September 9, 2016
Travel Report: Romania (Rise & Walk Association for Persons with Disabilities)
The travel and related assignments for the past several weeks has made it difficult for me to write regular reports. Missing at this time are reports for South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Each was insightful and inspirational!! We hope to write a summary report of these in the future.
PICTURES WITH CAPTIONS: https://cincopa.com/~AsPAyt9SHYwB
Short movie clip (good for 14 days): https://cloud.druva.com/home/link/browser?ll=AAAGjwABEzUAAALYuWoVubuZoS-xIa7lCAdVKSh6-Pc%3D
Highlights of the Organization.
Most of my work with Special Needs Ministries in the past few years has focused on the work for/with the Deaf. With my now expanded responsibilities (extended to also include those with physical, mental disabilities and orphans) I looked for places where a ministry for those with disabilities was in place. I found one in the Euro-Africa Division and specifically in Romania. I altered my personal schedule to accept the invitation to attend. I had first visited the church of Pastor George Uba in Bucharest about three years ago – at that time I even referred to it as the “wheelchair church.” What I did not seem to realize at the time was that from this central church 20 branch groups of the Association were to form and be organized into what is called “Rise and Walk Association for Persons with Disabilities.” The membership of the Association has grown to 3000 with 1500 volunteers all in Romania. While organized and sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Association is open to all faiths including those who may not have a religious life at all. While it refers to itself as a “non-confessional” church, the Adventist pastor and his team of Adventist leaders coordinate an adapted Sabbath School, participation in Christian sharing, prayer, singing, poetry, mission offering, evangelism and seminars to help meet spiritual needs. The Sabbath is a unique day on the camp's calendar of events. Branch, also called subsidiary, meetings occur monthly on Sundays. Every effort is made to identify with persons who have disabilities and then recruit them to be part of this ministry and service to the community. Pastor Uba has been interviewed multiple times by the press as this ministry speaks to the needs of the wider community.
My Experience, My Observations
What I attended was a “camp” held on the grounds of our former seminary in Romania. At one time during WWII it was taken over by the army but not long ago was returned to the church. This provided inexpensive lodging, cafeteria, recreational/social rooms and a large meeting hall. I went not expecting to speak although as it turned out, I was asked to speak three different times. My role, however, was quite insignificant. I went to observe and learn and I certainly did. I arrived a few days after the camp had begun. Paralympics were underway. The day I arrived there was archery and wheelchair racing – some motorized and some not. While there was a sense of competition the real focus was on participation. It was a fun time, a social time and a team-building time. Social interaction is a vital part of the whole event. There were a number of blind in attendance. I especially remember the hour and a half that I spent with Camellia who is blind. During an excursion trip we had some slack time. Knowing that she liked to walk, I offered to lead her on a walk. It was an amazing experience for me and the most time I had ever spent one-on-one with a blind person. I had done some reading as how best to help a blind person but this was the real thing. Informing her of uneven ground and obstacles were expected. What wasn’t expected was when she asked what color the sky was and how tall the mountains were. She described colors with music – bright colors and more dull colors were compared to major and minor keys in music. I lifted her hand pointing it to the top of the mountain so she could sense the heights of large mountains surrounding us. She heard things that I dismissed as insignificant but she drew meaning out of what I overlooked. Her sense of smell was amazing. We found fir trees and twisted the branches to get the scent only to discover that some firs have a stronger scent than others. I also discovered her passion to be involved in ministry. She asked how she could become more active. She wanted to help others. She is very articulate and offered to translate from English into Romanian the materials I have for the deaf. I found this to be an amazing gesture of the blind wanting to help the Deaf! On another day, I was introduced to another blind lady. She had asked to visit with me and was led to where I was. I learned that her husband had been killed in an accident leaving her with the care of her daughter. Her request was simple but ardent: "How can I become involved in a some kind of ministry?" Over and over again people attending this Association asked how they could help others. They drew no artificial line between the disabled and those not disabled. In their hearts they wanted to find a purpose for their lives and for them that meant helping others. Their willingness emphasized why I really don't like the word "disabled" (though in itself there is nothing wrong with the word.) I prefer the word "differently-abled."I don’t remember hearing them complaining about what others were not doing for them! The issue of “rights” of those who are disabled was never discussed with me. Nevertheless, I do believe we as a church and as a society we must address some serious needs. My sense of my own responsibility grew each day I was there. I discovered I had more pride than want I wanted to admit. In a sense, living with the blind, the Deaf and the physically and mentally "disabled" redefined what the "image of God" is all about. A person, so I am experiencing, is or should first be defined by their heart and not by their appearance, by what they are and not the sounds they make or what they can or cannot do. Each manifests in a different way the "image of God."
