아름다운교회 ‘아가페 장애우 사역부’은 발달 장애우들을 위한 예배와 치료 및 교육 프로그램을 운영하고 있습니다. 부모님이 예배드리는 시간 동안의 단순한 daycare가 아닌, 하나님의 형상대로 창조된 한 영혼으로서 하나님과 만나 교통하는 발달 장애우들에게 맞는 진정한 예배 프로그램이 짜여져 있고 주일예배뿐만 아니라 금요예배 시간에도 부모님들이 예배에 참석할 수 있도록 금요예배 프로그램도 운영되고 있습니다.
또한 의사소통이 안되고 발달 불균형으로 인한 스트레스로 유발될 수 있는 여러 가지 문제들을 예방하고 해소할 수 있는 음악치료를 비롯한 여러 프로그램이 실시되어지고 있으며 Sensory 와 fine motor skill을 발달시킬 수 있는 여러 가지 sensory Activity가 전문가들에 의해 운영되고 있고 방과 후에도 학습과 숙제 등을 체계적으로 도와주며 기타 재미있는 활동들로 방과 후 학교가 운영되고 있습니다. 특히 운동량이 적은 장애우들에게 아주 좋은 운동시간들이 짜여져 있습니다.
이러한 모든 프로그램은 철저한 성서적 기본 근거 위에 바탕을 두고 롱아일랜드를 중심으로 주변에 거주하는 장애우들을 그리스도의 몸 된 교회 안에서 하나님의 사랑을 체험하게 하며 자기 긍지를 세워가는 데 그 목적이 있습니다.
전문 강사진과 훈련된 봉사자들이 장애우들을 도와주며 교육 및 치료합니다.
- 주일예배 및 공과: 11:30am
- 금요 Activity: 8:00pm
- 토요 치료교실: 9:30am~1:30pm
음악치료, 미술치료, 쥬얼리크래프트, 아트크래프트, 종이공작, 태권도, 피아노, 판소리, 보이스 등 - 방과 후 학교: 3:00pm~5:30pm 화요일-금요일
종이공작, 밸런스 볼 운동, 드럼, 아트, MOVIE OR TRIP - 방학 중 프로그램: 8월
- 교회 사무실: 516.349.5559 (ext.130)
- 담당 김세화 전도사: 516.551.0124 (텍스트 문의 가능)
Introducing the ACAM(Arumdaun Presbyterian Church Agape Ministry), the special education program of the Ministry for children with mental retardation and developmental disabilities at Arumdaun Presbyterian Church, Bethpage, NY.
Since its beginning as a Saturday school program of the ministry in February 2006, the ACAM has steadily expanded and started an after-school program effectively in January 2007. Its goal is to cater to the educational and therapeutic needs of the Korean American disabled children of Long Island and Queens area. We firmly believe that it is our God-given mission to help every single disabled person to find and develop his or her talent so that he or she can grow up into a well-rounded individual.
- Missions
- To live His will by helping to develop the potential of each disabled student though it is the Lord in whom we always find comfort and strength.
- To help our children adapt to new life in the U.S. by alleviating the cultural shocks related to the difference in language, food, etc.
- To help them achieve proficiency in English.
- To find and develop each person’s gift by helping him or her better adapt to school life with better social and coping skills.
- Faculty
- The after-school program & Sat Program are run by Arumdaun parishioner-volunteers, licensed/certified educators and therapists.
- Seung-a Kim, Music Therapist
- Robin Hwang, Jewelry Craft
- Eunsoo Oh, General Craft
- Boyoung Lee, Candle & Soap Craft
- Hyangwon Kim, PianoTeacher
- Koeun Lee, Arts Therapist
- Mingoo Jung, Tae-Kwen-Do
- Wansook Cho, Special Educate
- Rev. Joshua Jong, Psychologist (Co-Worker)
- Joy Hee Lee, Social Worker (Co-Worker)
- Five “Takes” For Our Students
- It takes courageous parents to understand their children’s disabilities issues as they are, and it takes their determination to develop their children’s potential.
- It takes a reasonable level of parental interest and participation in the education of disabled children. Excessive parental interest can be almost as unproductive as the lack thereof.
- It takes the Lord’s love and His will to have us overcome the disability. It takes us to worship Him as an integral part of our efforts to find the meaning of our existence.
- It takes concerted efforts at home, school and our after-school program to meet the therapeutic and education needs of our children.
- It takes a strong commitment from each of us to help our children develop self confidence and social skills.
- Why the ACAM is Certain That We Can Change Your Children
- We have developed our own unique education system catering to individual needs.
- Every disabled person has his/her own gift. The ACAM aims to maximize each individual’s gift.
- The ACAM aims to find the Lord-given talent in each child, not worldly values.
- All members of the ACAM are firmly bound together not just as peers or colleagues, but as a family. A disabled wife and a normal husband founded the program and still run it. We all understand the pain and hardship of families with disabled children.
- Our faculty consists of licensed experts who are also pious Christians.
- Future Goals and Plans
- The following Biblical articles continuously drive and inspire us:
- “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[j] who[k] have been called according to his purpose.” (Roman 8:28)
- “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
- “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Roman 8:24 and 25)
- Indeed, each of our children has made improvement in the past years. Along the way, the ACAM programs have grown remarkably. In the next three to five years, we will not only further strengthen our already-existing programs, but also extend other supportive services.
- The following Biblical articles continuously drive and inspire us:
- Office – (516)349-5559 (ext.130)
- Seahwa Kim – (516)551-0124