Personal Thoughts on the Disability Ministry Conference

On a more personal level...
Two Scripture passages stuck out to me more than all the others we read during the weekend.  They are in Acts 3 and Mark 2.  In Acts 3, Peter and John interact with a man begging at the temple gate.  He asks them for the money, but they have none.  Instead of brushing him off and passing him by, they enter into a conversation with him.  And while they have no money to offer, they share what they do have; they share Jesus through physical healing.  I've been searching my heart for the various things I have to offer.  I can offer Jesus, yes.  But through what means?  I can give my time by playing games, engaging in conversation, or merely sitting with someone so he or she doesn't have to sit alone.  I can offer an education by implementing new strategies and adaptations.  I can give empathy and friendship.

If I were to sum up the message I took from the conference it would be this:

God is looking for people of faith who are willing to overcome 

all of the obstacles to bring people with special needs to Him.

Mark 2:1-5 talks about a man who was paralyzed.  His friends literally cut a hole in the roof to be able to drop this man at Jesus' feet.  I was thinking about this story.  The man who was paralyzed had probably heard of Jesus; he may have even known some of His teachings.  But if it weren't for his friends and their radical actions, the man who was paralyzed most likely would never have had a personal encounter with Jesus.  I want to be like these friends.  I want to take advantage of the opportunities I have to work around the obstacles and bring a friend that much closer to Jesus.

Joni & Friends Disability Ministry Conference - June 4 and 5, 2010

Summary of the conference
Joni and Friends, an international disability center founded by Joni Eareckson Tada and based in California, sent a team to Bucharest to conduct a conference on disability ministry.  The conference ran both Friday and Saturday.  Among those who attended the conference were employees and volunteers from disability aid organizations, concerned church members, and young adults with special needs or their family members.  While I didn't gain the technical information I thought I would from a "special education" conference, I was reminded anew of God's heart towards individuals with disabilities and our call to love them in Jesus' name.
During the first session, we talked as a group about the barriers, or obstacles, which interfere with the lifestyles of people with special needs.  Among those named were handicap access to buildings, stereotypes and assumptions by those both in and out of the church, fear, rejection by family and society, complacency, and religious teachings.  Despite the passage of various accessibility laws, handicap access remains a significant problem in Romania.  Many public buildings are not accessible to those using wheelchairs or walkers; the ramps that do exist are often very steep and rutted.  I appreciated the personal testimonies that were shared about living with these barriers. 
The second session was a general discussion on disabilities, while the third session covered God's view of people with disabilities.  Scripture passages such as Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:15-16, and Psalm 139:13-16 were read aloud.  Listening to the comments made around me, it struck me that God does not name a single exception to the perfection of His creation in these verses.  These words apply to all mankind, regardless of our abilities or disabilities.
We covered two main topics on the second day of the conference.  Curses and demonic possession were the topics of the first session.  I was surprised to find this an applicable topic in Romania.  Many still hold to the superstitious beliefs that a disability is the result of a curse, punishment for someone's sin, or demon possession.  It was a blessing to see the relief on faces in the audience as they realized they were not at fault for a family member's disability.
In the second session, we talked about ministry models - what we can actually do to make a difference in the lives of people with special needs.  Two of my favorite suggestions were the Build-a-Ramp Day and Sports & Recreation Day.  Build-a-Ramp day entails exactly what it suggests: getting a group together and building ramps in your community to make it easier for people using wheelchairs and walkers to access local buildings.  To host a Sports & Recreation Day, plan some games and activities and invite people both with and without disabilities to come fellowship together.  Keep in mind the unique needs of each person who will be present as you plan the event; you may get to make some slight changes to the game in order for everyone to be able to participate.

"A disability is nothing more than a normality in a different dimension." 

Leader, Servant, or Both?

