Hope to bring home: Darius at Summer Camp

Darius* is 11 and lives in Romania. He has interests just like any other kid, enjoying learning Romanian and maths at school. His dream is to be a police officer, and his favourite meal to cook is potatoes with omelette.

But Darius’ has not grown up in normal circumstances.

Living in poverty, his big family – with six children – take up a small home that only has two rooms and beds that must be shared. There is no bathroom, only an outside toilet. Darius’ dad battles alcohol and becomes violent, while his mother constantly cleans to cope with the stress that surrounds her.

“We have food,” Darius said. “And if we don’t, we work for it.” But the work is far beyond what a child should have to do just to eat.

Darius carries water from his aunt’s house, looks after the horses, gathers firewood, cooks meals, folds laundry, and cares for his 1-year-old sister, among other chores.

But the weight is not only physical. A few years ago, Darius’ baby brother passed away when he was only ten days old. Responsibility burdens Darius’ young shoulders, but so does the hardship of loving his family deeply when their circumstances seem unchangeable.

“I want to give my family everything their hearts desire. Maybe a big, nice house and an automatic washing machine for my mother. But more than anything, I pray that God keeps them healthy and always watches over them.”

An invitation to joy

Thankfully, since his first invitation to Summer Camp 4 years ago, Darius has something that takes away from his burdens, not adds to them.

“I love it,” said Darius. “Here life feels lighter. No chores, no school, no responsibilities. Just games, laughter and the freedom to be a kid.”

Before Summer Camp, Darius had never been away. No cinemas or playgrounds, just dusty roads. But there, his days are filled with friends, trampolines, a giant corn pit, and ice cream.

Over the week, camp volunteers like Stefania witness how children’s unique personalities and God-given gifts flourish in an environment without the weight of chores and poverty.

“Darius may be young, but I could see he has a big, helpful heart,” said Stefania. “Every small act shows the kind of person he is.”

A week of change

“Children arrive shy and unsure, but within days they laugh, learn and grow together. Just as they begin to feel the bond, it’s time to leave. Watching them holding each other in tears, not wanting the week to end, is heartbreaking. To many of them, Summer Camp is more than a holiday. It’s a rare moment of true joy, freedom and belonging.”

“The children often ask, ‘What day is it today?’ At first, we thought they were counting down,” said Mihai, MWB worker. “But they aren’t. They’re hoping there are more days left and that the fun won’t end too soon. The children know this time is temporary, and that’s why they try to hold on to it as much as possible.”

But these children do not leave empty-handed. Instead, they carry home the truth that they are valued and seen for who they are.

Now, they know God’s love.
Now, they know freedom.
Now, they know that life can hold joy.

Bring hope to life for a child to take back home.
Give them the tangible experience of Summer Camp.

*Name has been changed to protect identity