About Us

Epaphras is a non-profit Christian mission organization that supports missionary
projects in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Mexico. Our main goals are to help the needy,
to provide medical aid, to support Christian workers financially,
and to finance evangelistic mission projects.

Medical Mission Teams

Dr. Valentin Ardeleanu's Team

Vali, as his friends call him, was born in Romania and came to the United States when he was 11 years old. He grew up in Southern California. He received his bachelor's of science degree in biology with a minor in psychology at the University of California Irvine. He then attended the Southern California College of Optometry where he got his Optometry degree and in the final year did rotations at Allergan (specializing in contact lens care) as well as Brentwood VA and Denver Omni (both specializing in ocular disease treatment). His wife and he have three wonderful kids. Vali enjoys practicing optometry as it allows him to help people not only with their visual needs, but sometimes with other aspects of their overall health.

Vali works now for Kaiser Permanente in Clackamas, Oregon.  He has been doing yearly medical clinics with his family since 2010. Sometimes other helpers from churches assist him in Romania, Ukraine, Mexico and the US.

Dr. Jim Ogden's Team

Dr. James (we call him Jim) Ogden, O.D.  Dr. Jim has his own office in Goldendale, Washington.  He has been doing these free eye clinics for 31 years in a row all over the world, including a few in Romania (Sighisoara, Iasi, Deva).  See picture of him attached at a clinic in Deva.  He is the one that inspired and got Vali started in this ministry.

Contact Us