Our friends in Ukraine have now lived through 3 years of the current conflict and many soldiers have been lost on the front lines. There are also many who have been injured and are no longer able to serve – these veterans are back with their families and looking for meaning in lives they had not anticipated or planned for. Our partners at Camp Maximum have been getting involved in caring for veterans by offering family camps, but in early February they hosted a different retreat, for the men only, providing space for them to relax, to talk, and to be heard.

Daily group sessions were delivered through a translator by David, an American visitor who is himself a former soldier and now works for a ministry offering pastoral and psychological support to veterans. Also on hand for conversations were three chaplains; and Maximum staff member Ladan, a masseur and rehabilitation practitioner, provided physical care. There was down-time and activities such as go-karting, as well as small-group sessions for sharing stories and experiences. It was not always easy, but the participants agreed it was worth it.

“I've been through a lot in the war,” a veteran called Dima explained. “Now I'm dealing with the effects of war. My psychiatric condition is not the best, and I require psychological treatment. That's why I'm here now, just to calm myself down a little bit. I'm really thankful that there is such an organization, where I can just come and talk to the other boys, and that we’ve had this time to rest, to get our heads together.”