I know some complain about the length of my travel reports, so if that’s your case then by all means stop reading. But I must tell you about the person with Down Syndrome. As often is the case they are some of kindest and most caring people you will ever meet. They are also very sensitive. You will see the picture of one such person in the link above to the pictures I'm including with this report. He appointed himself to lead the music whenever there was music. So the group accepted him leading the music up front or at other times blowing his whistle during the paralympic "races." Once again I had to pause and ask myself, "What really is abnormal' behavior?" His song his unabashed song leading, his whistle blowing or is my prideful culturally correct behavior more out-of-step with the image God had intended? The real truth came, however, came when I observed him crying and wiping his eyes when he heard the group sing the words “Blessed Assurance.” The words, "blessed assurance Jesus is mine" spoke powerfully to his heart. Words that I can so easily sing and almost take for granted. Can you imagine how he will respond when Jesus comes! Must he wait for until then for that assurance? I don't think so. He seems to have found it now. Some day, an even more complete assurance will come and in ways that far exceeds his and our understanding . . . perhaps even now his understanding actually supersedes my own! Over and over again I had to ask myself while in this group – who really is the teacher? Them or me. While there, they were clearly teaching me.
Balloons and More Balloons
The Association and those with disabilities are not without moral convictions. Transporting about 150 individuals, many in wheelchairs, to the city square of Brasov was no easy task. [Be sure to see those pictures and captions.] Blind, deaf, crippled, some without legs and others without the use of legs or arms, boarded two large buses and two additional vans and headed for town. Once there, the filling of balloons took place. Then with felt pens, the words “Thanks for Existing” were written on the balloons in Romanian. In many societies today, babies and adults who have serious disabilities are given less value and in many cases babies are aborted. Since Roe vs Wade in 1973 there have been 54 million abortions! Hitler “exterminated” 270,000 disabled individuals. Can you imagine the impact of seeing “an army” of disabled individuals converging on a city square thanking individuals of a community for the privilege of existing! Who could raise the moral conscience more clearly than they?
Community Night
After a stimulating Sabbath School and church program, the community was invited to the Saturday night program. Churches from the surrounding area were invited. The program consisted of personal testimony, music and poetry readings and spiritual challenge. The talent and spirit was extraordinary. I was asked to share my vision for the global ministry for those with disabilities. I was followed by, and more importantly, Pastor Uba sharing his own vision for the Association. The evening meeting was an amazing climax for the camp. Later that same night, around a bonfire, awards and comments of appreciation were given to the staff and volunteers. Once again I was reminded that volunteers, those who neither put pride nor money before ministry, can do more to shake a culture and a society than the most eloquent politician or . . . preacher.
The travel and related assignments for the past several weeks has made it difficult for me to write regular reports. Missing at this time are reports for South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Each was insightful and inspirational!! We hope to write a summary report of these in the future.
PICTURES WITH CAPTIONS: https://cincopa.com/~AsPAyt9SHYwB
Short movie clip (good for 14 days): https://cloud.druva.com/home/link/browser?ll=AAAGjwABEzUAAALYuWoVubuZoS-xIa7lCAdVKSh6-Pc%3D
Highlights of the Organization.
Most of my work with Special Needs Ministries in the past few years has focused on the work for/with the Deaf. With my now expanded responsibilities (extended to also include those with physical, mental disabilities and orphans) I looked for places where a ministry for those with disabilities was in place. I found one in the Euro-Africa Division and specifically in Romania. I altered my personal schedule to accept the invitation to attend. I had first visited the church of Pastor George Uba in Bucharest about three years ago – at that time I even referred to it as the “wheelchair church.” What I did not seem to realize at the time was that from this central church 20 branch groups of the Association were to form and be organized into what is called “Rise and Walk Association for Persons with Disabilities.” The membership of the Association has grown to 3000 with 1500 volunteers all in Romania. While organized and sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Association is open to all faiths including those who may not have a religious life at all. While it refers to itself as a “non-confessional” church, the Adventist pastor and his team of Adventist leaders coordinate an adapted Sabbath School, participation in Christian sharing, prayer, singing, poetry, mission offering, evangelism and seminars to help meet spiritual needs. The Sabbath is a unique day on the camp's calendar of events. Branch, also called subsidiary, meetings occur monthly on Sundays. Every effort is made to identify with persons who have disabilities and then recruit them to be part of this ministry and service to the community. Pastor Uba has been interviewed multiple times by the press as this ministry speaks to the needs of the wider community.
