Massage Therapy Program History and How We Grow
At the peak of the MUCH Massage Therapy Program, we sponsored 14 therapists in 3 cities and 4 villages across Ukraine, serving over 100 children.
When the war escalated in 2022, only three therapists remained with MUCH.
Since moving to Ukraine, I have looked to God for all my needs. He called me to start the massage therapy program, so I trusted that He would provide the therapists — and He did. Step by step, I met massage therapists trained in medical colleges who also had compassionate hearts for children with special needs.
First visit to Dobromel Orphanage
In 2007, I was invited to visit an orphanage for children with mental and physical disabilities. Each visit required a 19-hour journey to Dobromel. I didn’t yet understand what God was calling me to do for these children. I visited them once a year for three years. Eventually, it became clear that massage therapy could be the answer to my question.
I spoke with the orphanage director about our program and asked whether he could find a massage therapist to treat the children. I told him that if he could, we would move forward with a plan during my next visit.
During my visit to the orphanage the following year, we discussed in detail what MUCH could offer. The director introduced me to Natasha, who had a degree in Sports Medicine. She was interested in learning more about massage therapy. The director wanted to see a demonstration with clear results, so I told him that I would arrange for a therapist to provide a twenty-day demonstration.
My wife, Sveta had completed medical college years earlier. After she took a three-month refresher course, she provided a twenty-day treatment demonstration at the orphanage in Dobromel, and everyone was pleasantly surprised by the results.
In Ukraine, providing massage therapy does not require a medical degree. Courses are available for specific types of massage therapy, which reduces the time needed to earn certification. After completing these courses, students receive a certificate listing the massage techniques they have learned. With this certification, they can start a small business.
Sveta
Natasha
How We Grow Our Massage Therapy Program
- Recruit candidates who have a passion for helping disabled children.
- Candidates are found through churches and personal connections.
- Offer an opportunity to be trained and receive a certificate, free of charge.
- Offer an opportunity to start their own practice with MUCH as a sponsor.
- Candidates are encouraged to give massages to people whom they know to start their own practice.
- MUCH gives a stipend only for massages given to children with special needs or soldiers. Word of mouth builds the practice.
- We monitor progress monthly. Therapists must send in a progress report to receive their stipend.
Both therapists with and without medical degrees produce excellent therapeutic results. In our twenty-one years of the MUCH Massage Therapy Program, more than half of our therapists have not had a medical college background. Those who have produced exceptional results share a passion for learning and for helping children experience the best possible quality of life.
Five of our six new therapists have completed therapeutic massage training without formal medical education.
The MUCH Massage Therapy Program is designed to identify people whose hearts God has prepared to work with children with special needs. Participants aged 17 to 60 can apply, as long as they have a compassionate heart for helping children with disabilities. If a person commits to our program for one year, MUCH will support them by funding their massage training and providing a stipend for treating up to four children with a ten-day course of massage each month. This schedule allows the therapist to build their own practice during the remaining hours of the day.
The number of clients grows naturally through word of mouth. Mothers of children with special needs tend to connect with one another and share what helps their children. When they see results, they spread the word. In Ukraine, there are not many massage therapists who want to work with children with special needs. In 2026, we will have 9 massage therapists working in 4 cities and 4 villages across Ukraine, serving 78 to 108 children.
This program is scalable and allows us to grow without additional overhead or staff. There is no limit to how many disabled children we can potentially serve.
