October 16, 2025 • 56 mins
A bright, open building filled with light, laughter, and a 1,200-gallon fish tank isn’t what most people picture when they think of medical care—but that’s exactly the point. We sat down at Glory to God PPEC in Miami to unpack how a prescribed pediatric extended care facility can become a place where medically fragile children not only stay safe, but thrive through daily nursing, high-frequency therapy, and a learning center built just for them.
Robert, a pediatric physical therapist, describes leaving the status quo to start a center that puts excellence and dignity first. Ariela, a clinical social worker, shares a journey from personal loss to a calling that now champions babies learning to swallow, toddlers mastering wheelchairs, and teens gaining strength and hope. Together they embody a simple practice: work like it depends on us, pray like it depends on God. From aquatherapy with a treadmill pool to a child-sized “city” that teaches life skills, their approach blends state-of-the-art care with a culture that sees every child as fearfully and wonderfully made.
We also explore the overlap with medical foster care, where families open their homes to kids with complex needs and often adopt them. Robert and Ariela are candid about refusing to compromise on their bold, faith-forward identity—even turning down partnerships that balked at their name. Yet the outcomes speak because the progress is real and the love is evident. And those quiet moments—a prayer before pizza, a worship song humming in a parent’s car—often blossom into deeper transformation.
If you care about pediatric therapy, special education, foster care, or faith-driven entrepreneurship, this conversation offers practical insights, stirring stories, and a blueprint for building a place that’s enjoyed, not endured. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help more families find hope and help.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro (00:01):
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's way
radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John chapter 15, verse 15,Jesus says, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my Father, I have
made known to you.
That's our aim, that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Joey (00:28):
And so we're actually here at Glory to God P P E C?
Yeah.
So what does that stand for?
Robert (00:34):
It stands for Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care
Facility.
Joey (00:38):
Awesome.
So we're at Glory to GodFacility.
And um and uh man, it's justkind of like as we were talking
earlier, it's just part of uhwhat they get to do and uh and
the season of their life.
But before we get there, tellus about where you guys grew up
and and when you came to knowthe Lord and just a little bit
(00:59):
about that.
You want me to start?
Ariela (01:03):
Um so my name is Ariela, and I grew up here in Miami,
but um my family's fromDominican Republic, and growing
up I had a pretty pretty funchildhood, I can say.
Um I had a mom and dad, and Ihave a s a younger sister that I
grew up with, and the onlything that was lacking is that
(01:25):
we weren't necessarily like abelieving family.
I grew up Catholic, um, but itwas just kind of like the
cultural aspect.
Um I lost my mom when I was 11years old, and that was a trial,
but now as an adult, I candefinitely see God's sovereignty
to it all.
Um, and how he literally keptus together.
He literally kept us together,even though at that point in
(01:48):
time we weren't but I wasn't abeliever.
Um and even through thatdifficulty, um, I can still see
God's hand and sovereignty, andI'm just thankful for it though.
And um, I came to know the Lordat 21 years old.
Um, and it was pretty I I thinkwith me things tend to be
pretty like dramatic.
(02:08):
Um, and but that's just how Imean that the Lord can use that.
And I remember one night justthe circumstances that were
happening, and I just heard avery clear just leave, and I
obeyed.
And the next day I was like, Ithink I need to go to church.
And again, I grew up Catholic,but I went to like there was a a
(02:30):
church, very popular churchthat was a few minutes away from
my house.
So I got up Sunday morning bymyself, very quietly, made no
noise in my house, and went tochurch.
And I heard the gospel, andright then and there, I gave my
life to Christ.
And it's been me and him sincethen.
Joey (02:46):
That's sweet.
That's so good.
This was all in DR?
Ariela (02:49):
No, this was all here in Miami.
God, um, this was all here inMiami.
Joey (02:52):
But so when did you leave DR?
Ariela (02:54):
I so this is the thing.
I'm very Dominican, but I neverlived in DR until now.
I never lived in DR.
My parents just did a reallygood job of like instilling that
in us and sending us back andforth um during the summer.
So my best childhood memoriesare in DR for sure.
Joey (03:09):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Robert, what about you?
Robert (03:12):
Yes, yes, my name is Robert Kidd, and um I was born
in Jamaica.
Um lived a couple of yearsthere, then moved to Belize, um,
where I grew up most of uh mostof my youth and came to the
States at I think 20 years oldfor school.
But um it was in Belize when Imoved there that uh my dad, he
(03:39):
is not a pastor, I would say,but um he preaches at church.
I don't know, I don't knowmyself not being in church, my
parents um like every Sunday,Sunday morning, Sunday night,
Wednesday night, Tuesday forchoir practice, all that.
They're very involved in thechurch.
(04:00):
And my and my dad was actuallythe one that led me to Christ.
Um I remember it very vividly,right beside his bed.
He um he led me to Christ whenI was three, actually, and I
remember it very, very clearly.
You know, I know people mightsay that's that's young, but I
(04:20):
remember him explaining to methe difference between heaven
and hell, you know, and he heremembers it as well.
So um I am very, very gratefulfor the parents that the Lord um
well, I mean, the parents thatthe Lord gave me, you know,
because I can say that theirlives are a testimony and they
(04:41):
instill that in us.
They I don't know myself aswaking up any morning without my
parents gathering, all of us,there's four of us.
Um let's have devotions thismorning together, you know, like
this is a normal thing.
So um but yeah, so I will saymy my testimony is not one of
(05:03):
being far from the Lord andcoming back, but my testimony is
one of his faithfulness.
Yeah, his faithfulnessthroughout my entire life.
I will say that there have beentimes where I've drifted and
I've read I rememberrededicating my life at 20 when
I came to the States, but butthe Lord is faithful, man.
(05:28):
You know.
Joey (05:29):
You know, I think of any parents that are listening.
What a what an encouragement.
You know, what anencouragement.
Uh, you know, Tiffany's herewith me today, and and we, you
know, we have a three-year-old,you know.
And and and I remember, youknow, even when our children
were younger and trying to talkto them and thinking in my
background, are they gettingthis?
You know, but but they can getit.
Robert (05:50):
They can.
Joey (05:51):
What an encouragement.
What an encouragement.
And and again, you know, youknow, even the name of the
business, the name of thebuilding where the glory to God.
You know, I know you guys wantGod to get all the credit, but
I'm just I'm thinking of who'slistening and helping them to
connect the dots, right?
And and we're talking about,you know, uh, an upbringing
that, man, since the day youcould remember you, your family
(06:13):
knew the Lord, you knew theLord, the Lord was a part of
your life.
You know, you see how the Lordkept your family together, you
you obeyed the Lord at a youngage, 21, relatively young.
And when people hear what Godis doing now with you guys and
through you guys, man, if if weif we're faithful, right, in
those younger years, you know,and how God could build and how
(06:34):
what God could do.
So hopefully people get thatconnection and that
encouragement.
Um let me ask you this, Robert,you're a physical therapist by
by trade or by schooling.
Robert (06:46):
Right, right.
When I came to the States, Idid my doctorate in physical
therapy.
Joey (06:50):
Yeah.
Robert (06:51):
And I specialize in pediatrics.
Okay, okay.
Joey (06:54):
And that was I'm trying to find out, or I'm trying to see
where Ariela comes into thestory.
Was it during the schooling,after the schooling?
No.
After this, after the schoolingschool.
After schooling.
After the schooling, yeah.
So did you begin this journeywith which right now the season
is, what is it?
Uh two centers, school, da dada da.
(07:17):
Did you begin this journey as asingle man?
Robert (07:20):
Right.
So the thing is, when when Imet Arela, I met Arela at
church, right?
Um she sat next to me, andyeah, the rest is history.
But um, I remember I I used tohave a therapy center, well, a
therapy company that staffed alot of similar centers to the
one I have now.
Joey (07:41):
So you got your doctorate, and then the company was
staffing the centers.
Robert (07:45):
Well, I I got my doctorate at FIU there.
Okay.
And then I started working as atherapist, and then I started
my own company.
Right?
My own therapy company.
And then we staffed a lot ofcenters around the city, maybe
eight or so.
And then, but truthfully, whenI would be going into those
centers, I would be, let's justsay, not happy with what I saw
(08:11):
and how the kids were beingtreated.
I didn't feel uh okay beingassociated with that.
Um and so I prayed about it andI decided on starting my own.
Now, where Ariela comes intothe picture is that I I had met
her at church at the time that Iwas thinking about this, right?
(08:32):
So um I remember sitting thereone day uh on my balcony and
just talking to her, tellingher, like I'm thinking, I'm
thinking about this and prayingabout this as well.
And so um, she was encouragingin the in the process, and um,
but I was still single when Iwhen I opened it and everything,
(08:55):
you know, we were dating, andum, but thankfully she was she
was she was encouraging.
Intro (09:01):
It was a it was a yeah, it was a this is what you're
sending up for.
Robert (09:04):
Yeah, it was a help.
I know, yeah.
It has it hasn't been withoutits trials and and um taking me
away from like time with thefamily and all that, but um but
she has been very encouragingand a very supportive wife at
that, yeah.
So um that is how she came intoit, and we got married two
(09:25):
years later.
I mean, it had been started, ithad been started by that time.
Joey (09:30):
So even while you were dating, it was like the the
longest.
Ariela (09:33):
Yeah, so we started dating in 2016, and I remember
that conversation.
I was eating Burger King on thebalcony, and he was talking,
literally saying, like, I'm not,I'm very like, it's very
difficult to go to thesefacilities and see what's going
on with these children and thecare that they're receiving.
And I do feel like I canprovide something, like the Lord
(09:54):
has given me a heart for this.
And I think it was just amatter of like, okay, so why
not?
And I remember the wholeprocess of with the realtor with
Yalian looking for a property,how many properties we went
through.
I mean, went to, sorry, um, andthen finally settling on the
one on 8th Street, and then itopening what the opening was, we
(10:16):
still have and it it's it's ajoy.
The first child, glory to God,be but it's still with us.
Our first employee is stillwith us, and it's just to see
again, just to see God's handthrough it off.
Joey (10:32):
Right, yeah, yeah.
I'm just I'm thinking of somany.
I mean, man, you guys areblowing my mind.
On one comment, you said, um,and I know there's privacy, but
but that child, are they are youable to say are they a junior,
senior, are they aging out?
What what's like where are theyat today?
Robert (10:49):
He is 18 today, but they we we go all the way from zero
to twenty one.
So he's he's grown.
Ariela (10:59):
That's awesome.
But just to see all of that,and that again we opened in 2017
and we were open for two days,and then we had to close because
it was a hurricane.
Robert (11:09):
Yeah, you know, just yeah, but again, I remember it
blew off all the things, and andit was it was a trial, but um
it's been a joy saw us throughis yeah, is faithful.
Joey (11:22):
I gotta ask you this, because again, you know, we have
Tiffany and I have now, youknow, you talked about you guys
probably the joy and privilegeof knowing you guys and and and
having visited and having seenuh you know what what the Lord
is doing.
Um but not everybody listeninguh has met you yet, uh, or or
(11:43):
even has seen, you know, whatwhat uh you know transpires.
Here's the point we keeptalking about the therapy and
the kids.
Give us a little moreinformation, give people a
little bit of a visual.
What kind of therapies are wetalking about?