My Experience, My Observations
What I attended was a “camp” held on the grounds of our former seminary in Romania. At one time during WWII it was taken over by the army but not long ago was returned to the church. This provided inexpensive lodging, cafeteria, recreational/social rooms and a large meeting hall. I went not expecting to speak although as it turned out, I was asked to speak three different times. My role, however, was quite insignificant. I went to observe and learn and I certainly did. I arrived a few days after the camp had begun. Paralympics were underway. The day I arrived there was archery and wheelchair racing – some motorized and some not. While there was a sense of competition the real focus was on participation. It was a fun time, a social time and a team-building time. Social interaction is a vital part of the whole event. There were a number of blind in attendance. I especially remember the hour and a half that I spent with Camellia who is blind. During an excursion trip we had some slack time. Knowing that she liked to walk, I offered to lead her on a walk. It was an amazing experience for me and the most time I had ever spent one-on-one with a blind person. I had done some reading as how best to help a blind person but this was the real thing. Informing her of uneven ground and obstacles were expected. What wasn’t expected was when she asked what color the sky was and how tall the mountains were. She described colors with music – bright colors and more dull colors were compared to major and minor keys in music. I lifted her hand pointing it to the top of the mountain so she could sense the heights of large mountains surrounding us. She heard things that I dismissed as insignificant but she drew meaning out of what I overlooked. Her sense of smell was amazing. We found fir trees and twisted the branches to get the scent only to discover that some firs have a stronger scent than others. I also discovered her passion to be involved in ministry. She asked how she could become more active. She wanted to help others. She is very articulate and offered to translate from English into Romanian the materials I have for the deaf. I found this to be an amazing gesture of the blind wanting to help the Deaf! On another day, I was introduced to another blind lady. She had asked to visit with me and was led to where I was. I learned that her husband had been killed in an accident leaving her with the care of her daughter. Her request was simple but ardent: "How can I become involved in a some kind of ministry?" Over and over again people attending this Association asked how they could help others. They drew no artificial line between the disabled and those not disabled. In their hearts they wanted to find a purpose for their lives and for them that meant helping others. Their willingness emphasized why I really don't like the word "disabled" (though in itself there is nothing wrong with the word.) I prefer the word "differently-abled."I don’t remember hearing them complaining about what others were not doing for them! The issue of “rights” of those who are disabled was never discussed with me. Nevertheless, I do believe we as a church and as a society we must address some serious needs. My sense of my own responsibility grew each day I was there. I discovered I had more pride than want I wanted to admit. In a sense, living with the blind, the Deaf and the physically and mentally "disabled" redefined what the "image of God" is all about. A person, so I am experiencing, is or should first be defined by their heart and not by their appearance, by what they are and not the sounds they make or what they can or cannot do. Each manifests in a different way the "image of God."
The Powerful but Silent Testimony of a Person with Down Syndrome
Balloons and More Balloons
The Association and those with disabilities are not without moral convictions. Transporting about 150 individuals, many in wheelchairs, to the city square of Brasov was no easy task. [Be sure to see those pictures and captions.] Blind, deaf, crippled, some without legs and others without the use of legs or arms, boarded two large buses and two additional vans and headed for town. Once there, the filling of balloons took place. Then with felt pens, the words “Thanks for Existing” were written on the balloons in Romanian. In many societies today, babies and adults who have serious disabilities are given less value and in many cases babies are aborted. Since Roe vs Wade in 1973 there have been 54 million abortions! Hitler “exterminated” 270,000 disabled individuals. Can you imagine the impact of seeing “an army” of disabled individuals converging on a city square thanking individuals of a community for the privilege of existing! Who could raise the moral conscience more clearly than they?
Community Night
After a stimulating Sabbath School and church program, the community was invited to the Saturday night program. Churches from the surrounding area were invited. The program consisted of personal testimony, music and poetry readings and spiritual challenge. The talent and spirit was extraordinary. I was asked to share my vision for the global ministry for those with disabilities. I was followed by, and more importantly, Pastor Uba sharing his own vision for the Association. The evening meeting was an amazing climax for the camp. Later that same night, around a bonfire, awards and comments of appreciation were given to the staff and volunteers. Once again I was reminded that volunteers, those who neither put pride nor money before ministry, can do more to shake a culture and a society than the most eloquent politician or . . . preacher.
