“It’s safe here. My daughter studies the Bible, and she has become more obedient and less impulsive. Alina now understands the rules and principles of acceptable behavior, what she can and can’t do”. – Natalia, single mother.
Many families in the Kherson region survived the foreign occupation, but remaining city residents still experience regular shelling from the Russian army. Living under constant bombardment is a traumatic experience for both adults and children. The severe and widespread mental health complications will take many years to heal. The My Home team established a daycare center in Kherson with space generously provided by the Golgotha Church. The center meets the needs of children by offering various educational programs, psycho-emotional support and a protected environment. In this safe haven, children are happy and eagerly invest time five days a week.
Natalia, a Kherson resident, shared her story of visiting the daycare center with her 7-year old daughter, Alina. They have both remained in Kherson since Ukraine was invaded on February 24, 2022.
“From the initial months of the Kherson occupation, Alina began to experience serious mood changes. She was afraid of everything: explosions, soldiers, tanks, even going outside. Since her school was closed, she was unable to communicate with her peers, and she became withdrawn. Her behavior had changed dramatically,” Natalia recounted.
During nearly the entire occupation period and even after the liberation of Kherson, Alina stayed at home with her mother and grandmother.
“It was extremely difficult for all of us to constantly share the same room. Being together all the time created psychological pressure, in that none of us felt we had our own private space. Alina was terrified and became increasingly more withdrawn. She saw Russian soldiers carrying machine guns during the infrequent times we ventured out into the yard. At that time, there were many people in military uniform in the city. A small child like Alina could not understand that the soldier was not our Ukrainian countryman. When she learned that these foreign military people were causing harm, she became very afraid,” Natalia recalls.
Natalia found out about the daycare center opening at the Golgotha Church, where she and Alina attended every Saturday.
“We noticed immediately that we felt safe there. Initially, not many children attended because parents feared shellings. Several times we didn’t go, because we were still afraid to leave our house following a loud night of explosions nearby. However, we soon realized that the Golgotha building is like a bomb shelter. So, at least for me, as a mother, it is scarier at home than here,” Natalia says.
Natalia speaks positively about the interactive learning that takes place at the center. Group creative play, artwork, and reading allow Alina and the other children to relax, smile, experience happiness, and clear their minds of fear. Natalia has noticed marked improvement in Alina’s behavior and demeanor since she started to regularly attend the daycare center.
“Communication with other children and God in a loving Christian environment increases understanding and compassion among the children. We will no longer sit at home due to fear. I feel like we threw away valuable time in our lives,” Natalia says.