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…
RIDGELAND, MS — Did you know that there is an unreached people group in your neighborhood? Only 5-10% of the world’s disabled population are effectively reached with the Gospel. That makes people with disabilities one of the largest unreached people groups in the world! For Joshua and his mother, a welcoming church in Ridgeland, Mississippi…
CENTRAL ASIA — Ailin’s* parents are deaf – and Christian – which makes them especially vulnerable to persecution in Central Asia. Rejected by their family, and even arrested, Ailin and her parents have since received practical and spiritual support from local Open Doors partners. *Name changed for security reasons. *Ailin – name changed for security…
WASHINGTON, DC— Jim Walchle and Donna Douglas Walchle, the husband-and-wife duo behind the company Films 4 Flyovers, are on a mission to transform the entertainment world. Fueled by faith and a passion for storytelling, Jim and Donna are pioneering a unique approach to filmmaking. In 2010, Jim began exploring the film industry for a fresh…
PHILIPPINES — Joni and Friends recently sent a team to the Philippines where they met Robby, who was born with cerebral palsy. Robby’s condition limits his ability to walk and be independent, leaving his family struggling with the physical and emotional challenges of caregiving. But despite the hardships that he and his family face, Robby…
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — When Jacob was born he couldn’t breath and was declared dead. But his parents prayed and ten minutes later he started breathing, so they called him their miracle boy. Now 7-years-old Jacob has cerebral palsy and his family had no access to a wheelchair. But through the Joni and Friends Wheels for…
NEPAL — Pramila* has faced rejection by her family and her husband in Nepal several times since becoming a Christian, but she won’t let go of her faith in Jesus. But she has received support from Open Doors to move on with her life including help to start her own shop. Pramila* – Nepal: I…
CALIFORNIA— Joni and Friends Family Retreat provides a place where families living with disability can find love, community, and Christ-centered support. Mike’s story of finding hope through hardship is just a peek into the lives of the many families who attend Family Retreat. Mike “Boston” Andrejczyk: My oldest son, Naim, was adopted through Family Services….
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…
WINCHESTER, VA — The latest numbers from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) reveals a pace in charitable giving to Christian ministries that is mostly steady, however, due to inflation and other factors, dips for the first time in a decade. In ECFA’s 14th annual State of Giving report, data reported by exactly 2,000…
RIO DE JANEIRO — The humanitarian organization, Joni and Friends, aims to provide wheelchairs in Rio de Janeiro to respond to Jesus’ mandate in Luke 14: “…bring the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…so that my house will be full.” Katie Oliver – Wheels for the World: Over 40 million people live in…
BRAZIL — Joni and Friends aims to provide wheelchairs to respond to Jesus’s command in Luke 14 to “Go out quickly…and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…so that my house will be full.” Their Wheels for the World program is just one of the ways they seek to answer that…
PERU — Marleny was without support for her daughter Gaudalupe, who lives with disabilities. Running out of hope, Marleny had nowhere to turn for help in Peru. That’s when Jesus came in… A neighbor visited Marleny and told her about Jesus. The Good News strengthened Marleny to keep going, and she joined a local 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…
EL SALVADOR — Yolo didn’t know Family Retreat could bless her family. She first got involved with Joni and Friends by encouraging another family to attend Family Retreat. After hearing the story of Alex’s family and the challenges they face navigating life with his autism, she decided to help raise funds to give them the…
EGYPT — In Baher’s* community in Egypt, Egyptian Christians are only offered dangerous jobs in the quarry. After two terrible accidents, Baher felt hopeless and alone. An Open Doors partner is helping him see lasting hope. *Name changed for security reasons. Baher’s*: I started working as a quarryman when I was 13. That was a…
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA — Joni and Friends works to equip and mobilize churches to welcome and embrace people with disabilities by removing barriers and creating a church culture that sees all people as indispensable parts of the body of Christ, created in God’s image, and worthy of dignity and respect. Parent 1: Our experience with…
ROMANIA — Didina was paralyzed at age 22 due to an unknown condition. Then for 30 years she lay in a small dark bedroom wanting to die to get free from the bed that felt like a prison.Joni and Friends Wheels for the World volunteers heard Didina’s story and came to provide her with physical…
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…
GUADALAJARA, MEXICO — After many years of not being able to have children of their own, the Price family felt God was calling them to adopt children with disabilities. One of their many adopted children, Vicki Price, was a joy to all who met her, always smiling even though she lived with a debilitating disability.Her…
EL SALVADOR — Four-year-old Ian from El Salvador was born prematurely. Lack of oxygen at birth caused a brain injury, leaving Ian with cerebral palsy. Living under the double weight of poverty and disability, Ian’s parents couldn’t afford a wheelchair for their son. Then, at a Joni and Friends Wheels for the World™ outreach in…
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…
JACKSON, MS — Reyna is a mother to four children in Jackson, Mississippi. Her oldest kids, Belen (19) and Leonardo (16), have disabilities that require the use of wheelchairs and around-the-clock care. Even with the help of her 10-year-old son, Yahir, to feed and change his siblings, Reyna lives in a state of mental and…
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….
