Stepping Forward Ministries
Stepping Forward Ministries is a non-profit Evangelical mission agency founded in 2005 to share the Gospel with children in Romania. Our emphasis is on empowering children through personal relationships and shared experiences. Our team of full-time missionary staff work with abandoned and at-risk children in Romania providing inspirational messages and motivational programs that teach the kids to see themselves through God's eyes. Stepping Forward Ministries is not associated with a denomination, but is supported by churches and individuals across America and around the world.
Steve & Cami Mather
The Mather’s are from Oregon where they both attended Oregon State University and were married in 1987. In 2000 they moved to Romania to work with orphanage children and in 2005 they founded Stepping Forward Ministries. Steve directs the construction and maintenance of Camp Living Water and Cami directs the ministry activities at Stepping Forward. They have 4 children, 3 grandchildren, and in 2020 they became foster parents.
Phil & Ronda Barnes
Phil and Ronda Barnes are from the South Texas coast where they were active serving at their home church and participating in short-term local & international missions before prayerfully deciding to become full-time missionaries in 2018 with Stepping Forward. They have three grown children and three “in-loves” and are expecting their first grandchild in June, 2021. Having a passion to serve Jesus with their whole hearts they direct the ministry to orphanage children in Urziceni and have a vision to start a transitional housing project for children ageing out of the orphanage system.
Sarah Nicole Smith
Sarah is from North Carolina and graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelors degree in Family & Child Development and a Masters Degree in Psychology. Her first mission trip to Romania was in 2006 when she worked with abandoned babies and orphanage children. In 2009 she came to Romania full-time and soon began advocating for children’s rights by establishing Anchor of Hope to help children find “forever homes” and working with government officials to change adoption laws. Today she has 2 adopted children and 6 foster children that she cares for. She serves with Stepping Forward Ministries as director of our foster care and adoption ministry.
Adi & Dacey Maimascu
Adi and Dacey Maimascu, are a newlywed couple who met and served together at Camp Living Water. Adi is from the village near our camp and attended camp when he was kid. He began serving on the staff as a teenager later becoming our camp pastor. Adi has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work and has just finished his Masters in Theology. Dacey first came to Romania in 2018 with a church group from Texas. Sharing a love and passion for the Lord, children, and the camp, they now serve together as the directors of our Camp Living Water.