Like many children growing up in poverty in Moldova, Damir worked long hours from the age of ten doing odd jobs to help his family survive. His mother earned low wages, and there was never enough money to meet the family’s needs. It seemed impossible that Damir should ever have the experience of going on holiday – or a fun summer trying out new activities.
Damir, however, was enrolled on Mission Without Borders’ (MWB) child sponsorship programme – and now, looking back at all the support he was given, what he loves talking about most of all is summer camp.
“MWB’s summer camp was one of the best times of my life, and I will never forget it,” Damir said. “It was ten days of happiness, full of new adventures, new experiences, new ways of having fun.
“I was so happy to be there, away from my hard work at home and the other struggles I don’t want to remember.”
It was Damir’s dream to become a volunteer at summer camp – and bless younger children in the way he had been blessed. He was thrilled when Ion, the local MWB staff member, told him they were running a day camp and asked him to help.
Ion said, “A few days before the day camp started, I went to the local church to say that we’d need to get the area ready, put out the trampoline, blow up some balloons and put up the decorations to make the environment more colourful for the kids. And guess who the first one who wanted to help was? Of course, it was Damir. You should’ve seen his enthusiasm in organising everything and how he always offered to help.”