One of the things I love most about spending time with kids is seeing the world through their eyes.
This past week, we had the chance to welcome more than 40 children and youth to our Catechism Day Camp at the Rossburn Ukrainian Catholic Church. And one of the most remarkable things about this year’s camp? About 75% of our participants had never attended before.
What I saw was a diverse group of kids from different towns and Christian traditions. What they saw was old and new friends, a chance to play together, a safe space to explore their faith—and snacks. Lots of good snacks!
A few months ago, we decided to try something a little different. Inspired by Ephesians 4:4, we wanted to make sure that what we offered this summer was welcoming and accessible to families of all Christian traditions. We love our rich Ukrainian Catholic spirituality, and we recognize within it a call to be present to the people around us, building relationships and living our shared life well.
So we chose a Vacation Bible School program called Rainforest Falls, a playful, science-filled adventure exploring the nature of God. We set up to host, extended the invitation, and the Holy Spirit took it from there!
Each day was anchored by a verse from the Psalms and a biblical story that helped us explore a different truth about who God is:
God is our Creator.
God knows everything.
God is our safe place.
God is love.
God is forever.
After free play outside, we opened each day with prayer and reflection in the church, and then we were off and running with our preschool and elementary programs.
Our 3–5-year-old campers explored God’s nature through hands-on discovery centres, crafts, and interactive stories—with twists like smelling tuna or hiding in a blanket fort to stay safe from Saul’s army. There were lots of giggles, a touch of chaos, and plenty of joy.
Our Grade 1–6 crews dove into their exploration through games, science experiments, object lessons, and genuinely thoughtful discussions. We watched chlorophyll glow under UV light and marvelled at the incredible design of God’s creation. We learned about the heart muscle and then thought about what it means to say that God knows our hearts. We watched an egg survive a twenty-five foot drop as we talked about how, even when bad things happen, God promises to be our refuge. Through conversations about Jesus’ arrest and death, we learned more about forgiveness and how God loves us unconditionally. And we celebrated the gift of forever with God—a future that will never end, but has already begun.
Every morning, we were interrupted by the wonderfully eccentric Dr. Flutterby, a scientist who was not having much success tracking down a rare butterfly. He provided plenty of laughs while helping us think about what it means to be scientists seeking God—looking for evidence of His love and creativity all around us.
The campers kept track of their “God Sightings,” noticing evidence of God’s presence in everything from rainbows to Grandma to comforting others. For me, this community is a God Sighting.
It has not been an easy summer in Rossburn. Our town has spent weeks dealing with the aftermath of a tornado and significant flooding. But through those difficult days, we have also seen something beautiful: neighbours helping neighbours, friends supporting friends, and people showing up for one another.
As adults, especially when we talk about faith, it can be easy to focus on the barriers or things that separate us. But these kids seemed to naturally do the opposite. They found common ground. They met each other in the middle. They were bridge builders without even realizing it.
Maybe that is one of the things God was teaching us at Rainforest Falls.
God is love. And love is at work all around us—bringing us together, overcoming obstacles, and making us stronger than we are on our own.
“There is one body and one Spirit, as well as one hope to which you have been called…”
Ephesians 4:4
We are so grateful to everyone who helped make Rainforest Falls possible—our volunteers, crew leaders, kitchen helpers, snack donors, decorators, sponsors, parents, and all those who shared their time, gifts, and energy to create a welcoming and joyful space for our campers.
What a gift to spend a week looking for God together.
Wow, God!
Sophia Korban