What's the population thatwe're talking about of the kids
that that you're serving?
This business has been going on10 plus years.
Who are these kids?
Robert (12:02):
So as I said uh a while ago, we it PPEG stands for
prescribed pediatric extendedcare facility, right?
So this type of facility takescare of medically fragile
children, so it can be any childthat needs nursing care uh on a
(12:23):
daily basis, and and it cannotbe at home or they they can have
nursing care at home, but theyneed it throughout the day,
right?
They can't just go to normal uhregular school, right?
So um, as I said, I had thetherapy company to begin with.
So when I opened the nursingportion of it, which is staff to
doctors and nurses, um Isubcontracted the therapy
(12:49):
portion as well.
Because these children alsoneed um physical therapy,
occupational therapy, speechtherapy on a regular basis.
Like the frequency that theyneed is much higher than the the
child with autism, notdownplaying autism or anything
like that.
But if if that's your onlydiagnosis, maybe you need a one
(13:10):
time a week or something, youknow.
But these kids need intensivetherapy, right?
Um, especially at a young age.
So um we give them physical,occupational speech therapy at
the highest um frequency.
We also have a behavioralcompany, which is a component of
what we do here, right?
(13:31):
Which is called a wannabehavioral company.
I don't know if you you guysknow um the kids' Bible club
growing up, like it's called awanna behavioral company.
So um that is also a part of uhthe setting here, and also a
learning center because thesechildren, we believe that they
(13:52):
also need an education and theyshould not be deprived of um an
education just because of theirdiagnosis and not being safe in
um a typical school, right?
So we bring the school to themand it's big covered by the
McKay Scholarship and yeah.
Joey (14:09):
And that's pretty new, the school portion.
Robert (14:11):
Yes, it's about six months.
We we started in August, yeah.
Yeah, working our way tobecause uh many for many years
the parents have asked me,they're like, listen, I I don't
feel safe sending my child to uma typical school just because
like maybe the nurse there, someof the schools are they're
(14:32):
they're set up to take care ofcuts and bruises, and but these
are children that are fedthrough G tubes, these are
children with seizures, likemany seizures pretty like you
know, you have to administercertain administer certain
medication in certain ways thatthe the nurses there are not
trained to do.
Right?
So in this setting, they havesafety as well as um the ability
(14:58):
to learn and they're not justsurviving but thriving.
That's the that's the goal, youknow, and um that's how it's
how it's set up.
Um and it's kind of what whatthe kids need is what dictates
what we what we try to givethem, right?
Joey (15:15):
So we we were talking about that earlier, how you know
you you didn't start off withthis idea or this dream or this
goal, you know.
So so rewinding a little bit,and whether Robert or Ariana or
both of you, what was the firstgoal in a sense?
Okay, I I want to providesomething different for these
(15:36):
kids, so therefore we're goingto you know hire seven doctors,
you know, open two centers.
No, what was the first littlemilestone that you guys were
aiming for?
We we need to have one kid, tenkids.
What was that like, that firstgoal, that first conversation?
Robert (15:53):
I remember I remember it seeming so huge to me to even
start this undertaking, youknow, but there's nothing too
difficult for a God, you know.
So um I remember thinking tomyself, if I can I remember
using every single dime of mysavings, you know.
(16:15):
I just said, listen, Lord, youknow, is yours.
That's why I call it uh gloryto God as well.
Like that's that's superimportant to me because I
believe that like if I'massociated with anything, um, it
has to be something that givesthe glory to God.
You know, like um it has to besomething that lifts his name
(16:36):
high.
Right?
Sorry, I I always I tell youguys, like if I if I talk about
this, I will get emotional.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
Yeah.
Robert (16:45):
Because things that mean the most to me, I don't know.
That's the only language Iknow.
You know, I I just getemotional about it.
But um, yes, so I call it gloryto God, and I was like, Lord,
I'm giving it to you.
Like do what you want with it.
(17:06):
And I remember praying.
I said, if this is gonna beanything that takes me one step
away from you, don't give it tome.
You know?
So listen, all of this is Godand God alone.
Yeah, not me.
I don't need people to see me.
That's why when when peoplecome here and people say, I love
(17:30):
your name.
There's a name is what drawthat drew me to to come here.
Oh, that's cool.
I say that's why, you know, Iwant you to know that it's not
me, but it's the Lord, you know.
So it's uh it's a way um ofsharing my testimony with people
that is what matters the most.
(17:51):
I'd rather not have it if if Idon't have that, yeah, you know.
So I even forgot your originalquestion.
Joey (17:58):
The first mouth.
Robert (17:59):
Yeah, the first oh, I remember what this first
milestone was.
I remember thinking, I'm I'malso a very like logical guy.
Yeah, no, I agree.
Um I'm also a very like plannedout guy, too.
(18:19):
So I remember thinking, okay,to break even, I need X amount
of kids.
I remember thinking, if I canjust have seven or eight kids,
at least I can help eight kids,or and I will be able to take
care of bills.
Yeah, you know, and um and andwe started with one, and um man,
(18:44):
it was a long time with one,and I I remember even at times
thinking, oh.
Joey (18:50):
So what'd you do if you were in the negative with those
with less than eight kids?
How did you manage those first?
So, okay, what was the timeframe before you got to eight
kids?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Oh, maybe close to a year.
Joey (19:05):
So, what'd you do for that first year?
How'd you manage?
So And you're not married yet?
No, that's part of the story.
Okay, so how'd you manage?
I guess you didn't even you'rejust eating ramen, single dude
eating.
Listen, it was it was like itwas Oh no, she was feeding, you
were dating, so I'm sorry, yeah.
Robert (19:24):
Yeah, no, no, it was it was very, very difficult.
I remember I used to also workoutside of it as well, trying to
treat patients, make money toto to pay the rent, things like
this.
Um but we were able we wereable to keep it, I guess, afloat
(19:46):
for that time, even though welost.
I remember telling you I spentevery single dime I had, you
know, um, as and then some, youknow.
So but little by little we gota couple kids, a couple of kids,
and one started tellinganother, and um yeah, and we
(20:07):
ended up becoming uh known forthe quality of the service
because we were trying to dosomething different.
To this day, I have neverlooked at another center's
website or anything.
I don't want to base my what Ido on what they do.
Yeah, I just want to do itbased on the need I see, the
(20:30):
need I see, and how best I cando it, like to the best of my
ability and in a way that honorsthe Lord.
So um, and so the Lord honoredthat, and he brought the
children, you know, and they'vebeen over the course of the
years, like hundreds of them,you know.
Joey (20:50):
So Ariana, I want to hear from you a little bit just on
what was going through your mindin this season.
You know, you guys are dating.
I'm guessing that, you know,especially with his godly
upbringing, you know, he's notjust you know dating around,
right?
He's you you you could tell,you know, this is serious, you
know.
And um, he's starting thebusiness, and um what's going
(21:13):
through your head, you know, orhave you ever did you ever think
he would be involved withsomething like this?
Ariela (21:18):
The answer is no.
So um when again the businessstarted while we were dating,
and one thing I can definitelysay about Robert is that like he
bears fruit.
So, like what he says he'sgonna do, he will do.
Um, if he says he's gonna honorthe Lord, and in everything he
does honor the Lord.
(21:38):
So I remember the concern atthat point, right?
Like the business started, andit's like, okay, yeah, like how
are we gonna keep this afloat?
How are we or how are we gonnaget more children?
Because again, we're workingwith a very sensitive
population, medically fragilechildren.
And how are we gonna prom Idon't know if promote is the but
(22:01):
how are we gonna have thesekids come to us, right?
How are we gonna reach them?
Yeah, um, and it was a lot ofprayer.
It was a lot, a lot of prayer.
And I remember conversations atthat point.
Um, I had graduated mymaster's, I was working at
Camilla's house.
I completely worked at it witha different population.
I worked with homelessness,substance use.
(22:24):
I had worked with children inthe past in crisis.
Um, but it's not like I was ina position, I guess you would
say, with like a populationgroup that I'm like, yeah, I can
help you in that sense.
Um so it was just a lot ofprayer, a lot of prayer.
And I remember theconversations of like, we're
getting a tour today, likethere's a possibility of of a
(22:46):
potential um child that's gonnaenroll, and just how the Lord
slowly but surely like thatnumber started to increase.
And um, I remember again, wewere dating at that point, and
the the rollout for the firstlike P PEC commercial, yeah,
right, and and just being thereto support him and just the the
(23:10):
the two particular um childrenthat were part of that video, or
the parents that were part ofthat testimony video, were
parents that had worked withRobert for years, for years, and
just to see how there was sucha a large support for what it is
that that he was doing, um, andjust again, how the Lord has
worked through it all becauseour slogan, I guess you can say,
(23:33):
is or our motto is work like itdepends on us because we're all
professionals here.
Like Robert's a physicaltherapist, I'm a clinical social
worker, we have nurses, we havedifferent um uh therapeutic
disciplines.
We have an ethic, right?
Like a work ethic.
We we have to commit ourselvesto what it is that the
profession requires and give thebest service that we can and
(23:55):
the best work we can for thebenefit of these children.
That is true.
That is true.
We need to be professionals inthis setting, but most
importantly, we pray like itdepends on God because it does.
It does, it does.
These cases for these children,um, without giving too much
detail, they're medicallyfragile, like there's chronic
medical diagnosis, there'sthings that like I did not know
(24:20):
could happen, and and and andthey have.
And these kids are they wereknitted in their mother's room
with a permanent purpose.
And the Lord has given us thesechildren.
We don't have biologicalchildren of our own to take care
of for him.
For him, for him.
When people ask, like, do youguys have children?
No, but I have like 80.
Because I do, I feel thatresponsibility.
(24:41):
Like every kid that comes inhere, I know them by name, I I
interact with them.
I you know their medicalrecords to an extent, like to an
extent, we know that this onelikes this.
You're providing them with notjust the medical service, not
(25:06):
just the the educationalcomponent, but like we might be
the only time that thesechildren get in close contact
with with Jesus, and thatresponsibility is not something
we take lightly.
Yeah, these kids know, likeit's it's not to be um
legalistic in a sense, but likeeven like these kids know when
we go out and we go out to havewe go to Chuck E.
(25:30):
Cheese, we go on field churchor whatnot, when we eat, we need
to pray.
And there's been cases wherekids like because they're
children, right?
Like they're children, they'llput the pizza in their mouth and
I'm like, but we gotta pray,and they take it out and they're
like, wait, we gotta pray.
And it's it's it's so sweet tosee because you see how even
there's no excuse, truly.
Like with their conditions,with their abilities, with their
(25:52):
limitations, they can stillhonor the Lord, serve the Lord,
and know about the Lord.
Robert (25:58):
They'll they will remind you that we haven't prayed yet,
you know, and which it like itmakes you feel like you're
making that little difference,you know.
Um, I have sometimes will come,like parents, certain parents
will come, and certain parentsparents will say, I'll hear them
playing a certain song, yeah,like Caleb in the car or
(26:20):
something like that.
They say, Oh, you listen tothis station, uh, this music.
They'll say, Oh no, littleso-and-so came home playing it,
so I like the song, so I play itnow, you know.
So um it's it's a way we canmake a difference, but I I just
wanted to say one thing aboutwhat Ariela was saying.
