In May of 2011 we were able to work along side missionary church-planters Jake Knotts and Danny Foote in Ukraine. You can read the blog (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5) for the recap of our time with them and their ministries. Since that time we have been prayerfully considering our next steps in helping to provision these ministry teams for their work with the disabled.

The best way to frame why what is next is so important is to share this from Jake Knotts:

Partnering with the Elisha Foundation to more effectively serve the disabled community in our region in Ukraine is an answer to prayer. The need is massive, the disabled in Ukraine are largely removed from society due to social stigma carried over from the Soviet period, and the church is inexperienced in building in-roads into the disabled community, as well as uneducated on how to practically serve and meet their physical needs. The Elisha Foundation’s strengths are exactly what the church in Ukraine needs. Our church is looking forward to learning, growing, and developing a more long-term approach to serving the disabled to bring about both gospel-transformation and physical well-being to those who are largely rejected and unseen in our city.

WHAT WE WILL DO

The next step of our ministry in Ukraine will entail the following:

- Provide training in the biblical perspective on disability to the ministry teams.

- Provide basic therapeutic (physical, occupational, other specialized areas) training to the ministry teams.

- Build relationships with the local mental hospitals, orphanages, and other facilities to grant access to the disabled within their walls.

- Reach out to the families of disabled children in the area through Respite-like programs.

We anticipate many opportunities to share the gospel within the framework of this project. We are grateful that in addition to the spiritual resources, these teams will also be providing needed physical assistance. We believe that our work needs to be focused on indigenous sustainability. Our efforts serve to further the Ukrainian believer’s ability to carry on the dynamic work of effectively ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of the disabled. There is much work to be done to accomplish these goals but we are confident in these “next steps” for our REACH into Ukraine.

WHO and WHEN

The Reimer family will head to Chernigov, Ukraine in May for three months of cultivating this new work. Living “in country” will help us develop relationships with the ministry teams and facility staff more deeply. During that time at least two different resource specialists (physical therapist and special educator) will be serving for a period of time with us. We will utilize their skills to train the ministry teams and help evaluate how we can serve the many needs more effectively. We are excited!

HOW

You can help with the “HOW”. This project will cost $15,000 to complete. That includes travel, in country expenses, lodging, food, equipment, and transportation. Due to the generosity of one of our supporters we have $5,000 committed to this project already! We still have a bit to raise in a short period of time. Every gift, no matter the size, counts!

Please prayerfully consider contributing to this project. If you have any questions regarding this project please contact us via email at info(at)theelishafoundation(dot)org or via telephone at 541-419-6007.

We are hopeful of the continued impact that TEF will have in equipping local churches to better serve the disabled communities in their area, whether here or abroad. Together we are pursuing the Christ-centered transformation in the lives of the disabled people of the world.

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and support!

JDR

We are excited to serve 12 families with our 30 volunteers this weekend! Greg Lucas will be taking the parents through Mark 9. The weather is beautiful today here in Cannon Beach, Oregon…we hope it holds or for at least a glimpse of the sun at points in the weekend.

Pray for safety and wisdom for our volunteers. Pray for clarity of thought for Greg as he teaches. Pray for the families to be encouraged, refreshed, and renewed to a deeper faith in Christ.

Thank you!

Updates to come…

JDR

Mr. Zhu is an oil and water color artist. He has offered to attend the Winter Retreat and will paint the landscape that can be seen from the beautiful vistas of the Pacific View Lodge in Cannon Beach. He wants to create a scenic memory for the sweet families in attendance so each family will receive a signed print of the original painting. Each day he will show the children his progress and how he sets about in putting brush to canvas from beginning to end.

The original painting is his gift to us as a means of raising funds for this Retreat. We will be auctioning off this painting to the highest bidder. The fortunate winner of the painting will receive it at the end of January.

You can go here to view some of his artwork, but go here to bid on what is sure to be a beautiful piece of art, original and signed!

More on Xiaogang Zhu

Xiaogang Zhu earned his bachelor’s degree in Art and Design at the Suzhou Institute of Silk Technology in China and his master’s in Art History at Nanjing Art Academy.  He spent seven years as an art professor, graphic artist and textile designer.  Educated during the time of the Cultural Revolution, when innovative thought was banned, Zhu had no awareness of impressionism, yet his landscapes naturally evolved into it.  He came to the United States in 1989 and earned his master’s degree at Radford University in Virginia in 1999.

Xiaogang Zhu is known for his mastery with the gouache medium.  He creates light-filled landscapes and beautifully illuminated waterscapes of places with which he is familiar – cities in China and the Yangtze River, Arizona, Washington State and Central Oregon.  He is also an accomplished oil painter, and he paints larger, studio works in the oil medium.

Xiaogang Zhu lives in Central Oregon with his wife and son.  He is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and has won numerous awards both in China and the United States.  He participates in many exhibitions and one-man shows throughout the nation and in China.  In 1995 Zhu was awarded the “High Winds” Medal in the 128^th annual exhibition of the American Watercolor Society.

Don’t forget to go here to bid on what is sure to be a beautiful piece of art, original and signed!

Thank you!

A quick note to those of you who graciously gave both in prayer and funding toward the Elisha Foundation! Me running 26.2 miles was nothing compared to the eternal investment you chose to make through this incredible, Gospel-centered ministry. On behalf of the Elisha Foundation, thank you . . .

Personally, I was grateful for your encouragement heading into marathon weekend. Two weeks prior, I had done a number on my “IT band” – it’s the ligament that connects your hip to your knee. When overused, it can begin to tighten causing excessive knee pain. I was a bit rattled when the week before the marathon I could not run more than three miles without a significant flair-up! That being said, I was able to get a bit of treatment from a local sports doctor . . . but more significantly, I was deeply encouraged by being reminded of your show of support. By God’s grace . . . race day came, I ran with significantly lower pain, and ended up finishing with my fastest time yet in a marathon.

