CRM - Empowering Leaders

Team History

InnerCHANGE Romania began on the shirttails of CRM Romania who pioneered the way immediately after the fall of communism in 1989-1990. The CRM Romania team focused on the local church all the while being aware of the backdrop of widespread poverty.

They also longed to see ministry among the poor. In 1998, InnerCHANGE sent a survey team to Romania. As a result, InnerCHANGE began making plans to send their first missionary to Romania.

InnerCHANGE Romania 2001-2005

Shelly Thompson, Amy Vaughn, David Liu and Nathan Burke made up the first InnerCHANGE Romania team. Shelly transitioned out of InnerCHANGE in 2003, and David returned to the USA in 2005 in order to pursue graduate education.

This season was a kind of baptism for the team—into culture and language—into team and community—into poverty and crisis—into contemplation of our values and a search for best way to live and minister among Romania’s poor.

During this season, the team gained experience and insight into the culture by working alongside a few Romanian initiatives; The Kid’s Club—an outreach of the Eclesia church to orphans; the Way of Joy—a ministry to poor families and children. In 2005, a pilot project called the Dawn of Hope—working with orphans preparing to leave the institutions—provided additional insights for the team.

The above question of “the best way” is a question that is on going and dynamic. It is simply part of the missionary life. While we continue to wrestle with that question, this season of our history did yield a foundation of values and purpose on which we continue to build.

InnerCHANGE Romania today

Shelly transitioned out of InnerCHANGE in 2003, and David returned to the USA in 2005 in order to pursue graduate education. Amy and Nathan remained on the team and are now joined by Roxana, Abigail, Diane, and Jonathan. Here's how:

Abigail Sutton joined the Romania team in September 2006. This is now her second year of the InnerCHANGE Novitiate, although she feels there is still much more to learn. She helps out at Steps of Hope with English, art, and games, and it still in the process of discovering what else God has in store for her to do. She enjoys living in the same neighborhood as the kids and growing up with them.

Roxana Burke has worked alongside CRM/InnerCHANGE Romania in ministry since 1998. She joined the InnerCHANGE Romania team when she married Nathan Burke in May 2005. Roxana will be participating in InnerCHANGE's Apprenticeship training from September 2007-August 2008.

Nathan Burke In 2001, Nathan had a dream of working toward the completion of his education in Human Development while being on the field--in the context of Romania. Nathan is currently doing just that. He is enrolled in an on-line degree completion program with Hope International University. His studies continue to overlap the ministry InnerCHANGE does in Romania while providing deeper insights and thoughts for future ministry.

Hands on, Nathan and Roxana are ministering to a group of orphans they've known for years who are now over 18 years of age and are transitioning into the real world.

Diane Moss Since arriving in March 2007, Diane has been studying Romanian, learning culture, and enjoying becoming a team with the other IC staff. Diane has been helping out with the administration and accounting aspects of Steps of Hope and is getting to know the staff and kids too. She is also interested in learning more about the situation of abandoned babies in Iasi and discovering tangible ways of loving them.

Looking toward the future

The developing social work system in Romania necessitated that InnerCHANGE initiate a local organization that could be legally recognized. In 2006, Amy Vaughn pioneered Steps of Hope, which serves as the ministry umbrella for InnerCHANGE Romania. Steps of Hope was accredited by the government in March 2006 to carry out a mentorship initiative that pairs at-risk Romanian youth with local Christians in supportive relationships through which they encouraged in their personal development.