‘We do not remember days, we remember moments.”
— Cesare Pavese
Our nature retreat today has become a true island of joy, warmth, and unity. For the project team, this day will be remembered for the incredible energy of communication, mutual support, and collective strength. We moved a lot, played in a big circle with the ball, and passionately competed in badminton. Together, we set the table, lit a fire, and prepared a space for art therapy: laying out shells, pebbles, paints, jewelry, eco-bags, and candle wax. The atmosphere was truly homely.
Our psychologist Bella started the day with an introduction, and then we smoothly transitioned to deep conversations. In a sincere circle of friends, the participants talked about exhaustion and stress, about resources and recovery, about places of strength, and how important it is to share energy with each other. They also mentioned our big mare, Barcelona, who helps the veterans find peace and recovery every week.
A special part of the event was a session with metaphorical cards, conducted by a psychologist from the Lisova Polyana hospital. It was a light, symbolic, and at the same time deep experience. We made wishes, shared impressions, and felt how symbols reveal new meanings.
This time, the veterans were joined by their wives and children. The kids drew, sculpted clay figurines, chirped, and laughed. This childish joy made the day even brighter. Although there were many people, there was a sense of ease and comfort, along with a real sense of community.
However, even during the retreat, the war did not allow us to forget about it: “Friend Doker” received a call from his brothers in arms at the front asking him to urgently send them kikimora camouflage for snipers. We could not help but respond to this request. Thanks to our friends from Vyshyvanka for a Tank—a group of volunteers from Kotsyubynske—the nets were sent to the Pokrovsk sector in the evening.
I would like to express special gratitude for the delicious treats that created the feeling of a family feast: tender tiramisu from Svetlana, vegetables in sauce from Maria, barbecue from our driver Anatoly, and juicy pears from his own garden.
No one wanted to leave. The atmosphere was so cozy that even the most resilient allowed themselves to relax. An idea came up: next time, let’s hang hammocks between the pines and just look at the sky, allowing our bodies and souls to rest.
At the end of the day, Bella offered a master class on making candles from natural wax. It was a real festival of sensations: the fragrant smell of wax, warmth in our hands, and multi-colored ribbons and flower petals that we embedded into the candles. We laughed, helped each other, and once again felt how small things create a big community.
Our guests gave us their handmade candles as presents—we’ll keep them as a memory of this August day full of love, warmth, and trust. Today we were able not only to relax; we talked about our problems and painful experiences—all together, not hiding our emotions and pain…
The retreat ended with a group photo—shoulder to shoulder, soul to soul—and warmly wishing each other strength, health, and endurance.
‼ This initiative is realized by the Wings of Victory charity within the Capable and Resistant Program implemented by the East Europe Foundation with the financial support of Switzerland.
We also express our sincere gratitude to our permanent sponsors, without which the activities of the project would be impossible:
@RGOW Projekte, Switzerland
@Олесь Клименко та Соня Атлантова
@БФ Святого Мартіна Де Порес
@Partnerschaftsaktion Ost im Bistum Magdeburg, Germany
@МБФ «Сприяння Розвитку Медицини»
@БФ «Час служити»
Stand strong!
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