The leader of the Ukraine Division spoke about two important events that took place at the beginning of December. From 4 to 7 December 2025, a wonderful children’s camp was held in a beautiful area of the Zhytomyr region. More than 60 children from all corps attended. Most were children from internally displaced families. Some are already junior soldiers, while others attend Sunday school.
The camp gave the children a chance to take their minds off the war and provided important psychological, moral, and educational support for their personal development. The biblical emphasis of the programme helped the children better understand that the Lord brings peace and hope in times of despair, turns sorrow into joy, fills life with meaning, and reveals His nature as we follow His path, listen to Him, and trust in Him.
Following the children’s camp, the same beautiful location hosted the Christmas gathering of Salvationists from the Ukraine Division from 8 to 10 December 2025. Soldiers, sergeants, and officers came together for the event. Among the guests were the Eastern Territory’s Territorial Leaders, Colonels João Paolo and Karin Ramos, along with Major Victoria Lalak, Territorial Secretary for Mission.
A wide range of themes was covered, including the Covenant (for officers and soldiers), calling, our mission, new ministries, new opportunities, and new resources. The Territorial Leaders, together with Major Victoria Lalak, served as the main speakers and led seminars for both soldiers and officers.
When Ivan asked the Divisional Leaders about the Salvationists’ impressions of the event, they shared that members of the Kharkiv Corps and the corps in Dnipro said they had finally experienced a measure of peace and were able to fall asleep in the safe, welcoming atmosphere of the forest setting. The encouragement they received from the Territorial Leaders gave all the Salvationists a strong sense of renewed purpose and fresh vision for building up and uniting others. In a world filled with hardship, it is so important to bring joy and hope—and Salvationists are putting this into practice in their corps.
When asked how this Christmas gathering differed from previous events, the Division Leader replied: “This was the first time Salvationists were able to spend several days together. Previous gatherings lasted only one day. With greater financial resources, it would be possible to hold events like this more often and on a larger scale. We prayed for financial provision. The next gathering is planned for May.”
Author – Ivan Berezkin
