Ukraine

Ukraine Mission Statement:

Our mission in Ukraine is to keep the children with special needs in families and out of poorly funded state nursing homes. For children in the orphanage, this means helping to make them more “adoptable”. For children with families, this means working with parents and doctors to build a support system where the child can remain in their home.

During our Ukraine trips we bring over 1,000 pounds of documents, toys, and equipment. Our team visits different orphanages to provide basic therapy and education to improve the lives of orphans who have special needs. We hold family clinics where we distribute educational documents explaining basic therapy techniques. We also demonstrate these techniques and distribute equipment to any and all children who require specialized items that are unavailable in Ukraine. All who serve agree this is a remarkable and rewarding experience. We are not only able to provide specialized equipment and therapy, but we are able to show the amazing potential hidden inside each child.

Guatemala

Guatemala Mission Statement:

Our mission in Guatemala is to improve the quality of lives for children with special needs in and near Guatemala City.

For the children in orphanages, we provide therapy equipment and help educate caregivers on methods for improving the children’s basic development, promoting physical, mental, and emotional health. For children with families, we educate parents on basic development and provide therapy equipment for children.

During our time in Guatemala we travel to remote areas in order to reach children that would otherwise never have access to therapy services. We demonstrate techniques and distribute equipment to any and all children who require specialized items that are inaccessible in the area. Our vision includes building a support system in the community so that parents and caregivers can collaborate to best meet the needs of their children. We hope to bless the children, their caregivers and their families and give them hope for a better quality of life.

TEAMworks Guatemala's ministry work was initiated by a relationship with a local coffee house, Mama Carmen’s, and New Heights Church. TEAMworks feels a personal connection to Mama Carmen's coffee house by personally visiting and treating several children in the pictures on the walls. We continue to contribute and support Mama Carmen’s work by engaging in their business, and encourage any local support to them.

China

TEAMworks China is currently volunteering with two different organizations in China. We are volunteering in the Xining providence with a local occupational therapist, Amanda Wheery, and the Qiinghai Red Cross Hospital, who is the only facility in Western China with trained therapists. Our work in Xining includes education at the hospital's new facility, training to the hospital staff, as well as volunteering at a orphanage in town where we work with both the orphanage staff and the children there.  TEAMworks has also initiated a partnership with a local neonatologist, Dr. Bo Lin, a native of China, who is opening a clinic for children with special needs in China. TEAMworks is assisting Dr. Lin in providing education to staff and therapy to families attending his clinic over the next years. We are excited about both of these opportunities as we feel that orphans are at the heart of TEAMworks, and providing support and resources for families raising children with special needs is an important step to keeping children out of orphanages. 

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widow in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27