events archive 2024

December 29, 2024

Happy Birthday, Jesus! This was the name of the Christmas celebration at the «Success» Center. With about 210 children enrolled in our center, we held celebrations for different age groups for four days. Together with the children, we immersed ourselves in the special atmosphere of the holiday, the main character of which is Jesus. Our students sang Christmas songs, recited poetry and performed skits. 

The children took part in various contests: the fastest to solve a Christmas-themed riddle, recite a greeting with a mouth full of tangerines, pull an object out of a bag and figure out how to make someone happy with it.

High school students made a video about a cobbler who did not celebrate Christmas because he did not believe in God. The man worked all night on Christmas Eve until newspaper sellers came and told him how much God loves the world. Then the cobbler realized how good God is and showed kindness to the poor widow by giving her a pair of new boots.

At the end of the celebration, we prepared sweet gifts for the children.

November 30, 2024

At the end of November, we celebrated Thanksgiving with our students at the “Success” Center. Since our center is attended by 210 children from 5 to 18 years old, we held celebrations for different age groups for four days.

Our task was to convey to each child the importance of being grateful to God for everything. It was a wonderful time filled with happiness and joy. We talked to them about gratitude, discussed and studied Bible verses on this topic. The children brought sweets and snacks to the lesson, shared them with their classmates and talked.

Teachers showed the children a video about the history of the holiday and its meaning. The students played themed games and listened to a story about how Thanksgiving is celebrated in America.

At the end of the lesson, the students shared what they are grateful for this year. Because of the war, children began to understand the value of life, safety and peace in a special way. They were most thankful for their families and friends, for being alive and healthy. And also for the fact that there are no active hostilities in Ternopil. For one more day of life.

October 4, 2024

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31

The opening of the new season of “Superbook” meetings 2024-2025 took place in the “Success” Center. It was visited by 34 children aged from 8 to 15 years. They will study the Bible under the “Superbook Academy” program. It allows children to get to know the heroes of the Bible in an accessible and exciting way, watch cartoon series, and participate in creative games.

We started by repeating the key points from the previous year. The children well remembered the main characters of the cartoon and the challenges they faced. And some could even repeat all the Super Verses by heart.

We watched the series “Paul and Silas” about how even in difficult circumstances they continue to praise the Lord. Children played thematic games in teams: they solved puzzles, entered letters in the Super Verse. Pupils who know the Bible better told the children in their group Bible stories with the help of emojis.

We are looking forward to the next meetings to dive into the world of fascinating Bible stories together!

September 5, 2024

On 5 September, the grand opening of the academic year 2024 – 2025 took place at the Success Center. The children raised the flag to the national anthem of Ukraine, sang a prayer song for Ukraine and recited poetry.

 Those children who came to study with us for the first time received special gifts from high school students. At the end, everyone prayed together for the end of the war and peace in Ukraine!

We are grateful to God that even in the difficult time of war, constant air raids and shelling, we were able to organise a small celebration for the children, which is so necessary for them!

July 30, 2024

In July, the team of the “Success” Center together with the Calvary Chapel Ternopil ran two week-long camps back-to-back, for children of different ages.

From 30 June to 6 July, the first camp was held for teenagers aged 14-18. Each of them, despite their young age, already has their own special and often difficult life story. At the camp, they had the opportunity to realise that they are not alone in this. And to receive so much needed support and acceptance from leaders and peers.

From 8 to 13 July, the second camp, for children aged 10-14. Some of the teenagers who took part in the first camp joined our team as volunteers. By the end of the week, they were very tired, but all of them were excited to talk about their experience and share the moments they had with the children.

At this camp, children could reflect on the place of God in their lives and their relationship with Him. Through Bible lessons, we taught them how to stop being guided by fear and enjoy a living relationship with God.

Each of the 4 teams prepared a sketch based on the biblical story of the prodigal son in different styles. It was a time to reveal talents and build relationships between children. The most interesting sketch was in the detective genre.

During the camp, all participants took up the challenge to spend a week without phones. They saw the great harm of screen addiction. In the end, the children admitted that without phones they could think more clearly and their emotions became brighter.

The children actively participated in the games, most of all they liked the ‘Water Day’, when they could throw balls filled with water and splash themselves with water pistols.

