Every week, the leadership and staff of One More Child come together for prayer and devotion to celebrate the encouraging progress in our ongoing mission to serve vulnerable children and struggling families, all for the glory of God.
Here is a glimpse into the recent good news, activities, and accomplishments at One More Child:
God-Ordained Pajamas
One More Child’s Compassion Centers are resource hubs that help meet the needs of parents, families, and children in our care. We often see how God is already working behind the scenes, preparing specific families to receive precisely what they need, as we receive donations from generous supporters in the community. This is exactly what happened at our new Compassion Center in Jacksonville.
Emily* is a licensed foster parent through One More Child who recently stopped by the Compassion Center to pick up a bike for her foster daughter Hadley.* Emily could not wait to see the joy on Hadley’s face when she received her very own bike. But Emily was unaware that another gift was waiting for her at the Compassion Center: matching pajamas for all her girls, including her biological daughters.
Pajamas were one thing Hadley needed more of, and Emily felt as though she was receiving a hug from God when our coordinator asked if they could use PJs. Even more amazing, just a few days earlier, a specific pair of pajamas had caught Hadley’s eye in the store—and those were the exact pajamas waiting for her at the Compassion Center.
When Hadley received the pajamas, she was overjoyed and bursting with excitement. These pajamas did more than just meet a practical need—they fulfilled a specific desire for this foster child. It was a simple but powerful reminder that God is present in the details of our lives, even our pajamas.
A Providential Meeting
On a mission trip to Guatemala with One More Child, one of the team members, Tiffany, experienced an unexpected—but incredibly meaningful—surprise. Tiffany sponsors a child through our ministry, but it was unclear if the logistics would allow them to meet during the trip.
Then, while serving in the community, Tiffany learned they would be visiting the home of her sponsored child, Keyla.
Tiffany was able to meaningfully connect with Keyla and her family, spending time together in their home, playing, and exploring the village. She built a deeper relationship with Keyla and her mother, Maria, and experienced the beauty of connecting with the global Church in a powerful way. Before leaving, Tiffany gifted Spanish Bibles to both Keyla and Maria.
When you sponsor a child, you create a beautiful connection with the global Church—walking alongside a child and family in faith and hope.
A Place to Rest
Late one night, as most children were already snoozing away, 10-year-old Kyle* sat in a stranger’s office with no home to go to and no bed to sleep in. Kyle was in custody of the Child Protection Investigations office and urgently needed a safe and comforting place to stay. The child welfare team got to work making calls, but at such a late hour, with no notice, finding a bed for Kyle quickly became a challenge.
One of One More Child’s licensed foster moms, Lori,* was contacted about the emergency placement and immediately let our staff know she could take him for the night. Although Lori had been planning to care for children under the age of 2 at the time, her heart went out to this young boy, and she knew she had to welcome him in.
Kyle went to Lori’s house that night, and even though the fear and hurt from the trauma he had just experienced were still present, he had a safe place to sleep and was welcomed with kindness and love. Kyle continued staying with Lori as our team searched for a long-term placement.
One day, Lori took the whole family—including Kyle and her five adopted children—to a special family lunch. Lori happened to be wearing her foster care shirt that day, and when the time came to pay the bill, she was told the restaurant had comped their entire meal.
Looking at the children, the server told her, “You’re blessing so many—we wanted to bless you.”
With tears in her eyes, Lori recognized this unexpected kindness as a reminder from God of His presence, grace, and love.
*Names and photos changed for privacy.