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THE JOURNEY
Through a medical missions trip to Guatemala in 2010, Megan Lewis (GOT Ministries' Founder and Director) discovered a need for Occupational Therapy Services at New Life School in Santa Maria de Jesus. Megan returned to the school in 2011 to serve for five months. After her second trip, a desire grew to provide consistent therapy services to children in the community of Santa Maria de Jesus who would otherwise not receive them.
In the community where GOT Ministries serves, children with disabilities experience most of their lives confined to their homes. They see themselves in the eyes of society as having no value or future. Children with disabilities are often not allowed into public schools, simply because they are different, and there are no resources in place to support any learning challenges. If the child is not able to keep up in the classroom of 50 children with 1 teacher, they are removed from the school system.
In 2015, Megan created Guatemala Occupational Therapy (GOT) Ministries with a vision to consistently serve the children of Guatemala with disabilities through therapy and address the need seen in the community. Since then, the vision has expanded to include professional development of OT students, empowerment of local professionals in Guatemala, and increased awareness of the value of people with disabilities.
GOT Ministries is improving access to therapy for the large community we serve, and searching for Guatemalan therapy professionals in whom we can invest in order to advance the provision of Occupational Therapy services throughout the country.
In the community where GOT Ministries serves, children with disabilities experience most of their lives confined to their homes. They see themselves in the eyes of society as having no value or future. Children with disabilities are often not allowed into public schools, simply because they are different, and there are no resources in place to support any learning challenges. If the child is not able to keep up in the classroom of 50 children with 1 teacher, they are removed from the school system.
In 2015, Megan created Guatemala Occupational Therapy (GOT) Ministries with a vision to consistently serve the children of Guatemala with disabilities through therapy and address the need seen in the community. Since then, the vision has expanded to include professional development of OT students, empowerment of local professionals in Guatemala, and increased awareness of the value of people with disabilities.
GOT Ministries is improving access to therapy for the large community we serve, and searching for Guatemalan therapy professionals in whom we can invest in order to advance the provision of Occupational Therapy services throughout the country.
TIMELINE
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2010
2011 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 |
Megan travels to Guatemala for the first time through a medical missions trip and is introduced to New Life School in Santa Maria de Jesus
Megan returns to New Life School to provide OT services for 5 months and recognizes the call on her heart to provide consistent therapy services Megan creates GOT Ministries 1st GOT Ministries Fundraising Event 1st GOT Ministries-University Contract Completed 1st GOT Ministries Student Intern travels to Guatemala Official Partnership between GOT Ministries & New Life School Began Megan begins working full-time for GOT Ministries 1st GOT Envision Trip 1st GOT Doctoral Student Intern serving in Guatemala 9 Consistent Months of Therapy Provided |
