Breaking Barriers - Spring 2017

Paid caregivers. Many people with disabilities receive supports from others. Articles in this issue have been written by and about people who hire caregivers, provide care, or have a loved one who receives paid support.

An Outward Shift in Focus
Jenna Hoff and family don’t blend in when entering church on Sunday, with Jenna’s husband pushing her wheelchair and their two adopted children with black clothing, wild hair and one with a chain-link necklace.       

The Mutuality of Caregiving
Doug Rottman's caregivers have increased his quality of life dramatically, even though having caregivers is complex.

‘I Like it When…’
Alice wrote this letter imagining what her son would say to his caregivers at an adult foster care home if he could.

The Task of Paying Attention Daily
As a caregiver to Randy, Andrew Spidahl is learning to pay attention to the task within the task and moving from the first to the second half of his own life.

Receiving Care Leads to Serving
As Robyn Saylor came to grips with the hard lesson that she could no longer live independently, she learned a different way of life that was also good.

The Gospel through Touch
In this editor's note, Mark Stephenson suggests that loving touch is a tactile declaration of the gospel.

Next issues:

• Summer 2017 — Pastors with a disability. Are you a pastor with a disability, or does your pastor have a disability? How has your church changed, or what changes has your church made, as a result of your pastor living with a disability? Please send us a note about it (up to 400 words) by May 19.
• Fall 2017 — Learning from children with disabilities. What have you learned from a child with a disability in your church? Or, do you have a favorite children’s book about disability? Please send us a note (up to 400 words) by August 25.