Yes, we work like it alldepends on us, but we pray like
(26:43):
it all depends on God, which itdoes, which it does, because the
diagnoses that we see,obviously we cannot solve them,
but we serve a God that can, youknow.
So it's the most importantthing to tell them, to tell the
parents that God is able, youknow, we serve Jehovah Rapha,
(27:06):
you know.
So um that is that is the mostimportant thing for us to bring
across.
Like we stand on that.
Ariela (27:12):
Yeah.
Joey (27:14):
And again, um, you know, I just gotta invite whoever's
listening.
Uh, so hopefully uh this willend up online and people can
listen at their theirconvenience, but also we wanna
air it on the on the station.
So if you're listening on God'sradio, we're talking with
Robert and and uh Ariela uh hereat Glory to God PPEC, and it's
(27:38):
uh a beautiful place where theyget to serve medically fragile
children and and they do a lothere, and we're just hearing a
little bit about them, a littlebit about what the Lord has
done, a little bit about whatthe Lord is doing.
And hopefully, this is gonnaplay on a Friday, uh probably
you know, multiple Fridays inthe future.
But on Fridays at God's radio,we also talk about uh foster
(27:59):
children or foster care.
We call it foster Fridays.
We talk about children that areuh maybe in um uh vulnerable
situations, we talk about uhfamilies in poverty, we talk
about kind of like a wholeumbrella of issues that affect
children and foster children andfamilies in need, and you guys
(28:19):
have overlap with some of thosecommunities.
So let's talk about that alittle bit about your overlap or
your where you guys see some ofthese communities in your daily
life.
Robert (28:31):
Certainly, certainly.
We see uh quite a few of thesechildren, and we we work with
quite a few of these familiesbecause uh within the foster
community there's uh an asection of it called medical
foster parents, right?
So sometimes a a parent mighthave um a child with a serious
(28:53):
disability and decide that theydon't want to be involved in
this child's life.
So um there are foster parentsthat can take over, and and a
lot of them you even eventuallydo end up adopting these
children, right?
Um and so we have many familiesthat that come medical foster
(29:16):
parents that um that bring theirchildren here.
Um I can think of one inparticular, she fosters four
four um children and she'sadopted two of them already.
Joey (29:29):
All with medical needs.
Robert (29:30):
All with medical needs, because that's the area that she
chooses to um be involved inbecause it's the area of I can't
say most need, but it's an areathat has high need.
High need, you know, becauseit's not an easy thing to to
take care of these children, youknow.
Joey (29:50):
Um and and as and even you, Ariela, you kind of like
have both backgrounds, right?
Your schooling was social workand vulnerable families and kind
of like crisis.
I think you mentioned thatchildren in crisis and now on
the medical side.
Ariela (30:03):
It's again, if you would have asked me back when I was
getting my degree, did you thinkyou were going to work with
pediatrics?
The answer would have been no.
But it is something where,again, the Lord is so, the Lord
is so perfect in what it is thatHe in everything that He does,
right?
Because he just gives you theability to maybe, you don't know
what I'm doing just yet, butyou'll see how it'll pan out in
(30:27):
the future.
And like now to be able tobridge that gap where even like
it is a resource that not manypeople know about, but does it
exist?
It does.
And getting that word out aboutthere are facilities that can
care for children with chronicmedical conditions.
There are facilities likeagain, like like glory to God
Peepek, where your child will betaken care of to the glory of
(30:52):
God.
Right?
To to your child is gonna getthe the the service, the the
care that they require.
And again, it's been um gosh, Idon't know what other word to
use, but apart from like ablessing, like I can't if we're
away from the peel peck for awhile, like I'm literally
sitting down looking at picturesof the kids.
And like I'm like That's whatparents do when they're on
(31:14):
vacation.
I'm just like it's just andagain, it's it's it's such a um
it's such a a gift to be able toexperience.
Like we've had baby, likeagain, we serve zero to
twenty-one, and we've gotten alot of those zeros in the sense
of like baby, baby, babies.
Joey (31:31):
Well, you have like a little like a baby room.
We get it.
Yeah, we have nurse, yeah.
We have what is it called?
A nursery, yeah.
Robert (31:39):
So we get premature babies as well.
Yeah, you know, like yeah,yeah.
Joey (31:43):
So let me ask you this.
You know, again, one of theideas we had was like, oh, we
could do a tour and everything.
There's a lot of schoolinggoing on, so it wouldn't have
been good for the interview, butbut maybe you can kind of like
in your mind's eye take usthrough.
So you come in, you have thisbeautiful lobby area, and then
you have like the main room.
Give us give the people alittle tour, talk us through
what how the building is laidout and what the kids do.
Robert (32:06):
Alright, so there's three um separate buildings.
Um, and in the first bit in themain building, we have um we
come in, there's a lobby uh witha fish tank.
These are the pets for the kidsbecause it's a 1200-gallon fish
tank.
Like they just love fish andthey love feeding them every day
(32:29):
and things like that.
So it gives them something tolook forward to.
Ariela (32:32):
They love me and Dori.
Robert (32:35):
Exactly, exactly.
Um and you pass by uh a movietheater that we have there, we
just use that as a kind ofreward system for them and
popcorn and all that.
But um there's a main area uhwhich we have parties and um
group meetings and um some artsand crafts for the learning
(32:57):
center and all that, right?
Off to the side there'sadministrative offices, and um
going further into the center,we have uh um a big uh nursery,
a nursery with nurses and a lotof a lot of babies, right?
Joey (33:14):
Um then do you know off the top of your head how many
babies are coming each day?
Robert (33:20):
Uh I'd say close to 20.
Yeah.
Close to 20.
Just just babies, but sinceit's zero to zero to um twenty
one, I mean these babies growand they become toddlers and and
all that.
So so we we have other roomsthat are just dedicated to
toddlers, um, you know, and thenother rooms that are dedicated
(33:43):
to a little bit older children,and then we have a separate
building that's dedicated tochildren that need um uh bigger
beds because they can't stay inwheelchairs all day, they will
develop pressure sores and allthat.
So um it just has more room tomaneuver, so that's a separate
(34:04):
building.
It's more of like a big openspace.
Yeah, it's more of an openspace.
Between these two buildings,there's a um a playground for
them.
Uh we try to get them as muchoutdoor time as possible because
all too often these kids arecooped up inside and they don't
get any fresh air, any sun, andthis is something I'm big on,
obviously, coming from theCaribbean.
(34:26):
Uh so they have their owngarden and things like that.
They do gardening every day.
Um, and then uh we have a thirdbuilding where there's like
aquatherapy for them.
They have a pool with atreadmill on the bottom, things
like this.
Um uh but going upstairs, thewhole second floor of the main
(34:47):
building is dedicated to umtherapy and their learning
center, right?
Um, because as a therapist, themost important part to me is
like rehabilitating thechildren, you know, because I
mean you don't want them to justsit there and uh for me to just
(35:07):
take care of your children,just make sure they're safe, you
know.
You want to make sure thatthey're trying they're getting
better.
So we try to hire the besttherapists, and um, these are
therapists that are justdedicated to the care of these
children every single week, weekin, week out.
Um and we try to get uh the thebest possible equipment,
(35:29):
whatever is new and cuttingedge, and we try to invest in.
We have a little um I guess Iwas never involved with Wannadu
City.
I don't know.
Those are my kids that knowthis.
Yeah, I was never here whenthat was the thing, but um, but
there's a little city that we'vebuilt for them where they have
like um like a little bank and alittle um stoplight.
(35:53):
Yeah, stoplight and uh and uhrestaurant.
Grocery store.
Yes, exactly, where they learnuh daily life activities as
well.
You know, um there's a there'sanother room where they play
games and video games and andall that.
So um we try to make sure thatthey're not just one of the big
(36:16):
things for me is that I I didn'twant them to endure this
facility.
I I wanted them to enjoy it,you know.
So um, so one of our slogans isa PPEC that's enjoyed and not
endured, right?
So um that is that's veryimportant.
So um that's our Miamilocation, and there's another
one in Fort Lauderdale.
Joey (36:35):
Is that one up and running already?
Robert (36:37):
It is, it is it's running.
Um it is in a growth process.
Uh uh, God willing, we'll beable to serve a lot more kids.
But um, it is a lot bigger thanthis one, but that one has um,
it's also going to have umspecialists like neurologists,
cardiologists,gastroenterologists, and uh
(36:58):
pulmonologists there, as well asa pharmacy as well.
Um and so it's but it's set upwith the same type of um
offerings that we have here aswell, just just a little bigger.
Joey (37:11):
Yeah, yeah.
For those of you listening,we're we're recording this at
their Miami location uh in thelibrary, actually.
And one thing that I've noticedwhenever I visit it is it at
least it feels like it, likethere's so much natural light in
the building.
That was on purpose or how youmanage that, but it feels so
bright everywhere.
Ariela (37:32):
Quite possibly one of the best compliments you can
give, Robert.
Robert (37:35):
So bright in here in a good way.
That is that is something I amvery particular about.
Like she knows when I wake upin the morning, like I don't
want the house closed, I want Iwant all the windows open.
It needs to be bright.
Let's go, let's go.
You want the light to be I'mlike, leave me in my back.
Ariela (37:57):
Leave me in my back.
Robert (38:00):
Oh no, I don't know.
I need I need to see light, youknow.
So um that's that's that's onereason why we made sure like it
had to be when I purchased thisbuilding, it had to be a
building with a lot of windows,and we renovated um certain
before we built it out.
I made sure that every room haslike big glass windows and
(38:23):
stuff because also we inviteparents to come, to come and see
what their children are doing.
Our goal is to have parentsinvolved in what their children
are doing.
So we want them to be able tocome in and see, see everything,
and we don't want when you'redealing with kids specifically,
you don't want a room that'sclosed either.
You know, you need lights.
Intro (38:42):
All the doors have windows you can see right into
the room.
Robert (38:45):
Exactly, exactly, you know, because I mean you know
the world we live in.
So we must take care ofchildren, yeah, and um that is
very important to us.
So we want everything to be outin the open and people to be
able to feel free and be in a ina in a setting that's conducive
to um providing the best carefor them and the children
(39:07):
feeling happy and like they'reoutside because listen, they
spend enough time inside whenthey go home anyway, you know,
and we need them to be able tosee everything going on on the
outside.
Joey (39:19):
So Robert and Ariela, uh so much good stuff.
Um, one of the things I wantedto ask about, and we're kind of
starting to land the plane herea little bit, um, but one of the
things I wanted to ask about isman, you guys are so bold about
(39:40):
the Lord, right?
And it's the name of thebuilding, it's you pray with the
students.
I'm thinking of now businessowners who are listening, or or
people out in the public spacethat are listening, and and has
there ever been any pushback orconflict or challenge of well,
but this is a therapy center,but why are you doing it?
And I gotta pray, and my kid,and you and this, and that, and
(40:00):
I don't believe what youbelieve.
You know, I I gotta imaginethere has been, and if not, you
can maybe imagine what it'slike.
But I'm uh you know, Robert'sover here nodding a little bit.
So, so so how have you know,how have you navigated that over
the years?
What challenges have you had,and what encouragement would you
give to others?
Robert (40:20):
Let's just let's just say that there is no compromise.
