Founded by Nann Gonzalez in 1997, ROCK Ministries cares for abandoned and orphaned Romanian children. Volunteers and staff train, employ and disciple local individuals, who bathe, feed, clothe, and hold these infants. Just being held and exercised stimulates these discarded children physically, emotionally, and spiritually. ROCK also works to reunite and support families, facilitates foster care, arranges medical treatment for the severely ill babies, and assists in adoptions when Romanian bureaucrats allow. They work on a shoestring budget and lots of prayers. Romania has 180,000 abandoned children.

R.O.C.K. Ministries

P.O. Box 1651

Rialto, CA 92377

Telephone: (909) 877-3323

http://www.rockministries.org

Nann Gonzalez, R.O.C.K. Romania 

“Falling in love is an occupational hazard for Nannette Gonzalez. So are lice, scabies, HIV, hepatitis and the psychological burnout that comes from helping children with lots of problems and precious little hope. In the seven years this California native has spent nurturing abandoned babies in Romania and helping them find homes, she’s been spared most of these liabilities—except for the problem of love, and its attendant loss.

His name was Carlos, and he even looked like her. Weighing only 10 pounds at seven months old, his mother brought him to Victor Gomoiu Hospital, in Bucharest. He had acute bronchitis, scabies, showed signs of neglect and was severely malnourished. While most mothers would have stayed close by, his left and didn’t even check back for almost three months. During that time, Gonzalez nursed the frail infant back to health, helped him learn to sit up, and loved him as if he were her own. Then, when the mother returned, Nann handed little Carlos back and prayed…”