"Spring Flood" Drama Festival

Every spring in old city of Lviv, which is in Western Ukraine “Emmanuel” Christian theatre holds the “Spring Flood” festival. It is the fourth year already as “Dialogue” Theatre studio and “Singing Hearts” music group from “Father’s House” participates in it.

From all over Ukraine Theater and music groups, ensembles and singers come to participate. Through the whole year our children are getting ready for this festival, as this is a great chance for them not just to show and reveal their talents but also to make new friends and to learn some art skills from other groups, which is very important for their self-concept and develop them into strong personalities. In between the contests the very interesting cultural program for children is organized where they got to know some historical memorials of the Lion’s city, attend museums, temples and monuments. This widen their world-view, develops the sensitivity to art and teaches them respect traditions and culture of our country.

This year the festival took place right before the Easter so the theatre performance of the “Dialogue” studio named God’s Love was dedicated to this pure and bright holiday – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On these special days children wanted to show by this play that Love is strong enough and it overcomes all the difficulties and give us everlasting life. And no matter who you are this love accepts us and helps us to overcome hard times in life and obstacles.

The “Singing Hearts” music group sung songs of God’s love, which leads us to the heaven and gives joy on this wonderful day when Jesus was raised.
At the festival children have met new friends and strengthened relations with Emmanuel theatre and now are ready for new creative meetings in the following year.

The Helping Hand

On March 20 “Otchiy Dim” children arrived to the trip to orphanage for disabled girls in Poltavska oblast, Novi Sanjary village. As we arrived there were 86 girls at the orphanage, most of them are physically disabled in different degree, some are having Down syndrome, and there are also some mentally disabled: deaf, blind, dwarf and cerebral spastic infantile paralyzed.

By this trip we wanted to teach our children not just to receive gifts and aid for themselves but also to give away, to be compassionate to others. And also to learn to appreciate and be thankful for everything they have. Besides we really wanted the children to make new friends and keep in touch by correspondence in future.

We were getting ready to this trip in forehead, that’s why in the beginning of February at our centre we had “The Helping Hand” charity event; children as well as adults took part in this event. During the month children could gather some clothes, toys, bathroom stuff and some finances for girls. It was so wonderful that everything needed for this trip – expenses for patrol, stuff for orphanage we gathered through offerings.

Children prepared program for the girls – play “Peter Cat” and some songs. Children accepted us and were watching the play with great pleasure, and it was such a surprise for us to know that they also prepared a program and some presents for us as well. After the official part children acquainted with each other, and spent a lot of time in fellowship, took a picture as a keepsake, left their mailing addresses to keep in touch. There were no barriers between children in communication, in spite of physical defects these girls have, they remain children – and they also have a need in love, touch, hugs, they are all children and easily express their emotions.

After such trips it is impossible to remain indifferent or apathetic to these children, and compassion comes to their hearts and a great desire to help somehow. We have decided to take girls from the orphanage under our support and we will keep on taking care of them through our “helping Hand” events, and the most important through personal fellowship.