Right?
There's no compromise becauseum I can think of one specific
incident uh without namingnames, but um one organ we have
a a piece of machinery here thatis uh very cutting edge for
(40:42):
therapy, and there's only two inthe state of Florida.
And so we get kids that comefrom Argentina or Colombia or
wherever to try out thisspecific um specific piece of
machinery, right?
And or the specific device.
So there was an organizationthat wanted to do a study, a
(41:03):
study with with these children,how how it benefits like how
much does it benefit theirprogress.
And I remember them sayingsomething, well, yes, we would
love to do this study, but um Idon't know how it is to be
associated with something thatum the name of the company is
Glory to God.
And um as much as I would loveto do a study because I'm all
(41:28):
about the progress of thechildren, if if it if I had to
compromise what it is that Istand for, there is no
compromise.
We cannot work together.
You see, um I would like Isaid, I would love to, but I
cannot not stand for the Godthat stood for me, you see?
(41:51):
So um the name I pray that theLord always allows me to, allows
both of us, I really likemyself to stand firm, you know.
Uh because at the end of theday, whatever progress they
make, however, whether we growor not or whatever, glory to God
(42:13):
still, you know, because thatis this is our endeavor not to
make a living, not to no, toglorify his name in everything
that that we do.
So um will not apologize forit, you know.
Ariela (42:31):
And I think um I think no.
I here you see so many, again,we have so many children, so
many cases, and my capacity toheal these children is
absolutely zero.
And we've seen how God has doneso many miracles in the lives
of these children that thereagain, there is absolutely no
(42:54):
ability for me to be like, ohthat was just it's only God.
Any child that comes in here, Iguess me and Robert or Robert
and I are just pretty adamant,like it's just like, yeah, this
is this is God's facility, thisis God's business, these are
God's children, and in allthings, like He will be
(43:17):
glorified.
If something happens with oneof these kids, we're we're send
like we're sending out prayers.
If something happens with astaff member, we're praying for
that staff member.
Um Yeah, and even the parents,yeah, like some parents, like
they'll tell me something'shappening.
I'm like, okay, thank you forsharing.
I'm gonna be praying aboutthis.
Robert (43:34):
Like it's not a it's text message I receive even this
morning.
So when so is in a hospital,please tell the staff to pray,
and we will we'll all gathertogether.
We will like there'll be aspecific time in the day, but at
two o'clock, everybody'spraying.
We're we're praying for thembecause it matters, yeah.
Prayer works.
Joey (43:52):
You know, one of the things I I think I'm hearing and
I see is, and this is like aworldly saying, but I'll I'll
bring it back.
It's like the product speaksfor itself in a sense.
You know, it's like, man, whatGod is doing here, the way the
kids are being served, theprofessionalism that you talked
about, it's like you can't arguewith with the results.
(44:13):
You you know, if you want tojust be against God, to be
against God, that's different.
But but but if you see thatyour child is actually this is
the best place for them, thenyou'll yeah, I'm guessing, you
know, then the family says,Okay, you know, yeah, sure,
whatever you guys are doing isworking, I guess, you know.
Is that kind of like what yousee sometimes?
It's like they they maybe evensomebody that's not focused on
(44:36):
the name of the building or theprayer, they're focused on the
the care and the treatment.
Is that like something thathappens, or I don't know.
Robert (44:44):
Yeah, I do I do believe that obviously not everybody,
not not every parent that sendstheir child there is a believer.
Um but I do believe that theycan see a different or our goal
is to have them see a differenceor see Christ in us, you know,
like however, however they mightdo, by by the dedication of the
(45:08):
staff, by the way we speak tothem, by the way we treat their
children, you know, um that isthat is our our goal, you know.
But um we want the lives thatwe live within these walls to
point point them to Christ.
You know, it's not the focus isnot supposed to be us or what
(45:30):
we do, but everything on uh whatthe Lord has made possible and
what he can do with regular withnobodies.
You get what I'm saying?
So that's I do.
I'm a nobody.
Yeah, I I remember that that'sum there's a there's a song that
(45:54):
always says I I used to hear iton the arena, I'm just a nobody
trying to tell somebody, no,trying to tell everybody about
somebody that saved my soul, youknow?
That's that's it, that's it.
Ariela (46:07):
And I think one of the things that again, I one of the
moments that literally I wasjust like bawling, but it was
just out of so much joy is thatagain, um the song I'm so
blessed by Cain is a song thatlike the kids haven't learned,
they listen to it every day.
Um, and I remember in one casein particular, one of our kids,
(46:29):
the mom was dropping off thechild here at the facility, and
I went to go meet them at thevehicle, and the song was
playing, and I was like, Oh, andshe's like, Yeah, she like I
have to play this song for herevery day, kind of like what
Robert said.
I have to play this song forher every day, and she was just
like smiling from ear to ear,and then a few months pass, and
(46:50):
they're like, she the thechild's like, Yeah, me and my
family are going to church, andI was like, Yeah, well, okay,
and then like in my face, I'mjust like keep it together, keep
it together, and then a fewmonths later we get pictures
that the whole family gotbaptized, and I'm just like
yeah, yeah.
See, that stuff, I will lose itnow, and I'm just like again to
(47:14):
take care of these children isthe joy of my life, and if it's
just one family that comes tothe Lord, it's worth it, it was
worth it, it's absolutely worthit.
It's absolutely worth it, andum, so yeah, yeah.
Joey (47:27):
That's super sweet.
So, yeah, if anybody'slistening, pray.
God's doing some amazingthings.
Is there anything else that youguys wanted to share with the
listeners before we close, ormaybe something that that I
didn't ask about or mention thatyou would want to say, other
than that, and this has justlike been an incredible insight.
(47:49):
Like a hopefully peoplelistening, they they're like,
wow, you know, I gotta I gottathink.
I I didn't even know this worldbefore meeting.
I didn't know what or who, oryou know, I just I didn't know
if somebody would ask me whatwhat's the what happens if a
child has seizures and can'tattend class?
I don't know, you know, I haveno idea.
So just learning about thisworld, you know, if if this airs
(48:10):
on on a Friday at God's radio,people that are tuning in to
hear about foster care, they'rethinking, wow man, there's like
even special facilities wherefoster children that have uh
medical needs can go, so it'sjust a lot of learning.
And and anybody listening, man,they better be praying now that
they've heard about what God'sdoing.
You better come in to pray.
But anything else that you guyswanted to leave us with?
Robert (48:32):
Um I would say just encourage parents to you know do
it, do your homework and knowthat there are there are
organizations that are out therethat can help you, you know,
that can relieve some of thepressure on you, you know, and
people that are genuinelyendeavoring to do it for the
(48:54):
right for the right reason.
But um but outside of that, umthere's a song I remember always
telling Ariela about this.
Is the f my favorite verse ofany song ever, you know?
And it says, and I think Ispeak for Ariela as well when I
(49:16):
say the song says, just let melive my life and let it be
pleasing, Lord, to thee.
And should I gain any praise,let it go to Calvary.
Ariela (49:30):
That's that's what I say, that's what we say, um, and
this is where I get emotional.
Um and I think you saw me getemotional last time you came
here.
An encouragement that um thesekids are so valuable.
These kids are so valuable, andagain, I could have not
(49:54):
imagined that this was the waymy life was gonna play out at
all, at all.
And I would not change it forthe world because this is such a
marginalized group in society,like you don't see them often,
you see how the value of lifecomes into question.
Intro (50:15):
Um and pregnancies that are not allowed to go to
Germany.
Ariela (50:20):
No sense, and these children to me literally,
literally have that that thatverse of like you were dated in
your mother's room.
It's literally like that versecoming to life to me.
And I would encourage anyparent that might have gotten
(50:43):
the news of a diagnosis or afamily that has a child with a
chronic medical condition.
I'm not gonna downplay thedifficulty or the fear that
might come with that, but I'mhere to encourage you that the
Lord's word is true, and thatchild was created with a plan
and a purpose, and that child'slife is equally just as
(51:06):
valuable, and this child willtransform your life in a way
where you're gonna see God moveand the sovereignty of God in
maybe a way that you didn'texperience before.
Robert (51:17):
Amen.
Amen.
Ariela (51:19):
Because again, we don't have children of our own, but
there is not like sometimesrubber will be like you need to
chill out because anybody thatwalks into this facility, if I
don't know who they are, I'm thefirst one that's like, excuse
me, who are you?
And it's just because the thelevel of protection and just
love that we have for thesekids.
We've had kids come in hereagain from itty bitty, like four
(51:44):
months old that couldn't eatorally, couldn't like weren't
gaining weight, and to see, likein my mind, I would have never
thought that seeing a childswallow kompota would give me
that much joy.
But it's because you don'trealize, right?
And I mean it's a blessing, atotal blessing to have healthy
children, but you don'tunderstand the intricacies of
(52:07):
all of that, like to be able toswallow the the muscles and just
wow.
And to see a child tastesomething for the first time and
their eyes light up and themlike shaking because they're
like, oh my goodness, this isincredible.
And to see a child that maybecouldn't walk, learning how to
walk, uh to see a child maneuvera uh uh a wheelchair on their
(52:32):
own, yeah, those are moments Ijust don't take for granted.
And the Lord uses that, like itsoftened my heart so much being
able to witness that, and thatwould be my encouragement to to
anyone, truly.
Like these children are part ofour world, and they they can
come to know Jesus, they cancome to worship Jesus, they can
(52:57):
they are they just are a gift,and again, you there there is a
place for them that they will Idon't claim us to be the best at
all.
I just know that we try tohonor God with everything that
we have.
Robert (53:17):
And yeah, amen, amen.
Well said uh I just want tomake sure that everybody knows
we could not do it without thestaff that we have here.
About how many employees is youknow?
Probably about uh 107 orsomething.
Just at this one?
Um, no, between the twolocations, but but here has the
(53:39):
most staff.
But these are dedicatedprofessionals that come day in,
day out, and um that are alsomany of them uh believers that
have the same vision behindthem, you know.
Ariela (53:55):
So um they pour out their hearts like that.
Robert (53:58):
Yeah, so we we wanna we wanna um highlight them as well
as we're gonna be able to do it.
Ariela (54:03):
No, no, we cannot do this.
We cannot do this without them.
Joey (54:06):
And you know, anything that we we talked about today,
you know, even you know, I don'tknow if you can believe it,
we're coming up to to almost anhour of chatting.
Um, you know, anything wetalked about today, we could
talk on for hours, you know, anyone of these topics, you know,
this diagnosis, this type oftherapy, the needs of these
families, how it works, thetransportation, the new school
(54:28):
uh that's being done.
I mean, so much of it, youknow.
So, man, when you start talkingabout the staff, the work, the
workers, the intricacies, thestories that they would have, I
mean, that's hours and hours oftestimony there in itself.
So I'm so glad you guysmentioned it.
And um thank you for having us.
Thank you for staying with us.
(54:49):
And um, whoever's listening,whether you're listening live on
God's way radio or whetheryou're listening on the podcast,
reach out to us if you wantmore information.
And and I gotta say, because itcame out there at the end,
right?
Especially if you have a childthat you think might benefit,
you know, from from attending orfrom enrolling or from getting
services, this is a great placeto get services.