The camp became a safe place where we could switch from war to carefree, laughter and joy for a week. During this time, from 30 June to 13 July, we were able to host 90 children.

Alina

“Thank you for the people in the camp, who could share my pain, which had been accumulating for many years.”

Sasha

“I liked the story of the camp the most. Each of the characters is special and  I really saw myself in one of them.

Bogdana

“I remember when we were climbing into the cave. It was a very difficult moment and it seemed like I wouldn’t make it through. But what emotions I had when I finally made it through, I will have enough impressions for a very long time.”

Nastia

“When they were acting out the story about the prodigal son, I cried, because I realised I was very much like him. I also want to leave home as soon as possible to live my own life and rely only on myself.”

Katya

“I always struggle with the fact that I am not like everyone else, that no one understands me, no one loves me. But here I felt safe, loved and not alone.”

June 29, 2024

The academic year at the “Success” Center has ended. Final meetings were held under the programs “The Greatest Journey” and “Superbook”, where the children told what they remembered the most from what they had learned during the year.

We held the last lesson with our graduates, where they shared their dreams and plans for the future. Despite the fact that their studies are over and they are now moving on to adulthood, the doors of the “Success” Center are always open to them.

For the rest of the students, from June 3 to 14, two day camps were held on the theme “Feel Jesus Near”. Where we encouraged them to be with God every minute. About 100 children aged 9-12 and 13-17 participated. It was a fun time of games, activities, dancing and singing.

At the Bible lessons in the camp, they talked about the fact that Jesus is in every area of ​​our life and only with Him is it really complete. Children shared what hurts them the most. They said that the worst thing is when friends are hypocrites and abandon them in the most important moments. They listened to the story of true friends David and Jonathan and thought about how they could become such friends.

We also talked about the behavior of students at school. Most children know all the rules and how a Christian should behave. But it is difficult for them to deal with those who do not have love and grace. With those who mock them, ridicule them, beat them. Unfortunately, bullying at school is a commonplace thing.

In the lesson, they could share unpleasant situations from their school. And it was easier for them to talk when they heard that their peers had experienced the same things. The children supported each other, and we told them that Jesus was a disciple and how he behaved.

We prayed for safety in Ukraine, for the soldiers, for a soon victory, for God’s protection and His hand over each of us.

May 29, 2024

We would like to share with you the events that took place at the “Success” Center in May. 

At the beginning of the month, we held a festive performances with our students on the theme of “Easter”. We reminded ourselves of the value and deep meaning of this holiday. High school students performed skits about the events of Jesus’ time, successfully conveying the emotions and experiences of the characters. Younger children recited poems and sang. 

On May 10, we held the final meeting of the S.T.A.R.S. psychological resilience course for teenagers. A guest pastor from a local church spoke about God’s plan for us. “We do not always understand why something happens in our lives, but our hope is in God and His perfect plan.” 

The teenagers shared their impressions of the course. They were most interested in the topic of stress management. After all, we looked at the tools they can use every day. They thanked us for talking frankly with them about depression and suicide, because most people keep these topics quiet, but the problem does not disappear. 

In their feedback, the children wrote that they would like to continue attending meetings for teenagers in this format. Most of all, they want to talk about: bullying, relationships between boys and girls, addictions and the meaning of life. So we plan to continue working in this direction.

Traditionally, we held a talent show at the end of the school year. Here, each of our students could show what they are passionate about.

«I’ve been studying acting for seven years now. I attend this class  with my friends and they are the biggest support for me.  When I am on stage,  I feel happy.  I like dancing the most. I really want to become a famous actress». Nastya

«This year I started to get interested in confectionery. My mom is teaching me to bake cakes. I am getting better at it. I dream of becoming a pastry chef and having my own restaurant». Kristina

«I like to model with clay, it calms me down. It was very scary when the power was cut off because of missile attacks on our country. Then I was modeling with a flashlight». Sophia

«Since I was 4 years old, I have been fond of reciting poetry. It all started with me making up short poems and telling them to everyone. It was so natural and easy. Now I make more effort to do it skillfully. I get great pleasure from it. I dream that the war will end». Anastasiya

«Playing the flute brings me joy. I have been doing it for 4 years. I also like to make clay. I dream of becoming a teacher and teaching children the art of ceramics». Marta

«I have been playing the piano for 6 years. At the beginning it was very difficult to learn, and even harder to practice, especially with chords. But now I like to compose my own music. The song I wrote most dearly to me is “About Dad”. I would like to become a professional composer».  Anna

April 26, 2024

From April 5, we launched a series of S.T.A.R.S. (Suicide Training And Resiliency Strategies) meetings for children aged 12 to 18. The goal of the program is to prevent suicide among young people and teach them how to cope with stress.

