As part of One More Child’s ministry in Romania, we host a camp for vulnerable children, including many in our child sponsorship program.
Denis was one of these children who attended the camp not knowing what to expect. But by the end of the week, he didn’t just make fun memories, he also received hope and assurance that God loves him.
The theme for camp was “Cunoscut pe nume”— or Known by Name. Every child received a shirt with this phrase on it, under the picture of a lamb.
On the first night, the children heard the story of Hagar—how she wandered alone in the wilderness, afraid and certain God had forgotten her, and ultimately how God spoke to her.
After the lesson, Denis found his mentor, a One More Child team member, and asked a simple question about Hagar. However, as Denis kept talking, he began to cry, and then he began to share what was truly on his heart.
In tears, he shared that he was angry—at God and at the life he had been given. The mentor did not hurry to explain away the anger, but rather listened, sat with him, heard his cries, and saw him in his pain.
After a while, the crying slowed, and the pain was still there, but there was also something else: a release. The mentor saw something lighter in Denis, as though he could breathe again.
The rest of the week, Denis continued to come to camp and hear about the love of God. By the end of the week, he shared with his mentor that camp was his favorite week ever. He told his mentor that he felt known by name by the leaders of the camp and his mentor, but most importantly by God.
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 (NIV)
In the wilderness, God came to Hagar and in response, Hagar gave God a name: “El Roi—the God who sees me.” Though she was still in the middle of her painful circumstances, she was not alone—God saw her, God was with her, and God knew her by name.
This is the same truth Denis came to understand, perhaps not in the wildness, but at a camp in Romania. He came to camp feeling forgotten, but he went home wearing a brand-new shirt that declared the truth he now believed: Known by Name.
Sponsorship means life change for many children around the globe. But when that support stops, a child is at risk of losing opportunities for a better future. Will you consider sponsoring a high-priority child or spreading the word?
On a mission trip with One More Child, you have an opportunity to serve vulnerable children and struggling families in tangible ways around the globe. You can also build a deeper relationship by visiting the child you sponsor.