Robert (55:11):
So again, 100% free for the parents as long as they have
Medicaid, you know.
100% free.
Joey (55:18):
Excellent.
Uh, yeah, you want to give usthe website?
Robert (55:20):
Yeah, it's glory to GodMiami.com.
Joey (55:23):
GloryTogodMiami.com.
So so just reach out again.
Uh uh, we can we can be themiddleman for you uh to get you
any information you need, or itmight be a specific question.
Hey, you know, I did have aquestion about something.
So anyway, thank you guys.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
Thank you.
Intro (55:40):
We hope you enjoyed friends and family, unique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15, I have called you
friends, for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
(56:00):
you.
Our hope is that through theirstories, God will be made known
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But you can only find them hereon Godsway Radio.
Just check Godswaywardio.comfor our full program schedule.
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's way
radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John chapter 15, verse 15,Jesus says, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my Father, I have
made known to you.
That's our aim, that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Joey (00:28):
And so we're actually here at Glory to God P P E C?
Yeah.
So what does that stand for?
Robert (00:34):
It stands for Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care
Facility.
Joey (00:38):
Awesome.
So we're at Glory to GodFacility.
And um and uh man, it's justkind of like as we were talking
earlier, it's just part of uhwhat they get to do and uh and
the season of their life.
But before we get there, tellus about where you guys grew up
and and when you came to knowthe Lord and just a little bit
(00:59):
about that.
You want me to start?
Ariela (01:03):
Um so my name is Ariela, and I grew up here in Miami,
but um my family's fromDominican Republic, and growing
up I had a pretty pretty funchildhood, I can say.
Um I had a mom and dad, and Ihave a s a younger sister that I
grew up with, and the onlything that was lacking is that
(01:25):
we weren't necessarily like abelieving family.
I grew up Catholic, um, but itwas just kind of like the
cultural aspect.
Um I lost my mom when I was 11years old, and that was a trial,
but now as an adult, I candefinitely see God's sovereignty
to it all.
Um, and how he literally keptus together.
He literally kept us together,even though at that point in
(01:48):
time we weren't but I wasn't abeliever.
Um and even through thatdifficulty, um, I can still see
God's hand and sovereignty, andI'm just thankful for it though.
And um, I came to know the Lordat 21 years old.
Um, and it was pretty I I thinkwith me things tend to be
pretty like dramatic.
(02:08):
Um, and but that's just how Imean that the Lord can use that.
And I remember one night justthe circumstances that were
happening, and I just heard avery clear just leave, and I
obeyed.
And the next day I was like, Ithink I need to go to church.
And again, I grew up Catholic,but I went to like there was a a
(02:30):
church, very popular churchthat was a few minutes away from
my house.
So I got up Sunday morning bymyself, very quietly, made no
noise in my house, and went tochurch.
And I heard the gospel, andright then and there, I gave my
life to Christ.
And it's been me and him sincethen.
Joey (02:46):
That's sweet.
That's so good.
This was all in DR?
Ariela (02:49):
No, this was all here in Miami.
God, um, this was all here inMiami.
Joey (02:52):
But so when did you leave DR?
Ariela (02:54):
I so this is the thing.
I'm very Dominican, but I neverlived in DR until now.
I never lived in DR.
My parents just did a reallygood job of like instilling that
in us and sending us back andforth um during the summer.
So my best childhood memoriesare in DR for sure.
Joey (03:09):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Robert, what about you?
Robert (03:12):
Yes, yes, my name is Robert Kidd, and um I was born
in Jamaica.
Um lived a couple of yearsthere, then moved to Belize, um,
where I grew up most of uh mostof my youth and came to the
States at I think 20 years oldfor school.
But um it was in Belize when Imoved there that uh my dad, he
(03:39):
is not a pastor, I would say,but um he preaches at church.
I don't know, I don't knowmyself not being in church, my
parents um like every Sunday,Sunday morning, Sunday night,
Wednesday night, Tuesday forchoir practice, all that.
They're very involved in thechurch.
(04:00):
And my and my dad was actuallythe one that led me to Christ.
Um I remember it very vividly,right beside his bed.
He um he led me to Christ whenI was three, actually, and I
remember it very, very clearly.
You know, I know people mightsay that's that's young, but I
(04:20):
remember him explaining to methe difference between heaven
and hell, you know, and he heremembers it as well.
So um I am very, very gratefulfor the parents that the Lord um
well, I mean, the parents thatthe Lord gave me, you know,
because I can say that theirlives are a testimony and they
(04:41):
instill that in us.
They I don't know myself aswaking up any morning without my
parents gathering, all of us,there's four of us.
Um let's have devotions thismorning together, you know, like
this is a normal thing.
So um but yeah, so I will saymy my testimony is not one of
(05:03):
being far from the Lord andcoming back, but my testimony is
one of his faithfulness.
Yeah, his faithfulnessthroughout my entire life.
I will say that there have beentimes where I've drifted and
I've read I rememberrededicating my life at 20 when
I came to the States, but butthe Lord is faithful, man.
(05:28):
You know.
Joey (05:29):
You know, I think of any parents that are listening.
What a what an encouragement.
You know, what anencouragement.
Uh, you know, Tiffany's herewith me today, and and we, you
know, we have a three-year-old,you know.
And and and I remember, youknow, even when our children
were younger and trying to talkto them and thinking in my
background, are they gettingthis?
You know, but but they can getit.
Robert (05:50):
They can.
Joey (05:51):
What an encouragement.
What an encouragement.
And and again, you know, youknow, even the name of the
business, the name of thebuilding where the glory to God.
You know, I know you guys wantGod to get all the credit, but
I'm just I'm thinking of who'slistening and helping them to
connect the dots, right?
And and we're talking about,you know, uh, an upbringing
that, man, since the day youcould remember you, your family
(06:13):
knew the Lord, you knew theLord, the Lord was a part of
your life.
You know, you see how the Lordkept your family together, you
you obeyed the Lord at a youngage, 21, relatively young.
And when people hear what Godis doing now with you guys and
through you guys, man, if if weif we're faithful, right, in
those younger years, you know,and how God could build and how
(06:34):
what God could do.
So hopefully people get thatconnection and that
encouragement.
Um let me ask you this, Robert,you're a physical therapist by
by trade or by schooling.
Robert (06:46):
Right, right.
When I came to the States, Idid my doctorate in physical
therapy.
Joey (06:50):
Yeah.
Robert (06:51):
And I specialize in pediatrics.
Okay, okay.
Joey (06:54):
And that was I'm trying to find out, or I'm trying to see
where Ariela comes into thestory.
Was it during the schooling,after the schooling?
No.
After this, after the schoolingschool.
After schooling.
After the schooling, yeah.
So did you begin this journeywith which right now the season
is, what is it?
Uh two centers, school, da dada da.
(07:17):
Did you begin this journey as asingle man?
Robert (07:20):
Right.
So the thing is, when when Imet Arela, I met Arela at
church, right?
Um she sat next to me, andyeah, the rest is history.
But um, I remember I I used tohave a therapy center, well, a
therapy company that staffed alot of similar centers to the
one I have now.
Joey (07:41):
So you got your doctorate, and then the company was
staffing the centers.
Robert (07:45):
Well, I I got my doctorate at FIU there.
Okay.
And then I started working as atherapist, and then I started
my own company.
Right?
My own therapy company.
And then we staffed a lot ofcenters around the city, maybe
eight or so.
And then, but truthfully, whenI would be going into those
centers, I would be, let's justsay, not happy with what I saw
(08:11):
and how the kids were beingtreated.
I didn't feel uh okay beingassociated with that.
Um and so I prayed about it andI decided on starting my own.
Now, where Ariela comes intothe picture is that I I had met
her at church at the time that Iwas thinking about this, right?
(08:32):
So um I remember sitting thereone day uh on my balcony and
just talking to her, tellingher, like I'm thinking, I'm
thinking about this and prayingabout this as well.
And so um, she was encouragingin the in the process, and um,
but I was still single when Iwhen I opened it and everything,
(08:55):
you know, we were dating, andum, but thankfully she was she
was she was encouraging.
Intro (09:01):
It was a it was a yeah, it was a this is what you're
sending up for.
Robert (09:04):
Yeah, it was a help.
I know, yeah.
It has it hasn't been withoutits trials and and um taking me
away from like time with thefamily and all that, but um but
she has been very encouragingand a very supportive wife at
that, yeah.
So um that is how she came intoit, and we got married two
(09:25):
years later.
I mean, it had been started, ithad been started by that time.
Joey (09:30):
So even while you were dating, it was like the the
longest.
Ariela (09:33):
Yeah, so we started dating in 2016, and I remember
that conversation.
I was eating Burger King on thebalcony, and he was talking,
literally saying, like, I'm not,I'm very like, it's very
difficult to go to thesefacilities and see what's going
on with these children and thecare that they're receiving.
And I do feel like I canprovide something, like the Lord
(09:54):
has given me a heart for this.
And I think it was just amatter of like, okay, so why
not?
And I remember the wholeprocess of with the realtor with
Yalian looking for a property,how many properties we went
through.
I mean, went to, sorry, um, andthen finally settling on the
one on 8th Street, and then itopening what the opening was, we
(10:16):
still have and it it's it's ajoy.
The first child, glory to God,be but it's still with us.
Our first employee is stillwith us, and it's just to see
again, just to see God's handthrough it off.
Joey (10:32):
Right, yeah, yeah.
I'm just I'm thinking of somany.
I mean, man, you guys areblowing my mind.
On one comment, you said, um,and I know there's privacy, but
but that child, are they are youable to say are they a junior,
senior, are they aging out?
What what's like where are theyat today?
Robert (10:49):
He is 18 today, but they we we go all the way from zero
to twenty one.
So he's he's grown.
Ariela (10:59):
That's awesome.
But just to see all of that,and that again we opened in 2017
and we were open for two days,and then we had to close because
it was a hurricane.
Robert (11:09):
Yeah, you know, just yeah, but again, I remember it
blew off all the things, and andit was it was a trial, but um
it's been a joy saw us throughis yeah, is faithful.
Joey (11:22):
I gotta ask you this, because again, you know, we have
Tiffany and I have now, youknow, you talked about you guys
probably the joy and privilegeof knowing you guys and and and
having visited and having seenuh you know what what the Lord
is doing.
Um but not everybody listeninguh has met you yet, uh, or or
(11:43):
even has seen, you know, whatwhat uh you know transpires.
Here's the point we keeptalking about the therapy and
the kids.
Give us a little moreinformation, give people a
little bit of a visual.
What kind of therapies are wetalking about?
What's the population thatwe're talking about of the kids
that that you're serving?
This business has been going on10 plus years.
Who are these kids?
Robert (12:02):
So as I said uh a while ago, we it PPEG stands for
prescribed pediatric extendedcare facility, right?
So this type of facility takescare of medically fragile
children, so it can be any childthat needs nursing care uh on a
(12:23):
daily basis, and and it cannotbe at home or they they can have
nursing care at home, but theyneed it throughout the day,
right?
They can't just go to normal uhregular school, right?
So um, as I said, I had thetherapy company to begin with.
So when I opened the nursingportion of it, which is staff to
doctors and nurses, um Isubcontracted the therapy
(12:49):
portion as well.
Because these children alsoneed um physical therapy,
occupational therapy, speechtherapy on a regular basis.
