Daniela Sincic is the project manager at Hana's Hope, which supports the families of children with disabilities in Serbia.
When did you trust Christ?
In 1991, I was 18. I was raised in a communist, atheistic family. My younger sister met a group of Christians and soon became a Christian. She talked to me about Jesus, and I attended church several times. Eventually, I read the New Testament. My mind was full of questions, and I was suspicious of God's existence. But after a month, I recognised that I was a sinner. I repented, received Jesus as my Saviour, and was baptised.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
During my walk with Jesus, there have been many moments of growth. One is how God freed me from my anger toward my father, who left our family when I was six. During my first few years as a Christian, He showed me that I could call God my Heavenly Father. My friend and pastor's wife helped me become free from my burdens. I learned to walk in deep trust with God, depending on Him, not on myself, during troubled times in my family.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
At the Forum, I found better ways to work with counselling and support groups of mothers of children with disabilities. It encouraged me to be more open to sharing the Gospel, more sensitive when listening to others, and more open-hearted during counselling. I hope I will have the opportunity to develop in more areas this year.
What is your ministry?
I work for a non-profit organisation called Hana's Hope. Our mission is to support families with children with disabilities like autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy. We serve families, organise retreat camps, offer a support group for mothers, provide counselling to parents and family members, and provide childcare for children to give parents some free time. We wish to provide a welcoming environment for families to share Christ's love for them. We try to connect local churches and families and to help churches support families.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I was on our church's Sunday school leadership team for two years. Then, I began helping with ministry to the teenagers in our church, where I was a team leader until the end of 2020. Until 2013, I was part of the scouting ministry of Royal Rangers Novi Sad, Serbia. I was involved in preparing camps and Bible studies for children and teenagers.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
Ministries for families of children with disabilities are underdeveloped in Serbia and the Balkans. We have found so many burdened families who are stigmatised by society. Yet, when we see the smiles of a child and thankful tears in a mother's eyes, our only wish is to be even more available to them. Families need support and counselling and are open to Jesus and His help.
