In Person Family Retreat in Arizona!

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!”

Psalm 98:1

We are praising God that our Joni and Friends Arizona team was able to host an in-person Family Retreat recently. And while many special needs families gathered for fun, fellowship and faith-building – socially distancing, of course – one extraordinary family really highlights the transforming power of Christ’s love at Family Retreat.

Dwight and Linny have three grown biological children and over the years have adopted eleven wonderful children, many of whom have severe special needs. When Dwight first learned about Family Retreat, he teared up and said, “We really need this, but I am not sure how we could ever pay for it.” As it is for too many families impacted by disability, the healing experiences most needed are financially out of reach for them.

But Joni and Friends Arizona was not about to let a lack of finances get in the way of God’s love!

Dwight and Linny’s family received a full scholarship so they could be part of Family Retreat, too. And as a result, their whole family was strengthened. They all got closer to each other – and together, they got closer to Jesus.

On the last night of the retreat, Dwight explained,

“I didn’t fully understand what Family Retreat was until now. It has been fun. It has been relaxing. We have found rest and most importantly, we have learned that we are not alone in our struggles.”

Each one of Dwight and Linny’s children found the hope and joy of Jesus at Family Retreat, but little Ruby seemed to shine the brightest. Ruby is ten–years–old and has hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Left to die of starvation as an orphan in Uganda, Dwight and Linny adopted Ruby when she was one-year-old. She is non-verbal, but loved to participate in times of worship during Family Retreat. In fact, Ruby couldn’t contain her joy and when others started singing, Ruby made her own joyful noise unto the Lord!

Ruby’s volunteer Short-Term Missionary summed it up best when she said,

“When we were in the chapel for worship, Ruby would sing in a way that just made it clear she was truly worshipping God. I stopped seeing her as a sweet girl with a disability and instead as a true sister in Christ. The joy of the Lord is Ruby’s strength and that was so encouraging to me.”

Dwight and his family came to Family Retreat looking for rest for their souls. They found that rest and so much more. They also found friendship and a community that will follow them back home. They found true freedom in Christ.