It is time for a confession.  A few weeks ago, a sense of frustration started creeping up on me.  I felt like nothing was happening, like we weren't moving forward in being able to offer certain services and therapies to the young adults in our program.  It is so easy for plans to fall through, due to this or that complication.  I get frustrated when we just accept it and don't try to move forward with a "plan B."  There is so much I want to accomplish, and so little time left in Romania.  If we allow our plans to be pushed back week after week, the summer will be over before we know it and nothing will have been accomplished.   Already I am very protective of the teens in our program and earnest in seeking out the best opportunities for them.  The idea that they might not be able to take part in a beneficial therapy or event because we weren't persistent enough is not acceptable to me.
So a few weeks ago, I started feeling a strong, internal pressure to become the driving force for the new program, to motivate the other staff to push onward with our plans and our agenda.  My frustration was urging me internally to force others into action, a fact I am not proud to admit.  I was racking my brain, trying to come up with positive ways to motivate the other staff not to "give up" so easily.
The light bulb came on for me the other night as I sat reading a book on cross-cultural education.  I'm ashamed at how quickly I forgot everything I've been learning throughout the past eight years.  The best way to be a leader, and the only way to be an effective and godly leader, is to be a servant first.  I can't force people into action, and even if I could, their actions would not be genuine and out of a heart of love for the people we are serving.  I need to take the time to demonstrate my appreciation and respect for the other staff members' knowledge and abilities.  Only when I choose an attitude of compassion, kindness, humility, and patience - the attitude of a servant willing to put others' before herself - will we be able to function as a united team. 

"Our responsibility is to love the people to whom we go and to give up part of our identity and [cultural] values for their sake to become effective servants of Christ among them." 

Teaching Cross-Culturally, J. & S. Lingenfelter

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."

Colossians 3: 12-14

A Weekend Excursion

This weekend Chaille and I attended a Christian conference in Bucharest, RO.  We didn't know much about the conference when we left, only that the topic would be special education (or children with disabilities), it was being hosted by a Christian organization, and it would be in English.  That was enough for us!  Dorothy and several others worked for about a week trying to take care of the different details.  Thanks to Dorothy's phone calls, Roberta's help, and Magda's hospitality, we were able to go!  We were so excited.
We left Sighisoara on Thursday afternoon, taking a train to Bucharest.  It took a little over 6 hours to get to the train station in Bucharest.  The scenery along the way was absolutely beautiful.  We saw bright green fields, running streams, rolling hills, and some snow-capped mountains.  The view was the hightlight of our traveling experience; our little train car was a sauna!  It was so warm, at one point I told Chaille I might die of heat exhaustion before we reached Bucharest.  I must not be as tough as the Romanians.
Magda picked us up at the train station and graciously allowed us to stay in her apartment.  She was such a wonderful hostess.  I wish it was possible to recount our talks and laughter for you.  We bonded quickly, and the time we had to "hang out" together was a refreshing blessing.  Magda gave us a nice tour of parts of Bucharest on Saturday evening.  The weather was perfect for an evening stroll.  We saw the university, historic sites from the 1989 Revolution, the Atheneum, the palace, and more.
We drove back to Sighisoara on Sunday with Dorothy.  As much as I enjoyed the conference and spending time with my new friends, I was ready to come home.  Bucharest seems to be in constant motion; it was overwhelming at times.  I enjoy the slower pace and quiet nights here in Sighisoara.  Home sweet home.

Background Servants

For the past two days there has been a group here from Trevecca Nazarene University in Tennessee.  Chaille and I have been helping with the groups, setting up/cleaning up for meals, showing them around, and accompanying them to various Veritas programs.  It has been a fun, yet tiring, break from our typical routine. 
Doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes work has opened my eyes and given me a new appreciation for all those who made my first trip to Romania the wonderful experience it was.  It is so easy to forget about all of the "background" details that must be taken care of for each and every experience.  The coordinator, cook, cleaners, drivers, program staff and volunteers - all of these people and more come together to provide a positive, seamless experience.  It is quite amazing to watch.  So, to all of those who have helped make my experiences so enjoyable and worthwhile, thank you.