And just when pride might be tempted to creep in . . . I’m quickly reminded the winner of the race finished the race in half the time I did! I choose to think of it this way: I ran twice as long as he did!

Mile 21 . . . known by many as “The Wall” . . . was anything but for me. Sure physically, I was one big CRAMP . . . but emotionally and spiritually . . . I was in for a real BOOST! I came upon a runner who had a picture of a boy on the back of his shirt. The caption beneath read – “I’m Running For My Son”, and it was clear by the picture, his son had significant special needs. As I got next to the runner, I said, “I love your shirt.” His reply was short but sweet: “Thanks. He wasn’t supposed to live beyond two-years-old. Today, he’s nine.”

As I ran by, I was reminded . . . I too was running for his son and every other family affected by disabilities . . . ultimately in hopes that the work of God might be marvelously displayed in and through them (John 9:3).

Please continue to keep in prayer the Elisha Foundation. You can keep up with God’s ministry through them at their blog . . . http://www.theelishafoundation.org/blog/

Again, thank you for your gift of prayer and financial giving . . .

In Him,
Chris Lewis

http://www.razoo.com/story/Run26forspecialneedsfamilies

Thank you!

We had 7 guest families, all from New Mexico. We had 25 volunteers representing Crossroads Bible Church in Los Alamos and Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque. The mountain setting of Glorietta was beautiful.

Greg Lucas walked the families through the Word as he intertwined his testimony of God’s grace in bringing the Gospel to light through his severely and multiply disabled son. Our time with the children was precious as usual with the highlight of Dana Dirksen teaching the children new songs each day and evening. The entirety of the time was greatly blessed and rich in its interactions.

We are constantly amazed at God’s grace toward us as we are privileged to build relationships with these special families. The “Parent Talk” time was, at times, raw with the struggles that come with raising a child with special needs. The burdens that are carried by these parents are heavy, the struggles can go deep, the depth of those struggles can cause cracks and fissures in ones faith and relationships. What a sweet mercy when God through His Word encourages us, draws us to Him, opens our eyes to His purpose in all things, and is glorified through the brokenness seen in our differently-abled children and the sinful brokenness of us parents. Though there are trials and suffering, parents of children with special needs who love Jesus can see the much bigger picture of the Gospel in light of their unique challenges. What grace.

Halfway through our time together these families were already wanting to get in on the planning of the next New Mexico Retreat and were thinking of the many others who could benefit from these times together. We are excited about what the Lord has in store for continued ministry in New Mexico through these families and the volunteers there!

It has been a long and fruitful summer and one that we will never forget. The opportunity to minister to families from across the country has been amazing. We look forward to building on the relationships we were blessed to form this summer and we look forward to what the future holds for TEF.

Thank you for prayers and support over the last 9 weeks as we traveled and ministered.

Sincerley,

Justin and Tamara Reimer

The North Carolina retreat was just another in a series of  amazing reminders of how our sovereign and gracious Lord mobilizes His people for His glory and our gain. TEF is His and He uses it as a means of grace to all involved (families and volunteers).

At the conclusion of the first night of the retreat we were discouraged. There were complications with the venue, there were challenges with the appropriate use of our volunteers, there were outside discouragements and an overall attack from the enemy. Tamara and I sat on the steps in front of our cabin nearly in tears as we battled frustration and weariness, but the Spirit moved us to our knees in battle. We prayed and He was near. Our hearts were realigned. Our volunteers were steadfast in their worshipful service.

Despite all of the challenges God worked and moved. Nine families let us walk along side them and shoulder some of their burdens for three days and nights. Many of these burdens are not light. Many of these burdens are part of the make-up of who these families are and to let others in who are inexperienced is difficult. These precious people gave us their trust as we cared for their children and we do not take that for granted. As the weekend progressed it was as though the challenges that we were faced with were invisible to the mission and, ultimately, to the families. The families were encouraged and blessed throughout the weekend.

The Gospel was central to the purpose of the entire weekend and it was not impeded. Our most mission critical assignment is that the Gospel be preached with conviction and clarity. That mission was accomplished as Greg Lucas walked the parents through Ephesians 1 with a view of the Gospel of disability, grace and adoption. Powerful proclamation with effective practicality.

These families have expressed deep gratitude for the weekend and how the Lord worked in their hearts. To God be all glory!

We are now just days away from the start of yet another retreat and thankful for the confirmation of God’s hand in this ministry and the fruit that He so kindly lets us see of this work. As we head into this coming weekend of ministry we are spurred on by His gracious working two weekends ago and over the last few years. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28).

Pray for our volunteers, Brad Hilton (worship) and Greg Lucas (preaching) as we kick off the New Mexico Retreat on Thursday evening at 4PM CST. The retreat runs through 12PM on Sunday.

JDR

But one of the dads from our North Carolina Retreat can and has decided to make it a fundraiser for TEF. We are honored and blessed by his efforts on behalf of the families that TEF ministers to!

Pastor Chris Lewis (Westover Church) will be running the Columbus Marathon in Columbus, Ohio on October 16th. His goal is to raise $1000 through his efforts. The link below has more information on the event and how to donate to this cause. But before you do that, consider how you might support him and TEF. Maybe you could give $1 a mile, maybe $5 a mile or maybe more, but do consider it. Let’s blow through his goal of $1000!

So click  here and read why Chris is doing this and how you can partner with him.

Thank you!

JDR