MICHIGAN – Joni and Friends Family Retreat specifically focus on families navigating the challenges of disability. They strive to create a rich, Christ-centered environment at each Family Retreat that is safe and accepting for each member of the family. Find out how life-transforming this was recently for the Rojas family. Gerardo Rojas: Our idea of…

UGANDA— Today an estimated 1.3 billion people in the world live with a disability. Many of these people are in developing countries where they have limited access to medical care and mobility equipment. And too often, poverty and discrimination intensify the difficulties of living with a disability.That’s why the Joni and Friends program—Joni’s House—is committed…

Andre's family in El Salvador experienced finding inclusion, transforming acceptance and love through family retreat and their church.

EL SALVADOR — Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. They bring this vision to reality through programs like International Family Retreat. Andre’s family in El Salvador experienced finding inclusion in Christ, transforming acceptance and love through family retreat…

Joni and Friends recently opened its first international wheelchair restoration center, located in El Salvador—the first of multiple centers.

EL SALVADOR — Through its flagship Wheels for the World™ program, Joni and Friends collects and restores used wheelchairs, then delivers the like-new chairs to people around the world in need of mobility equipment.Joni and Friends recently opened its first international wheelchair restoration center, located in El Salvador—the first of multiple centers slated to open…

Believe Global exists to effect sustainable change in Papua New Guinea and on their recent trip to Fiji, an incredible miracle took place!

FIJI — Believe Global exists to effect sustainable change and development in Papua New Guinea by impacting the spheres of leadership, education, business, health and the church. Since 2016, over 800 missionaries have been sent to Papua New Guinea and Fiji, impacting over 700,000 people through gospel rallies and programs in schools, hospitals, prisons and…

Joni and Friends Wheels for the World outreach in El Salvador, brought Marcela, who received a new wheelchair that will keep her safe.

EL SALVADOR — The World Health Organization estimates that over 75 million people in the world today need a wheelchair, and more than 85% of them can’t access one*. The brunt of these unmet needs hits people in developing nations, like Marcela in El Salvador. Marcela suffered cardio-respiratory arrest at birth, which caused cerebral palsy….

Wheelchair restoration process begins in federal, state, private prison outreach facilities where inmates are trained to restore wheelchairs

USA — Prison Outreach Helps Provide Wheelchairs — The Joni and Friends Wheels for the World program provides life-changing mobility and the hope of the Gospel to people living with disability worldwide. They collect used, manual wheelchairs across the United States that would otherwise end up in landfills. The wheelchair restoration process begins in federal,…

When Pleng arrived at Thailand Wheels for the World outreach in her mother’s arms, she received the wheelchair she needed, and so much more

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — Namthan has cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. She cannot walk or even sit on her own and has a permanent shunt surgically implanted in her brain. Raised Buddhist, Namthan’s parents believed that bad karma caused Namthan’s disability. But when Joni and Friends brought Namthan a wheelchair through our Wheels for the World…

When Pleng arrived at Thailand Wheels for the World outreach in her mother’s arms, she received the wheelchair she needed, and so much more

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — 12-year-old Pleng was born with cerebral palsy. Unable to afford a wheelchair for Pleng, her family resorted to carrying her, or just staying home. In addition to struggles with immobility, Pleng’s family suffered from shame, believing Pleng’s disability came from bad karma—a deserved punishment, or curse. When Pleng arrived at the…

CURE International, global provider of surgical treatment for children with treatable disabilities, has opened Childrens Hospital of Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE — CURE International (CURE), a global provider of surgical treatment for children with treatable disabilities, has opened CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, a first-in-the-nation facility providing life-transforming medical care to thousands of vulnerable children. At CURE Zimbabwe, surgeries are free to children under 18 regardless of race, religion, or gender. Conditions that…

Covid 19 Deaths in India

ONTARIO, CANADA — As COVID-19 deaths continue to grow exponentially in India, one Canadian NGO is stepping up to help that country’s most vulnerable people access the life-saving jab. Effect Hope is a Canadian Christian global health organization that supports people with neglected tropical diseases. Effect Hope will help Indians affected by leprosy and lymphatic…

CURE International plans to open Children's Hospital of Zimbabwe, provide life-transforming medical care to thousands of vulnerable children

SPRING LAKE, MI — CURE International (CURE), a global provider of surgical treatment for children with treatable disabilities, announced plans to open CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe, a first-in-the-nation facility providing life-transforming medical care to thousands of vulnerable children. Reconstruction of the $5 million hospital was recently completed by the Zimbabwe Orthopedic Trust (ZOT) in…

Hope Walks, largest Christian provider of clubfoot care worldwide, operates with 136 partner clinics in 16 countries, providing free treatment

MECHANICSBURG, PA – Hope Walks is a relatively young faith-based medical missionary organization built upon years of experience.  Hope Walks officially became an independent entity in June 2019, emerging from the CURE Clubfoot Program, which originated in 2006. In 2018, CURE decided to spin off the clubfoot program from CURE International. This set the stage…

Coronavirus couldn’t stop Joni & Friends from encouraging special needs families, and provisions were made for Family Retreat at Home.

NEW ENGLAND — Dan and Sandra Rivera were super excited when they heard about Family Retreat taking place in New England. Their sons DeMetrius (19), Nathan (11) and Isaac (6) matched their parents’ excitement. Both DeMetrius and Nathan have global developmental delays, making their day-to-day caregiving routines incredibly complicated – and making vacations impossible. Little…

Baroness Caroline Cox is calling on the British Government to act urgently see a ceasefire resume in this troubled region of Nagorno Karabakh

NAGORNO-KARABAKH — In the midst of the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) lies a profound symbol of hope – The Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre – an internationally recognized special needs ‘Centre of Excellence,’ which was founded in 1998, following the end of the Nagorno Karabakh war. But earlier this month as violence escalated from Azerbaijan…

When COVID 19 hit, Joni and Friends developed creative new ways to serve families across America living with disability

USA — When COVID-19 hit, Joni and Friends developed creative new ways to serve families across America living with disabilities. Through Family Retreat at Home they’re providing spiritual refreshment as they focus on God’s love and connect with other families facing similar challenges. Tabitha Williams – Joni & Friends Bay Area Family Retreat at Home…

Through Joni and Friends, Angela's mother received the answer to her prayer request - a custom-made wheelchair and a Bible

PERU — Angela was born in Peru with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. With limited financial resources, her family suffered discrimination at local hospitals as they sought out tests and therapies for their daughter. Feeling rejected, Angela’s mother prayed for help. Through Joni and Friends, Angela’s mother received a tangible answer to her request. The charity’s…

Patients with disabilities face greater challenges during pandemic, we're thankful that federal government & the state of Tennessee are standing in the gap

BRISTOL, TN — The Tennessee-based, 18,000-member Christian Medical Association (CMA, www.cmda.org) lauded a Tennessee patient protection policy that protects disabled patients during the COVID pandemic. The policy was announced this afternoon by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and developed collaboratively between HHS, the state of Tennessee,…