What is this course about?

– The state of stress and depression in adolescence

– Strategies for reducing stress

– Psychological resistance to suicide

– Ability to cope with pain

– The value of life

– Internal dialog

– Safe dialog with a friend 

During the lesson, the teenagers realized the difference between stress and depression. They shared situations in which they most often feel pressure. The first place was taken by school, followed by relationships with parents and peers. Having identified their stress factors, they identified the most effective strategies for overcoming it.

The easiest ways to reduce stress are:

1) Sleep

2) Focusing on your strengths

3) Physical activity

4) Activities that bring joy

5) Socializing

They identified their protective factors as: social skills, good health, strong relationships with parents, etc. The presence of a large number of these factors makes us resistant to stress and pressure from external circumstances.

We talked about the value of life. That each of us writes our own special story. That Jesus gave his life for us, giving importance to ours.

“These meetings are important to me. Here I can learn to understand and control my emotions. I like that the classes are filled not only with lectures, but also with games to get to know each other, teamwork and time for communication.” – Valya

March 29, 2024

«For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life»

For 6 years in a row, we have been holding classes for our students under the “Greatest Journey” program. This program is aimed at helping children to know Jesus, follow Him every day and tell people the Good News. This is a time of spiritual fulfillment, reflection on the meaning of life and answers to difficult questions.

This month the topic of one of the meetings was “The Biggest Problem”. The children read and discussed the story of the first fall. How God created humans to live in harmony with Him, but sin destroyed everything and wreaked chaos.

“This story is sad because Adam and Eve sinned against God. Now we all suffer the consequences. I think most of us would have done the same thing they did. We are definitely not better than them.” – Natalia

“The worst thing is that people started making excuses, shifting the blame to each other and to the snake. If they did not do this, but confessed that they had actually committed this sin, perhaps God would forgive them.” – Antonina

The children were given colorful printed notebooks in which they completed tasks to help them understand the material they had learned. In one of the drawings, they had to recognize a sin, determine which of the children was being naughty and circle it.

“How could Adam and Eve live without sin in the Garden of Eden? It is impossible not to sin!” – Igor

We played themed games. In one of them, we had to pass a candy around with a spoon, and when it fell, we decided whose fault it was. We also did a crossword puzzle with key words from the story.

At the end of the meeting, we watched a video about the first sin. We learned the key verse. We prayed.

“The hope in this story is that someday the Savior will come and we will be freed from sin forever.” – Taras

The children continue to attend classes at the “Success” Center under the main programs: English lessons, Superbook meetings, and “Life in the Palms” classes. Every day we sow a little hope in their hearts.

February 28, 2024

From January 15, after the Christmas holidays, studies at the “Success” Center continued. Our students actively attend English lessons, Superbook meetings, “Life in the Palms”, “The Greatest Journey”.

Throughout the school year, Life in the Palms classes are held for children aged 5 to 9. This is a program of comprehensive child development that includes 12 subjects such as geography, sports, technology, and others. It aims to:

– reveal the child’s talents

– teach to interact with peers and adults

– increase interest in learning and development

– give a deeper understanding of themselves and the world

From January 18 to February 10, Life in the Palms meetings were held on the topic of Communication. During this period, 77 children attended the classes. They talked about the importance of proper communication between people and what topics they can talk about.

At one of the meetings, the children talked about their hobbies. “Hobbies are the most favorite activities of children and adults” – Diana.

To apply the topic in a practical way, the students were divided into groups, where each received a task to tell something about themselves. This allowed the more shy students to start talking, and the more active ones to try to listen to their friends.

