Reaching The Forgotten

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a vision that’ll grip your heart. 

You know, when Jesus spoke, he always gave his touch. He healed through his words and his hands. And in demon-dark corners of the world, this is the Jesus that hurting people need to know. Especially people with disabilities, who are so scorned and rejected. Their heart needs healing. But we have learned at Joni and Friends, that the door to healing a heart can be best pried open with acts of compassion. That’s ’cause disability, with its countless needs, requires it. You cannot tell a disabled person about Jesus, without showing them his love. Does a disabled child need to get out of the dirt and into a wheelchair? Well, Jesus does that. Does that child have a wound that needs dressing? Well, Jesus does that. Is there hunger? Jesus fills that. Does that special-needs family live in a little mud and stick house with a leaky tin roof? Jesus can fix even that. The very nature of a disability begs for hands-on help from Jesus, just like this.  

And it’s why at Joni and Friends we are planting a Joni’s House in these desperately poor parts of the world. You see, a Joni’s House is an incarnation of Luke chapter 14 where Jesus insists that we, “Go out, find the disabled… and bring them in… so that the Father’s house might be full.” And Joni’s House is a place where the world’s wounded and disabled can find hands-on healing for their life and limbs. No more scorn and rejection! Because their community also finds healing, too. Joni’s House provides that hands-on touch of Christ, changing the soul of a person, and the heart of his village. But Joni’s House is not a dream; it is happening right now, through partnerships around the world, in dark places where so many are working under government and religious persecution to bring the Gospel. 

Let me tell you a bit… Anjali is a longtime, trusted partner, and his organization is utterly dedicated to reach disabled people for Christ. His father was injured in a fall from a tree when he was young, and now Anjali is committed to reaching others living with disabilities. So, with him, we are building a Joni’s House to augment the work of this humble brother in Christ and his heart for evangelism. We are expanding wheelchair distribution; we’re including wheelchair repair; more Bible delivery; more microfinance projects and economic support; medical rehab and physical therapy. Yep, we are even turning those mud and stick houses into homes with roofs that don’t leak! We can reach more disabled people for Christ, especially in a COVID-19 world where crushing needs are now life-and-death. I’m thrilled that we’re doing it in Anjali’s country, and we’re doing Joni’s Houses in other places – right now in Uganda and in Central America. We must reach for Christ the poorest of the poor; the oft-neglected and most ignored – and that is people with disabilities. Forgotten and rejected. 

But we’re not forgetting them at Joni and Friends! Building a Joni’s House smack in the middle of the darkest corners of the earth is our way of helping disabled people experience the touch of Christ. Hey, this is just the beginning. Get on board today, Giving Tuesday, and be part of planting more Joni’s Houses. Go right now to joniradio.org to give the perfect gift of a pediatric wheelchair, or support a family through Joni’s House for a small monthly gift. We’ve got all the info for you at joniradio.org. Help us share the love of Jesus Christ – his hope through the worst of hardships around the world. Want to see what we’re doing at Joni’s House? We’ve posted a picture today at joniradio.org!

© Joni and Friends

Give The Perfect Gift on #GivingTuesday

Your gift of $220 to send a pediatric wheelchair and a Bible, $345 to send that plus medical care, food and essential hygiene supplies for a month, or $1,500 to support an entire family impacted by disability and poverty for the whole year will transform lives now and for all of eternity!