A few months ago, I posted an update about Evan Newport, a little boy featured in A Different Dream for My Child. The blog post told about Evan taking part in the festivities surrounding the Big House/Big Heart Run in Ann Arbor, Michigan this past October. Now it’s time for another update on Evan and his family. Early Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving, a brief email arrived from Evan’s...

The holiday season is here. And one aspect of the season – whatever your faith background – is reaching out to the less fortunate with a helping hand. But with all the the seasonal hubbub, how do you get your home ready for the holidays and find time to minister to others? In this post, I’ll share three ways you can help others without losing control of your schedule. Multi-Task The...

For the past few weeks, National Public Radio (NPR) has been airing a series called The Impact of War.  While listening to several episodes that described the symptoms of PTSD in returning vets, the similarities to our son Allen’s PTSD symptoms (caused by early, repeated medical traumas from 1982 – 1986) were striking. An Interview with General Eric Shinseki In a November 13 interview...

One overriding memory drove the writing of A Different Dream for My Child. Every time I thought about our weeks and months in the hospital with Allen, the sense of isolation and confusion that overwhelmed us in 1982 came rushing back. Thank You, Google Alerts So when the opportunity arose to write this book and break down the walls of isolation around other families, I was overjoyed. But writing a...

The previous two posts in this series, you learned how the needs of two ordinary families led to the creation of Faith, Hope & Charity, a residential care facility for children with special needs. To learn more about the many services currently offered at their state-of-the-art home, visit their website, FaithHopeandCharity.org. A Powerful Example The two woman who conceived the idea for the residential...

In the first post in this series you met Rose and Mary, two mothers who made a big difference in their small Iowa town. Their efforts began in the mid-1960s when they needed assistance caring for their special needs daughters, Brenda and Becky. Small Beginnings The solution to their puzzle came in three pieces. The first piece was in the shape of a house purchased at auction by Rose’s husband....

A few weeks ago, during a visit to Storm Lake, Iowa I toured Faith, Hope & Charity , a residential care facility for children with disabilities. This impressive facility serves 32 children, ages 3 – 18, in four homelike wings. Fascinating History But what fascinated me most was the home’s history, recounted on a wall display in the main entrance. It was a testimony of how two ordinary...

Kids and sidewalk chalk go together, don’t you think? But throw a wheelchair or a walker into the mix, and it becomes almost impossible for some kids to enjoy this childhood delight. Now, thanks to Dwayne Szot, children with disabilities can enjoy sidewalk chalk and a whole lot more. Dwayne Szot Dwayne is the founder of Zot Artz studio in Bayfield, Wisconsin. He’s also the inventor of...

Recently, I spoke to a Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS) group about ten things they can do to help families with critically or chronically ill children. Number ten was coordinating the volunteers who want to provide meals. A Better Way After the program, one of the young moms named Wendy told me about a great website created by a man named ViJay. He conceived the idea when a meal sign-up sheet was...

If you are the parent of a special needs child, you know how hard it is arrange for care so you can get away. Even if someone is willing to stay with your child, explaining the care giving routine is such a hassle, many parents decide it’s just easier to stay home. Care Giving Document for Special Needs Kids At a recent speaking engagement, I met a mom who created a document for her child’s...