ivankovych, President of St. Sophia Association, and actively supported by St. Sophia camp councilors: Maksym Tatarchuk, Diana Kikelia, Yuliia Chervoniak, Andriy Lehenky, Sviatoslav Khoma, Vladyslav Chornomaz, Ulana Melnyk, Vladyslav Nestor with assistance of Fr. Deacon Bohdan Vasyliv, Andriy Singalevych, and Kaya Mykulanynets. Noteworthy is that camp councilors were properly prepared for their service through several workshops organized by St. Sophia Association. Yuliia Borova and Iryna Ivankovych conducted catechetical classes. The Divine Liturgies were celebrated by Fr. Ruslan Borovyi.
This was the eighth initiative of St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics, Inc, in the spiritual and cultural upbringing of Ukrainian children and youth in the USA. The event was supported by the Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union in Philadelphia.
St. Sophia Association Press Bureau