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,…
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…
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…
UKRAINE — As soon as war broke out in Ukraine, Joni and Friends mobilized their partners on the ground to evacuate refugees with disabilities from the worst-hit conflict zones across the country. They’ve now rescued 390 people and are providing long-term support to enable them to resettle into their new lives across Europe. The…
UNITED STATES — Warrior Getaway is designed to serve American servicemen and women who have visible and invisible injuries as a result of war. Veterans, along with their families, are provided a safe space for respite, community, and healing. Hear the stories of couples and families whose lives were impacted at one of these getaways….
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR — Esmerelda’s pregnancy was typical and uneventful, but while carrying her son, she was a victim of domestic violence. Esmerelda worried that the abuse she suffered at her husband’s hand would cause their new baby to be born with a disability. At five months, Kevin was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When…
KONOTOP, UKRAINE — The town of Konotop in the North East Sumy region of Ukraine close to the Russian border has been badly hit by attacks. However a special needs children’s center there supported by Christian charity Mercy Projects is continuing their daily lessons for the many children who have found this place to be…
NATCHEZ, MS — For many families living with disability, down time is seldom part of their daily routine. And for single parents like Jayna Stogner from Mississippi, breaks are almost non-existent. Family Retreat is the only time she is able to get away and relax, knowing that her son is being well taken care of….
USA — Sergeant Josh Whiting joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country and defend freedom. But after two deployments, Josh began suffering from PTSD, withdrawing from his family and suffering bouts of rage. As a Veteran struggling to re-enter civilian life and re-connect with his family, Josh agreed to attend a Joni…
EL SALVADOR — People living with disabilities worldwide have been hardest by the pandemic. Still suffering from isolation, inadequate healthcare, and job loss, they are desperate for the hope of Jesus. Joni & Friends provided the life-changing perfect gift of a wheelchair for young Levi in one of the toughest parts of San Salvador in…
USA — More than 56 million Americans live with a disability. With so many families navigating the day-to-day challenges of disability, it is vital that they have a place where inclusion and acceptance aren’t a question. Joni & Friends Family Retreat program makes a way for families living with disabilities to have a time of…
PERU – After Jesús outgrew his toddler wheelchair, his aging mother was forced to carry her 10-year-old son everywhere; it was the only way she could help Jesús move around their home and village. In developing nations like Peru, the need for pediatric wheelchairs is extremely high, but Jesús’ family witnessed God’s loving care when…
SCAOTTS VALLEY, CA — Parenting a child with severe disabilities is a labor of love that few people understand. But Rob and Cheryl Trotter know the endurance 24/7 supervision requires. Their son Sam has multiple disabilities and the demands surrounding his care threatened to leave Rob and Cheryl depleted both physically and emotionally. Together they…
WHITE BEAR LAKE, MINNESOTA — Hugh and Pat from White Bear Lake, in Minnesota have two daughters with Down syndrome, but they are exhausted. Having not slept through the night for a decade because of the demands of disability, this family was in desperate need of respite. Through the Joni and Friends Respite at Home…
BRAZIL — Six-year-old Miguel has spina bifida and lives with his grandparents in a tiny home, far from everything in a remote village in Brazil. Unable to afford a wheelchair, Miguel’s only means of transportation through the dirty paths of his village is a rusty wheelbarrow. In poverty and desperation, their family cried out to God…
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…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — Samaritan’s Purse is providing tools, seeds, and agricultural training to farmers living with disabilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nicole Solvig, Samaritan’s Purse: We’re heading to one of our farmer’s fields to see the progress of their work. This is a group of farmers who are all living…
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…
SCAOTTS VALLEY, CA — Parenting a child with severe disabilities is a labor of love that few people understand. But Rob and Cheryl Trotter know the endurance 24/7 supervision requires. Their son Sam has multiple disabilities and the demands surrounding his care threatened to leave Rob and Cheryl depleted both physically and emotionally. Together they…
LIMA, PERU — Modesta and her 22-year-old special needs daughter, Elva, spent the past two decades in the tiny back bedroom of a dilapidated building in Lima, Peru. “It’s been 22 years of struggling,” explained Modesta with a heavy heart. She considered giving up many times, but knew she had to keep fighting for her…
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…
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…
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…
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…
GARNER, NC – Able to Serve is a local outreach centered in Garner, North Carolina. Hundreds of Christian faith-based organizations are reaching the unreached people in isolated villages around the world. Able to Serve seeks to reach one of the world’s largest unreached groups, one that is often isolated within our own communities. “Adults with…
PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI — In Haiti, a country faced with ongoing challenges of political turmoil and poverty, Louie Pierre Oujee was born with a disability—his legs were outstretched and he had no feeling below the knee. Unable to walk, Louie is now 5 years old and can only get around by pushing on his…