Most of all, children like to learn with an interactive projector. Each lesson has a task where they come up and perform a certain action with the help of a pen. Last time, they had to put together a puzzle and press a melody to make it play.

At the final lesson on the topic of communication, the children, together with the teacher, came to the conclusion: “We are created to communicate.”

We delivered the humanitarian aid to the Petrykivsky Geriatric Center, a facility for elderly people who are unable to take care of themselves due to health reasons. The staff and residents of the Center were very grateful for the food, because due to the war and urgent needs at the front, fewer and fewer volunteers are helping them.

As a continuation of the seminar “7 Secrets of Effective Fatherhood”, the first meeting of the Dad Club was held at the Success Center. The men shared their successes in implementing the “fatherhood plan”. They told how well they manage to be active participants in the lives of their children.

January 30, 2024

From December 22 to January 18, the staff and volunteers of the «Success» Center worked with people from socially vulnerable categories. They shared the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ and distributed material assistance.

The teenagers who volunteer at our center helped us pack humanitarian aid packages containing: cereals, canned food, cookies, etc.

From December 26 to 29, we visited families of internally displaced persons in 4 villages of Ternopil region: Myshkovychi, Velyka Berezovytsia, Ostriv and Petryky. People who have come from the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, where the fighting is ongoing, temporarily live there. People shared their stories and concerns with us. The story of Mrs Оlena:

Olena Mykolayivna is 63 years old. She and her husband (a group 2 disabled person) came from Donetsk region. They no longer have a home. Now they live in the Catechetical Center of St. Aristarchus Michael Church and they have no idea what will happen next. People who have lived in one place all their lives now, at the age of retirement, have to start from scratch. It’s hard.

As we talked to people, we shared the good news of Jesus Christ. He is our hope and salvation. During this time, we distributed about 60 humanitarian aid packages.

In addition, from December 26 to 29, in the evenings, we made targeted deliveries to IDPs and low-income families. In total, we delivered about 40 packages. We caroled, shared the Word of God and prayed together.

On December 29, our team visited the NGO Center for Assistance to Children with Down Syndrome “Babiko”, where they work with children with special needs. We distributed 60 packages of humanitarian aid to their families. The parents were very grateful, it was a great support for them.

In the evening, on the same day, we went to the train station in Ternopil. This is the place where the largest number of homeless people gather in winter, because they can warm themselves in the premises of the station. One of our volunteers preached to them that God did not promise us an easy life. But He promised to always be with us and gave us salvation through the resurrection of His only Son. He called them to come to the Living God who can change them once and for all.

We have prepared 75 sets of different types of canned food for them, which can be consumed without cooking. This is especially valuable in winter, as it is much easier to find food in summer.

On January 17, we visited the NGO “Unity of Generations,” whose members are mostly lonely elderly people. We preached to them that Jesus understands us and knows what we are going through, because He was born under occupation and His life was not easy. We prayed together for peace in Ukraine. We distributed 90 packages of food to them. Here are some stories of their hard lives:

Ms. Bohdana overcame cancer and had 23 chemotherapies. Now she is alone. She takes care of her mother, who cannot get up and cannot take care of herself. She attends weekly meetings of the NGO “United Generations” because it is the only opportunity to leave the house and get a little distraction.

Ivanna is a veteran of the Second World War. She has Parkinson’s disease. Her nephew (computer addict) lives with her. She suffers from poor treatment, disrespect, and lack of understanding from her family. However, Ms. Ivanna is a very intelligent, educated woman.

On January 18, 8 packages of humanitarian aid were delivered to the employees of the NGO Bebiko. Because their dedication and service to children is extremely important.

In total, from December 22 to January 18, thanks to the humanitarian support of Orphan’s Promise and Operation Blessing, we distributed 260 food packages.

On January 19-20, the «Success» Center hosted a seminar for fathers entitled “7 Secrets of Successful Fatherhood”. The main speaker, Adrian Bukovynsky, encouraged fathers to be active participants in their children’s lives. The men shared their experiences with each other: parenting methods, family values, the subtleties of communicating with children and spending fun time together.

So while our students were on vacation, we took care of those who needed it most. And, together with the fathers, we built strategies for raising children in love and mutual understanding.