Like the frequency that theyneed is much higher than the the
child with autism, notdownplaying autism or anything
like that.
But if if that's your onlydiagnosis, maybe you need a one
(13:10):
time a week or something, youknow.
But these kids need intensivetherapy, right?
Um, especially at a young age.
So um we give them physical,occupational speech therapy at
the highest um frequency.
We also have a behavioralcompany, which is a component of
what we do here, right?
(13:31):
Which is called a wannabehavioral company.
I don't know if you you guysknow um the kids' Bible club
growing up, like it's called awanna behavioral company.
So um that is also a part of uhthe setting here, and also a
learning center because thesechildren, we believe that they
(13:52):
also need an education and theyshould not be deprived of um an
education just because of theirdiagnosis and not being safe in
um a typical school, right?
So we bring the school to themand it's big covered by the
McKay Scholarship and yeah.
Joey (14:09):
And that's pretty new, the school portion.
Robert (14:11):
Yes, it's about six months.
We we started in August, yeah.
Yeah, working our way tobecause uh many for many years
the parents have asked me,they're like, listen, I I don't
feel safe sending my child to uma typical school just because
like maybe the nurse there, someof the schools are they're
(14:32):
they're set up to take care ofcuts and bruises, and but these
are children that are fedthrough G tubes, these are
children with seizures, likemany seizures pretty like you
know, you have to administercertain administer certain
medication in certain ways thatthe the nurses there are not
trained to do.
Right?
So in this setting, they havesafety as well as um the ability
(14:58):
to learn and they're not justsurviving but thriving.
That's the that's the goal, youknow, and um that's how it's
how it's set up.
Um and it's kind of what whatthe kids need is what dictates
what we what we try to givethem, right?
Joey (15:15):
So we we were talking about that earlier, how you know
you you didn't start off withthis idea or this dream or this
goal, you know.
So so rewinding a little bit,and whether Robert or Ariana or
both of you, what was the firstgoal in a sense?
Okay, I I want to providesomething different for these
(15:36):
kids, so therefore we're goingto you know hire seven doctors,
you know, open two centers.
No, what was the first littlemilestone that you guys were
aiming for?
We we need to have one kid, tenkids.
What was that like, that firstgoal, that first conversation?
Robert (15:53):
I remember I remember it seeming so huge to me to even
start this undertaking, youknow, but there's nothing too
difficult for a God, you know.
So um I remember thinking tomyself, if I can I remember
using every single dime of mysavings, you know.
(16:15):
I just said, listen, Lord, youknow, is yours.
That's why I call it uh gloryto God as well.
Like that's that's superimportant to me because I
believe that like if I'massociated with anything, um, it
has to be something that givesthe glory to God.
You know, like um it has to besomething that lifts his name
(16:36):
high.
Right?
Sorry, I I always I tell youguys, like if I if I talk about
this, I will get emotional.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
Yeah.
Robert (16:45):
Because things that mean the most to me, I don't know.
That's the only language Iknow.
You know, I I just getemotional about it.
But um, yes, so I call it gloryto God, and I was like, Lord,
I'm giving it to you.
Like do what you want with it.
(17:06):
And I remember praying.
I said, if this is gonna beanything that takes me one step
away from you, don't give it tome.
You know?
So listen, all of this is Godand God alone.
Yeah, not me.
I don't need people to see me.
That's why when when peoplecome here and people say, I love
(17:30):
your name.
There's a name is what drawthat drew me to to come here.
Oh, that's cool.
I say that's why, you know, Iwant you to know that it's not
me, but it's the Lord, you know.
So it's uh it's a way um ofsharing my testimony with people
that is what matters the most.
(17:51):
I'd rather not have it if if Idon't have that, yeah, you know.
So I even forgot your originalquestion.
Joey (17:58):
The first mouth.
Robert (17:59):
Yeah, the first oh, I remember what this first
milestone was.
I remember thinking, I'm I'malso a very like logical guy.
Yeah, no, I agree.
Um I'm also a very like plannedout guy, too.
(18:19):
So I remember thinking, okay,to break even, I need X amount
of kids.
I remember thinking, if I canjust have seven or eight kids,
at least I can help eight kids,or and I will be able to take
care of bills.
Yeah, you know, and um and andwe started with one, and um man,
(18:44):
it was a long time with one,and I I remember even at times
thinking, oh.
Joey (18:50):
So what'd you do if you were in the negative with those
with less than eight kids?
How did you manage those first?
So, okay, what was the timeframe before you got to eight
kids?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Oh, maybe close to a year.
Joey (19:05):
So, what'd you do for that first year?
How'd you manage?
So And you're not married yet?
No, that's part of the story.
Okay, so how'd you manage?
I guess you didn't even you'rejust eating ramen, single dude
eating.
Listen, it was it was like itwas Oh no, she was feeding, you
were dating, so I'm sorry, yeah.
Robert (19:24):
Yeah, no, no, it was it was very, very difficult.
I remember I used to also workoutside of it as well, trying to
treat patients, make money toto to pay the rent, things like
this.
Um but we were able we wereable to keep it, I guess, afloat
(19:46):
for that time, even though welost.
I remember telling you I spentevery single dime I had, you
know, um, as and then some, youknow.
So but little by little we gota couple kids, a couple of kids,
and one started tellinganother, and um yeah, and we
(20:07):
ended up becoming uh known forthe quality of the service
because we were trying to dosomething different.
To this day, I have neverlooked at another center's
website or anything.
I don't want to base my what Ido on what they do.
Yeah, I just want to do itbased on the need I see, the
(20:30):
need I see, and how best I cando it, like to the best of my
ability and in a way that honorsthe Lord.
So um, and so the Lord honoredthat, and he brought the
children, you know, and they'vebeen over the course of the
years, like hundreds of them,you know.
Joey (20:50):
So Ariana, I want to hear from you a little bit just on
what was going through your mindin this season.
You know, you guys are dating.
I'm guessing that, you know,especially with his godly
upbringing, you know, he's notjust you know dating around,
right?
He's you you you could tell,you know, this is serious, you
know.
And um, he's starting thebusiness, and um what's going
(21:13):
through your head, you know, orhave you ever did you ever think
he would be involved withsomething like this?
Ariela (21:18):
The answer is no.
So um when again the businessstarted while we were dating,
and one thing I can definitelysay about Robert is that like he
bears fruit.
So, like what he says he'sgonna do, he will do.
Um, if he says he's gonna honorthe Lord, and in everything he
does honor the Lord.
(21:38):
So I remember the concern atthat point, right?
Like the business started, andit's like, okay, yeah, like how
are we gonna keep this afloat?
How are we or how are we gonnaget more children?
Because again, we're workingwith a very sensitive
population, medically fragilechildren.
And how are we gonna prom Idon't know if promote is the but
(22:01):
how are we gonna have thesekids come to us, right?
How are we gonna reach them?
Yeah, um, and it was a lot ofprayer.
It was a lot, a lot of prayer.
And I remember conversations atthat point.
Um, I had graduated mymaster's, I was working at
Camilla's house.
I completely worked at it witha different population.
I worked with homelessness,substance use.
(22:24):
I had worked with children inthe past in crisis.
Um, but it's not like I was ina position, I guess you would
say, with like a populationgroup that I'm like, yeah, I can
help you in that sense.
Um so it was just a lot ofprayer, a lot of prayer.
And I remember theconversations of like, we're
getting a tour today, likethere's a possibility of of a
(22:46):
potential um child that's gonnaenroll, and just how the Lord
slowly but surely like thatnumber started to increase.
And um, I remember again, wewere dating at that point, and
the the rollout for the firstlike P PEC commercial, yeah,
right, and and just being thereto support him and just the the
(23:10):
the two particular um childrenthat were part of that video, or
the parents that were part ofthat testimony video, were
parents that had worked withRobert for years, for years, and
just to see how there was sucha a large support for what it is
that that he was doing, um, andjust again, how the Lord has
worked through it all becauseour slogan, I guess you can say,
(23:33):
is or our motto is work like itdepends on us because we're all
professionals here.
Like Robert's a physicaltherapist, I'm a clinical social
worker, we have nurses, we havedifferent um uh therapeutic
disciplines.
We have an ethic, right?
Like a work ethic.
We we have to commit ourselvesto what it is that the
profession requires and give thebest service that we can and
(23:55):
the best work we can for thebenefit of these children.
That is true.
That is true.
We need to be professionals inthis setting, but most
importantly, we pray like itdepends on God because it does.
It does, it does.
These cases for these children,um, without giving too much
detail, they're medicallyfragile, like there's chronic
medical diagnosis, there'sthings that like I did not know
(24:20):
could happen, and and and andthey have.
And these kids are they wereknitted in their mother's room
with a permanent purpose.
And the Lord has given us thesechildren.
We don't have biologicalchildren of our own to take care
of for him.
For him, for him.
When people ask, like, do youguys have children?
No, but I have like 80.
Because I do, I feel thatresponsibility.
(24:41):
Like every kid that comes inhere, I know them by name, I I
interact with them.
I you know their medicalrecords to an extent, like to an
extent, we know that this onelikes this.
You're providing them with notjust the medical service, not
(25:06):
just the the educationalcomponent, but like we might be
the only time that thesechildren get in close contact
with with Jesus, and thatresponsibility is not something
we take lightly.
Yeah, these kids know, likeit's it's not to be um
legalistic in a sense, but likeeven like these kids know when
we go out and we go out to havewe go to Chuck E.
(25:30):
Cheese, we go on field churchor whatnot, when we eat, we need
to pray.
And there's been cases wherekids like because they're
children, right?
Like they're children, they'llput the pizza in their mouth and
I'm like, but we gotta pray,and they take it out and they're
like, wait, we gotta pray.
And it's it's it's so sweet tosee because you see how even
there's no excuse, truly.
Like with their conditions,with their abilities, with their
(25:52):
limitations, they can stillhonor the Lord, serve the Lord,
and know about the Lord.
Robert (25:58):
They'll they will remind you that we haven't prayed yet,
you know, and which it like itmakes you feel like you're
making that little difference,you know.
Um, I have sometimes will come,like parents, certain parents
will come, and certain parentsparents will say, I'll hear them
playing a certain song, yeah,like Caleb in the car or
(26:20):
something like that.
They say, Oh, you listen tothis station, uh, this music.
They'll say, Oh no, littleso-and-so came home playing it,
so I like the song, so I play itnow, you know.
So um it's it's a way we canmake a difference, but I I just
wanted to say one thing aboutwhat Ariela was saying.
Yes, we work like it alldepends on us, but we pray like
(26:43):
it all depends on God, which itdoes, which it does, because the
diagnoses that we see,obviously we cannot solve them,
but we serve a God that can, youknow.
So it's the most importantthing to tell them, to tell the
parents that God is able, youknow, we serve Jehovah Rapha,
(27:06):
you know.
So um that is that is the mostimportant thing for us to bring
across.
Like we stand on that.
Ariela (27:12):
Yeah.
Joey (27:14):
And again, um, you know, I just gotta invite whoever's
listening.
Uh, so hopefully uh this willend up online and people can
listen at their theirconvenience, but also we wanna
air it on the on the station.
