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History

We call Elim a ministry instead of an agency. We consider our work an offering to God, not just services to individuals with disabilities. Many places serve people with disabilities, but Elim ministers to them with the love of God, encouraging individuals to reach beyond their human potential to their God-given potential.

Inspired by a Challenge
When Reverend William Masselink brought his son Paul to school in 1947, he was told that Paul would not be allowed to enroll because he had Down Syndrome. In an age when children with disabilities were hidden and misunderstood, this Chicago pastor saw an opportunity to remind us that “God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.”

An education for Paul, particularly a Christian one, seemed improbable, if not impossible. This was a challenge that inspired the Masselinks to try it on their own. Soon, Mrs. Masselink was teaching Paul and another boy in the parsonage of Second Christian Reformed Church of Englewood. The Masselinks discussed their concerns with Rev. William Kok, of nearby First CRC, and together, they approached the Principals Club of the Chicago Christian schools and brought their concern for a Christian special education to the table.

Humble Beginnings in a Church Basement
Other schools agreed that this would be a worthwhile experiment. Rev. Kok and Rev. Masselink promptly set up a Christian special education school in the basement of Second CRC. After one year, teachers Christine and Henrietta Van Der Laan packed up the kids, the station wagons, and set up at Rev. Kok’s church, First CRC. They stayed for another year until the spring of 1950, when the Board hired Elim’s first full-time administrator, John Kamp, and moved the school to an eight-acre parcel of land in Worth, Illinois.

In the two-story farmhouse on that property, Kamp and his family occupied the top floor while lessons took place on the main floor. In these formative years, Elim’s experiment rapidly blossomed into a full-fledged special education school. In 1952, they built the first wing of the school building. In 1953, Elim built Hope Cottage to house students from across the country.

The Children Grew into Adults
By the late 60’s, Elim had educated hundreds of children. In 1969, Adult Services began when three adult clients began performing contracted work, drawing their own paychecks. Since then, Adult Services has grown to serve approximately 200 adults who are given the opportunity to work and perform at a level that fits their skills and talents.

Beyond Elim’s Walls
The addition of the Discovery Network Services program in 1990 was in response to the need for special education services in nearby Christian schools. As a result of work by Dr. Gary Smits and Elim’s Board, Discovery is Elim’s first foray into ministry beyond its own walls. In line with Elim’s other programs, Discovery Network Services has grown quickly, now meeting the needs of over 400 children with learning disabilities in 15 Christian schools throughout the United States. In 2005, Elim opened the new Discovery Educational Center in Oak Brook, now in Villa Park, Illinois, to create a community-based diagnostic/tutorial center to assist children and adults in discovering their learning potential.