Becky's mother Lidia was born in Romania in 1950. Lidia's parents were Christians under
Communist Romania, where any religion was oppressed. Being a Baptist pastor, Lidia's father encouraged his children to
learn Bible verses and claim the promises God gave to them. Sometimes it seemed the only comfort against Communism
was the Bible.
Growing up Lidia (Becky's mom) wanted to serve the Lord; she wanted to invest her life as a missionary in India
or China. Knowing she could not leave the country under the communist era, she decided to become an English teacher and a
translator, so she could make Christian teachings available for people in Romania. But the Government did not want people
of the Christian faith to influence public schools, so she became an Engineer.
Lidia met and married Mircea Oprean and had their first child, Mike and she was determined to start working as a young Engineer.
But again, she faced the cruel reality that the secret service of Communist Romania did not want Christians among them and
she could not find work.
The Opreans decided to move to America and got a visa from the American Embassy. But the Romanian
Government did not let them leave and they had to wait 7 years before they could move to America.
Their son was 8 years old and Lidia was 7 months pregnant with Becky, when they arrived in San Francisco. Lidia's biggest
assault on her faith did not come from being denied basic rights as a Christian in Communist Romania. That happened in a
hospital in California when Becky was born with Spina Bifida.
Today, Lidia's dream of being a missionary has come true through Becky's Hope Ministry. God knew her mission was going to
be sending her back to her own people, to a country where special needs children are not accepted. Even though Romania
and Eastern Europe are out from oppression and communistic rule, people of special needs are unwanted and unloved.
In America there are many wonderful programs, ministries and people who understand and love people of special needs.
Becky's Hope Ministry is translating that love to Romania and Eastern Europe.
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