So if you're listening on God'sradio, we're talking with
Robert and and uh Ariela uh hereat Glory to God PPEC, and it's
(27:38):
uh a beautiful place where theyget to serve medically fragile
children and and they do a lothere, and we're just hearing a
little bit about them, a littlebit about what the Lord has
done, a little bit about whatthe Lord is doing.
And hopefully, this is gonnaplay on a Friday, uh probably
you know, multiple Fridays inthe future.
But on Fridays at God's radio,we also talk about uh foster
(27:59):
children or foster care.
We call it foster Fridays.
We talk about children that areuh maybe in um uh vulnerable
situations, we talk about uhfamilies in poverty, we talk
about kind of like a wholeumbrella of issues that affect
children and foster children andfamilies in need, and you guys
(28:19):
have overlap with some of thosecommunities.
So let's talk about that alittle bit about your overlap or
your where you guys see some ofthese communities in your daily
life.
Robert (28:31):
Certainly, certainly.
We see uh quite a few of thesechildren, and we we work with
quite a few of these familiesbecause uh within the foster
community there's uh an asection of it called medical
foster parents, right?
So sometimes a a parent mighthave um a child with a serious
(28:53):
disability and decide that theydon't want to be involved in
this child's life.
So um there are foster parentsthat can take over, and and a
lot of them you even eventuallydo end up adopting these
children, right?
Um and so we have many familiesthat that come medical foster
(29:16):
parents that um that bring theirchildren here.
Um I can think of one inparticular, she fosters four
four um children and she'sadopted two of them already.
Joey (29:29):
All with medical needs.
Robert (29:30):
All with medical needs, because that's the area that she
chooses to um be involved inbecause it's the area of I can't
say most need, but it's an areathat has high need.
High need, you know, becauseit's not an easy thing to to
take care of these children, youknow.
Joey (29:50):
Um and and as and even you, Ariela, you kind of like
have both backgrounds, right?
Your schooling was social workand vulnerable families and kind
of like crisis.
I think you mentioned thatchildren in crisis and now on
the medical side.
Ariela (30:03):
It's again, if you would have asked me back when I was
getting my degree, did you thinkyou were going to work with
pediatrics?
The answer would have been no.
But it is something where,again, the Lord is so, the Lord
is so perfect in what it is thatHe in everything that He does,
right?
Because he just gives you theability to maybe, you don't know
what I'm doing just yet, butyou'll see how it'll pan out in
(30:27):
the future.
And like now to be able tobridge that gap where even like
it is a resource that not manypeople know about, but does it
exist?
It does.
And getting that word out aboutthere are facilities that can
care for children with chronicmedical conditions.
There are facilities likeagain, like like glory to God
Peepek, where your child will betaken care of to the glory of
(30:52):
God.
Right?
To to your child is gonna getthe the the service, the the
care that they require.
And again, it's been um gosh, Idon't know what other word to
use, but apart from like ablessing, like I can't if we're
away from the peel peck for awhile, like I'm literally
sitting down looking at picturesof the kids.
And like I'm like That's whatparents do when they're on
(31:14):
vacation.
I'm just like it's just andagain, it's it's it's such a um
it's such a a gift to be able toexperience.
Like we've had baby, likeagain, we serve zero to
twenty-one, and we've gotten alot of those zeros in the sense
of like baby, baby, babies.
Joey (31:31):
Well, you have like a little like a baby room.
We get it.
Yeah, we have nurse, yeah.
We have what is it called?
A nursery, yeah.
Robert (31:39):
So we get premature babies as well.
Yeah, you know, like yeah,yeah.
Joey (31:43):
So let me ask you this.
You know, again, one of theideas we had was like, oh, we
could do a tour and everything.
There's a lot of schoolinggoing on, so it wouldn't have
been good for the interview, butbut maybe you can kind of like
in your mind's eye take usthrough.
So you come in, you have thisbeautiful lobby area, and then
you have like the main room.
Give us give the people alittle tour, talk us through
what how the building is laidout and what the kids do.
Robert (32:06):
Alright, so there's three um separate buildings.
Um, and in the first bit in themain building, we have um we
come in, there's a lobby uh witha fish tank.
These are the pets for the kidsbecause it's a 1200-gallon fish
tank.
Like they just love fish andthey love feeding them every day
(32:29):
and things like that.
So it gives them something tolook forward to.
Ariela (32:32):
They love me and Dori.
Robert (32:35):
Exactly, exactly.
Um and you pass by uh a movietheater that we have there, we
just use that as a kind ofreward system for them and
popcorn and all that.
But um there's a main area uhwhich we have parties and um
group meetings and um some artsand crafts for the learning
(32:57):
center and all that, right?
Off to the side there'sadministrative offices, and um
going further into the center,we have uh um a big uh nursery,
a nursery with nurses and a lotof a lot of babies, right?
Joey (33:14):
Um then do you know off the top of your head how many
babies are coming each day?
Robert (33:20):
Uh I'd say close to 20.
Yeah.
Close to 20.
Just just babies, but sinceit's zero to zero to um twenty
one, I mean these babies growand they become toddlers and and
all that.
So so we we have other roomsthat are just dedicated to
toddlers, um, you know, and thenother rooms that are dedicated
(33:43):
to a little bit older children,and then we have a separate
building that's dedicated tochildren that need um uh bigger
beds because they can't stay inwheelchairs all day, they will
develop pressure sores and allthat.
So um it just has more room tomaneuver, so that's a separate
(34:04):
building.
It's more of like a big openspace.
Yeah, it's more of an openspace.
Between these two buildings,there's a um a playground for
them.
Uh we try to get them as muchoutdoor time as possible because
all too often these kids arecooped up inside and they don't
get any fresh air, any sun, andthis is something I'm big on,
obviously, coming from theCaribbean.
(34:26):
Uh so they have their owngarden and things like that.
They do gardening every day.
Um, and then uh we have a thirdbuilding where there's like
aquatherapy for them.
They have a pool with atreadmill on the bottom, things
like this.
Um uh but going upstairs, thewhole second floor of the main
(34:47):
building is dedicated to umtherapy and their learning
center, right?
Um, because as a therapist, themost important part to me is
like rehabilitating thechildren, you know, because I
mean you don't want them to justsit there and uh for me to just
(35:07):
take care of your children,just make sure they're safe, you
know.
You want to make sure thatthey're trying they're getting
better.
So we try to hire the besttherapists, and um, these are
therapists that are justdedicated to the care of these
children every single week, weekin, week out.
Um and we try to get uh the thebest possible equipment,
(35:29):
whatever is new and cuttingedge, and we try to invest in.
We have a little um I guess Iwas never involved with Wannadu
City.
I don't know.
Those are my kids that knowthis.
Yeah, I was never here whenthat was the thing, but um, but
there's a little city that we'vebuilt for them where they have
like um like a little bank and alittle um stoplight.
(35:53):
Yeah, stoplight and uh and uhrestaurant.
Grocery store.
Yes, exactly, where they learnuh daily life activities as
well.
You know, um there's a there'sanother room where they play
games and video games and andall that.
So um we try to make sure thatthey're not just one of the big
(36:16):
things for me is that I I didn'twant them to endure this
facility.
I I wanted them to enjoy it,you know.
So um, so one of our slogans isa PPEC that's enjoyed and not
endured, right?
So um that is that's veryimportant.
So um that's our Miamilocation, and there's another
one in Fort Lauderdale.
Joey (36:35):
Is that one up and running already?
Robert (36:37):
It is, it is it's running.
Um it is in a growth process.
Uh uh, God willing, we'll beable to serve a lot more kids.
But um, it is a lot bigger thanthis one, but that one has um,
it's also going to have umspecialists like neurologists,
cardiologists,gastroenterologists, and uh
(36:58):
pulmonologists there, as well asa pharmacy as well.
Um and so it's but it's set upwith the same type of um
offerings that we have here aswell, just just a little bigger.
Joey (37:11):
Yeah, yeah.
For those of you listening,we're we're recording this at
their Miami location uh in thelibrary, actually.
And one thing that I've noticedwhenever I visit it is it at
least it feels like it, likethere's so much natural light in
the building.
That was on purpose or how youmanage that, but it feels so
bright everywhere.
Ariela (37:32):
Quite possibly one of the best compliments you can
give, Robert.
Robert (37:35):
So bright in here in a good way.
That is that is something I amvery particular about.
Like she knows when I wake upin the morning, like I don't
want the house closed, I want Iwant all the windows open.
It needs to be bright.
Let's go, let's go.
You want the light to be I'mlike, leave me in my back.
Ariela (37:57):
Leave me in my back.
Robert (38:00):
Oh no, I don't know.
I need I need to see light, youknow.
So um that's that's that's onereason why we made sure like it
had to be when I purchased thisbuilding, it had to be a
building with a lot of windows,and we renovated um certain
before we built it out.
I made sure that every room haslike big glass windows and
(38:23):
stuff because also we inviteparents to come, to come and see
what their children are doing.
Our goal is to have parentsinvolved in what their children
are doing.
So we want them to be able tocome in and see, see everything,
and we don't want when you'redealing with kids specifically,
you don't want a room that'sclosed either.
You know, you need lights.
Intro (38:42):
All the doors have windows you can see right into
the room.
Robert (38:45):
Exactly, exactly, you know, because I mean you know
the world we live in.
So we must take care ofchildren, yeah, and um that is
very important to us.
So we want everything to be outin the open and people to be
able to feel free and be in a ina in a setting that's conducive
to um providing the best carefor them and the children
(39:07):
feeling happy and like they'reoutside because listen, they
spend enough time inside whenthey go home anyway, you know,
and we need them to be able tosee everything going on on the
outside.
Joey (39:19):
So Robert and Ariela, uh so much good stuff.
Um, one of the things I wantedto ask about, and we're kind of
starting to land the plane herea little bit, um, but one of the
things I wanted to ask about isman, you guys are so bold about
(39:40):
the Lord, right?
And it's the name of thebuilding, it's you pray with the
students.
I'm thinking of now businessowners who are listening, or or
people out in the public spacethat are listening, and and has
there ever been any pushback orconflict or challenge of well,
but this is a therapy center,but why are you doing it?
And I gotta pray, and my kid,and you and this, and that, and
(40:00):
I don't believe what youbelieve.
You know, I I gotta imaginethere has been, and if not, you
can maybe imagine what it'slike.
But I'm uh you know, Robert'sover here nodding a little bit.
So, so so how have you know,how have you navigated that over
the years?
What challenges have you had,and what encouragement would you
give to others?
Robert (40:20):
Let's just let's just say that there is no compromise.
Right?
There's no compromise becauseum I can think of one specific
incident uh without namingnames, but um one organ we have
a a piece of machinery here thatis uh very cutting edge for
(40:42):
therapy, and there's only two inthe state of Florida.
And so we get kids that comefrom Argentina or Colombia or
wherever to try out thisspecific um specific piece of
machinery, right?
And or the specific device.
So there was an organizationthat wanted to do a study, a
(41:03):
study with with these children,how how it benefits like how
much does it benefit theirprogress.
And I remember them sayingsomething, well, yes, we would
love to do this study, but um Idon't know how it is to be
associated with something thatum the name of the company is
Glory to God.
And um as much as I would loveto do a study because I'm all
(41:28):
about the progress of thechildren, if if it if I had to
compromise what it is that Istand for, there is no
compromise.
