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[...] in North America, we have an accomplishment-based approach to life instead of a contribution-based approach. Employment serves as validation of our accomplishments and worth as citizens but in reality, accomplishments are only a credit to the individual. Contributions on the other hand, are for the common good.
In the Christian faith, Karis conveys God’s grace, the gift of God’s radically accessible goodness in Christ. Through charisma, it also expresses our conviction that everybody has value and unique God-given gifts.
My life as a follower of Christ helps me in my work at Christian Horizons. My work at Christian Horizons helps me in my life as a follower of Christ. I think the confidence and miracles that Peter demonstrate in the first bit of Acts is because he knew who he was following; he knew from whom his confidence came. And I think we focus a lot on leadership and not enough on followership.
People with developmental disabilities, people like Sam, have taught me that each person matters. These days, we often forget about the one, about individual people – we are so distracted by all the things and the many people which call for our attention.
This is not the love of romance stories or Hollywood endings. This is the kind of love that brings you to the end of yourself and then beyond. The kind of love that takes all you’ve got during the day and keeps you up at night. Real. Costly. Love.
This vision of what can be is something I long for. It’s as if I’m nostalgic for what will be, and not what was. These days, diversity in nation, tribe, people, and language are things that keep us apart.
Welcome! You can call me Junes...I’m Autistic and Catholic! I want to share my faith and village with you!
Through this interaction I experienced the truth of wisdom offered by Canadian, Christian accessibility advocate, Judith Snow, who shared that everyone has two unique gifts: presence and difference. Through these, every person has the capacity to form half of a meaningful interaction with another person or people.
Although it is good to minister to people and families affected by disabilities, the body of Christ is not complete without the gifts each of these members possess when equipped to serve.
How can Canadian churches “build back better,” or—more accurately—create a “new normal” after COVID that’s healthier than the old? I would simply, and strongly, recommend one strategy that works for us at the IDRC: just ask, just listen.
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