to romania, with love
Sharing Gospel hope, Christ’s love, & Occupational Therapy with individuals with developmental delays in Romania, for the glory of God
Mission
Sharing Gospel hope of salvation through faith in Jesus, God's love, and Occupational Therapy with Romanians from trauma backgrounds or with developmental delays, to the glory of God
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves but for him
who died for them and was raised again."
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (ESV)
Children and adults from hard
places in Romania experience intense
neglect, abuse, and poverty that can leave
life-altering scars. Other individuals experience developmental delays for other various reasons, but do
not have access to help. Without specialized intervention, the devastating outcomes from the difficulties they face can remain with these individuals, making it difficult to manage emotions, control behaviors, learn, attend
to tasks, live independently, engage in activities with
confidence and coordination, get and keep a job, stay physically well, and form and maintain
healthy relationships.
Failure to Thrive
Poor Self-Regulation
Cognitive Delays and Poor Focus
Sensory Processing Disorder
Physical Development and Coordination
Delays
Delays in Social and Play Skills
Growing Up in Hard Places Can Lead to...
The Gospel Need
As we all do, people from trauma backgrounds and with developmental delays need the Good News (Gospel) that although we are all sinners, breaking God's commandments, separated from God by our sins, and deserving of Hell, in love, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to rescue us, give us his righteousness, and reconcile us to God through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. We receive this salvation when we recognize our need and believe in the work of Jesus on our behalf. Jesus is the only way to salvation.
While therapy can make new connections in the body and brain for improved functioning, our only hope for a changed heart, and for everlasting life in Heaven with God, is the Gospel. My prayer is to be able to show the sacrificial love of Christ in the work that I do and to share the Gospel as part of my regular interactions with the individuals that I serve and their families.
The Need for Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy provides specialized interventions to help individuals develop, heal, learn new skills, and overcome the effects of trauma, neglect, or other causes of delayed development.
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
Occupational Therapists specialize in brain and body development and use engaging, targeted motor activities to fill in developmental gaps in order help people mature, gain skills, and function well in life.
Occupational Therapists' use of play-based, relationship-focused sensori-motor activities, often undergirded by rhythm, promotes neuroplasticity, which facilitates healing for nervous systems affected by trauma.
BODY-BASED TRAUMA HEALING
Occupational Therapists specialize in improving sensory processing for better day-to-day living. Many individuals from hard places struggle with over-responding to or needing extra sensory input (touch, movement, muscle and joint use, sound). These challenges lead to other difficulties, such as trouble being still, hugging too tightly, meltdowns, and so on.
SENSORY PROCESSING
Despite the presence of university programs in other types of therapy, only a few, recently-developed, programs exist in Romania to train Occupational Therapists, leaving the country in need of qualified OTs to help its people heal and gain skills.
LACK OF OTs IN
ROMANIA
The Need for Occupational Therapy
Ministry Connections
Reformed Baptist Church in Brasov affiliated with HeartCry Missionary Society
Calvary Redeeming Grace exists to make joyful, passionate disciples of Jesus Christ as we make Christ non-ignorable in Lakewood and to the ends of the earth.
Cord Ministries, International serves strategic partnerships in Gospel-centered ministry by exploring, refining and sharing solutions for challenges in ministry.
Stay Up to Date!
Subscribe to My Newsletter
Get in Touch!
I'd Love to Hear from You