We cannot work together.
You see, um I would like Isaid, I would love to, but I
cannot not stand for the Godthat stood for me, you see?
(41:51):
So um the name I pray that theLord always allows me to, allows
both of us, I really likemyself to stand firm, you know.
Uh because at the end of theday, whatever progress they
make, however, whether we growor not or whatever, glory to God
(42:13):
still, you know, because thatis this is our endeavor not to
make a living, not to no, toglorify his name in everything
that that we do.
So um will not apologize forit, you know.
Ariela (42:31):
And I think um I think no.
I here you see so many, again,we have so many children, so
many cases, and my capacity toheal these children is
absolutely zero.
And we've seen how God has doneso many miracles in the lives
of these children that thereagain, there is absolutely no
(42:54):
ability for me to be like, ohthat was just it's only God.
Any child that comes in here, Iguess me and Robert or Robert
and I are just pretty adamant,like it's just like, yeah, this
is this is God's facility, thisis God's business, these are
God's children, and in allthings, like He will be
(43:17):
glorified.
If something happens with oneof these kids, we're we're send
like we're sending out prayers.
If something happens with astaff member, we're praying for
that staff member.
Um Yeah, and even the parents,yeah, like some parents, like
they'll tell me something'shappening.
I'm like, okay, thank you forsharing.
I'm gonna be praying aboutthis.
Robert (43:34):
Like it's not a it's text message I receive even this
morning.
So when so is in a hospital,please tell the staff to pray,
and we will we'll all gathertogether.
We will like there'll be aspecific time in the day, but at
two o'clock, everybody'spraying.
We're we're praying for thembecause it matters, yeah.
Prayer works.
Joey (43:52):
You know, one of the things I I think I'm hearing and
I see is, and this is like aworldly saying, but I'll I'll
bring it back.
It's like the product speaksfor itself in a sense.
You know, it's like, man, whatGod is doing here, the way the
kids are being served, theprofessionalism that you talked
about, it's like you can't arguewith with the results.
(44:13):
You you know, if you want tojust be against God, to be
against God, that's different.
But but but if you see thatyour child is actually this is
the best place for them, thenyou'll yeah, I'm guessing, you
know, then the family says,Okay, you know, yeah, sure,
whatever you guys are doing isworking, I guess, you know.
Is that kind of like what yousee sometimes?
It's like they they maybe evensomebody that's not focused on
(44:36):
the name of the building or theprayer, they're focused on the
the care and the treatment.
Is that like something thathappens, or I don't know.
Robert (44:44):
Yeah, I do I do believe that obviously not everybody,
not not every parent that sendstheir child there is a believer.
Um but I do believe that theycan see a different or our goal
is to have them see a differenceor see Christ in us, you know,
like however, however they mightdo, by by the dedication of the
(45:08):
staff, by the way we speak tothem, by the way we treat their
children, you know, um that isthat is our our goal, you know.
But um we want the lives thatwe live within these walls to
point point them to Christ.
You know, it's not the focus isnot supposed to be us or what
(45:30):
we do, but everything on uh whatthe Lord has made possible and
what he can do with regular withnobodies.
You get what I'm saying?
So that's I do.
I'm a nobody.
Yeah, I I remember that that'sum there's a there's a song that
(45:54):
always says I I used to hear iton the arena, I'm just a nobody
trying to tell somebody, no,trying to tell everybody about
somebody that saved my soul, youknow?
That's that's it, that's it.
Ariela (46:07):
And I think one of the things that again, I one of the
moments that literally I wasjust like bawling, but it was
just out of so much joy is thatagain, um the song I'm so
blessed by Cain is a song thatlike the kids haven't learned,
they listen to it every day.
Um, and I remember in one casein particular, one of our kids,
(46:29):
the mom was dropping off thechild here at the facility, and
I went to go meet them at thevehicle, and the song was
playing, and I was like, Oh, andshe's like, Yeah, she like I
have to play this song for herevery day, kind of like what
Robert said.
I have to play this song forher every day, and she was just
like smiling from ear to ear,and then a few months pass, and
(46:50):
they're like, she the thechild's like, Yeah, me and my
family are going to church, andI was like, Yeah, well, okay,
and then like in my face, I'mjust like keep it together, keep
it together, and then a fewmonths later we get pictures
that the whole family gotbaptized, and I'm just like
yeah, yeah.
See, that stuff, I will lose itnow, and I'm just like again to
(47:14):
take care of these children isthe joy of my life, and if it's
just one family that comes tothe Lord, it's worth it, it was
worth it, it's absolutely worthit.
It's absolutely worth it, andum, so yeah, yeah.
Joey (47:27):
That's super sweet.
So, yeah, if anybody'slistening, pray.
God's doing some amazingthings.
Is there anything else that youguys wanted to share with the
listeners before we close, ormaybe something that that I
didn't ask about or mention thatyou would want to say, other
than that, and this has justlike been an incredible insight.
(47:49):
Like a hopefully peoplelistening, they they're like,
wow, you know, I gotta I gottathink.
I I didn't even know this worldbefore meeting.
I didn't know what or who, oryou know, I just I didn't know
if somebody would ask me whatwhat's the what happens if a
child has seizures and can'tattend class?
I don't know, you know, I haveno idea.
So just learning about thisworld, you know, if if this airs
(48:10):
on on a Friday at God's radio,people that are tuning in to
hear about foster care, they'rethinking, wow man, there's like
even special facilities wherefoster children that have uh
medical needs can go, so it'sjust a lot of learning.
And and anybody listening, man,they better be praying now that
they've heard about what God'sdoing.
You better come in to pray.
But anything else that you guyswanted to leave us with?
Robert (48:32):
Um I would say just encourage parents to you know do
it, do your homework and knowthat there are there are
organizations that are out therethat can help you, you know,
that can relieve some of thepressure on you, you know, and
people that are genuinelyendeavoring to do it for the
(48:54):
right for the right reason.
But um but outside of that, umthere's a song I remember always
telling Ariela about this.
Is the f my favorite verse ofany song ever, you know?
And it says, and I think Ispeak for Ariela as well when I
(49:16):
say the song says, just let melive my life and let it be
pleasing, Lord, to thee.
And should I gain any praise,let it go to Calvary.
Ariela (49:30):
That's that's what I say, that's what we say, um, and
this is where I get emotional.
Um and I think you saw me getemotional last time you came
here.
An encouragement that um thesekids are so valuable.
These kids are so valuable, andagain, I could have not
(49:54):
imagined that this was the waymy life was gonna play out at
all, at all.
And I would not change it forthe world because this is such a
marginalized group in society,like you don't see them often,
you see how the value of lifecomes into question.
Intro (50:15):
Um and pregnancies that are not allowed to go to
Germany.
Ariela (50:20):
No sense, and these children to me literally,
literally have that that thatverse of like you were dated in
your mother's room.
It's literally like that versecoming to life to me.
And I would encourage anyparent that might have gotten
(50:43):
the news of a diagnosis or afamily that has a child with a
chronic medical condition.
I'm not gonna downplay thedifficulty or the fear that
might come with that, but I'mhere to encourage you that the
Lord's word is true, and thatchild was created with a plan
and a purpose, and that child'slife is equally just as
(51:06):
valuable, and this child willtransform your life in a way
where you're gonna see God moveand the sovereignty of God in
maybe a way that you didn'texperience before.
Robert (51:17):
Amen.
Amen.
Ariela (51:19):
Because again, we don't have children of our own, but
there is not like sometimesrubber will be like you need to
chill out because anybody thatwalks into this facility, if I
don't know who they are, I'm thefirst one that's like, excuse
me, who are you?
And it's just because the thelevel of protection and just
love that we have for thesekids.
We've had kids come in hereagain from itty bitty, like four
(51:44):
months old that couldn't eatorally, couldn't like weren't
gaining weight, and to see, likein my mind, I would have never
thought that seeing a childswallow kompota would give me
that much joy.
But it's because you don'trealize, right?
And I mean it's a blessing, atotal blessing to have healthy
children, but you don'tunderstand the intricacies of
(52:07):
all of that, like to be able toswallow the the muscles and just
wow.
And to see a child tastesomething for the first time and
their eyes light up and themlike shaking because they're
like, oh my goodness, this isincredible.
And to see a child that maybecouldn't walk, learning how to
walk, uh to see a child maneuvera uh uh a wheelchair on their
(52:32):
own, yeah, those are moments Ijust don't take for granted.
And the Lord uses that, like itsoftened my heart so much being
able to witness that, and thatwould be my encouragement to to
anyone, truly.
Like these children are part ofour world, and they they can
come to know Jesus, they cancome to worship Jesus, they can
(52:57):
they are they just are a gift,and again, you there there is a
place for them that they will Idon't claim us to be the best at
all.
I just know that we try tohonor God with everything that
we have.
Robert (53:17):
And yeah, amen, amen.
Well said uh I just want tomake sure that everybody knows
we could not do it without thestaff that we have here.
About how many employees is youknow?
Probably about uh 107 orsomething.
Just at this one?
Um, no, between the twolocations, but but here has the
(53:39):
most staff.
But these are dedicatedprofessionals that come day in,
day out, and um that are alsomany of them uh believers that
have the same vision behindthem, you know.
Ariela (53:55):
So um they pour out their hearts like that.
Robert (53:58):
Yeah, so we we wanna we wanna um highlight them as well
as we're gonna be able to do it.
Ariela (54:03):
No, no, we cannot do this.
We cannot do this without them.
Joey (54:06):
And you know, anything that we we talked about today,
you know, even you know, I don'tknow if you can believe it,
we're coming up to to almost anhour of chatting.
Um, you know, anything wetalked about today, we could
talk on for hours, you know, anyone of these topics, you know,
this diagnosis, this type oftherapy, the needs of these
families, how it works, thetransportation, the new school
(54:28):
uh that's being done.
I mean, so much of it, youknow.
So, man, when you start talkingabout the staff, the work, the
workers, the intricacies, thestories that they would have, I
mean, that's hours and hours oftestimony there in itself.
So I'm so glad you guysmentioned it.
And um thank you for having us.
Thank you for staying with us.
(54:49):
And um, whoever's listening,whether you're listening live on
God's way radio or whetheryou're listening on the podcast,
reach out to us if you wantmore information.
And and I gotta say, because itcame out there at the end,
right?
Especially if you have a childthat you think might benefit,
you know, from from attending orfrom enrolling or from getting
services, this is a great placeto get services.
Robert (55:11):
So again, 100% free for the parents as long as they have
Medicaid, you know.
100% free.
Joey (55:18):
Excellent.
Uh, yeah, you want to give usthe website?
Robert (55:20):
Yeah, it's glory to GodMiami.com.
Joey (55:23):
GloryTogodMiami.com.
So so just reach out again.
Uh uh, we can we can be themiddleman for you uh to get you
any information you need, or itmight be a specific question.
Hey, you know, I did have aquestion about something.
So anyway, thank you guys.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
Thank you.
Intro (55:40):
We hope you enjoyed friends and family, unique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15, I have called you
friends, for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
(56:00):
you.
Our hope is that through theirstories, God will be made known
to you.
But you can only find them hereon Godsway Radio.
Just check Godswaywardio.comfor our full program schedule.
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