Ukraine Rugby Camp is a Hit Despite Rainy Weather

This year’s rugby ministry ended with an 8-day long primitive tent camp next to the forest in a village called “Holy” in northwestern Ukraine. Thirty-three boys and girls, ages 11-14, from different schools attended the camp, sleeping in tents in one of the village’s shared fields.

Despite intermittent rains and high winds, the group stayed dry thanks to new tents donated by a church in the US. The daily program began with a morning run and stretching followed by breakfast, songs and fun games, and then a rugby training session and swimming in a nearby lake. After lunch, the group headed into the forest where they participated in team-building games and ropes course elements, including a “zip-line” on the last 2 days. Afterwards, there were usually relay races and then a big camp game in the evening either just before or just after dinner. The day ended with singing around the campfire, a slideshow of the day’s photos, and sometimes skits, a movie, or an evening party. Food was cooked over an open fire and the kids helped with peeling potatoes and carrots and washing their own dishes after meals.

When asked what part of the camp they liked the best, the unanimous answer was the team-building games in the forest. Through this type of games, the kids learned to help and encourage each other and that true success isn’t about whoever is fastest or strongest, but about the entire team completing a task together, each helping the others to accomplish it. When asked whether they had grown closer as friends, the kids answered that they had become closer friends with many of the campers, especially the ones who slept in the same tent. The campers already asked about next year’s camp and are looking forward to seeing us again in September when rugby ministry begins again.