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The Newsletter for Through the Roof
Is Disability
Good For Us?
Institution Or Inclusion?
Stories from the 2019 Churches Inc Ukraine Trip
A Changed Man
In At The Deep
End
Disability
Inclusion In Our
Churches
Zechariah was born with Cerebral Palsy 14 years
ago to Pastor Volodymyr and his wife, Oksana, in
Ternopil, Western Ukraine. Doctors put great
pressure on the couple to give Zechariah up to an
institution because ‘they would have no quality of
life.’ The couple disagreed, choosing to accept their
son as a precious gift, created in God’s image. Life is
hard – the couple receive only enough financial
support from the government to pay for
incontinence pads, and Zechariah is educated at
home, due to the lack of state provision for
disabled children. However, his parents and church
love Zechariah and many people have been
touched by his life, as the family strive to support
and encourage others who choose to keep their
children, despite great pressure to do otherwise.
“We took the opportunity to
pray with residents that they
would know God whatever their
circumstances. ”
Volodymyr Kostyshyn, Pastor of Grace Baptist
Church, hosted our Churches Inc team of Kerry,
Phil, Mike, Edith and Trevor, who were visiting
Ternopil for the first time to meet with, and train as
many disabled people and church leaders as they
could.
Mike – Chair of Through the Roof – shared about
the global picture of disability. He explained the
medical and social models of disability but
recommended a relational model, which says that
we all have limitations and gifts, and are designed
to live interdependently. It’s a positive thing that
we need each other! Mike also encouraged
listeners not to give up or despair but to keep
moving forward. Trevor – an ordained minister,
gave a Biblical perspective on disability, suggesting
that disability can be used by God to show His
grace and mercy. We can know God in our
weaknesses, for example Ellen, his daughter has
cerebral palsy. She is full of joy despite her physical
challenges.
The group responded enthusiastically to our
message, and many shared their own stories, with
a common theme of feeling extreme despair and
depression about their disabilities but finding hope
in the love of other people and God.
We were very encouraged by the work Volodymyr
and another local Pastor, Ihor, were doing to reach
out to disabled people in their communities. We
visited a centre that supports families who have
children with learning disabilities. Local churches
have provided funds to employ two staff –
alongside two staff employed the government –
to help these families with a range of challenges
such as poverty, education and emotional support.
We visited the only hospice in Ternopil, which is
run by the state and supports about 30 people.
Typically, if someone is dying, they are alone and
don’t receive palliative care, unless they have family
support. The old manor home looked grand, but
was extremely run down with many parts
uninhabitable. We took the opportunity to pray
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60 Summer
76 AUTUMN
2014 2019
www.throughtheroof.org