Christian Ministries with Disabled Trust has been going for over 30 years. We have 17 branches around New Zealand known as Christian Fellowship for Disabled (CFFD). In the southern part of the North Island there are branches in Wellington, Palmerston North, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki.
The trust was formed to support Christians with disabilities in the church. Today we get beside the pastors, priests and leaders to educate them on how to work with such people.
Over the years, we have seen a great difference as churches have become more open and welcoming toward people with disabilities.
Our aim is to cater for the whole person, spirit, body and mind:
To organise and conduct activities such as meetings, seminars and social outings;
To encourage fellowship, worship, prayer and social interaction between people with disabilities and others;
To give opportunities for talents to be shared;
To educate and encourage able-bodied to take an interest in people with disabilities and their activities.
Under our umbrella we have the joy ministries for people with an intellectual disability. We do activities and services at their level. It is very similar to Faith and Light.
The trust organises a national camp at Matamata, a joy ministries camp, and regional camps to give people with disabilities the opportunity to pursue activities that are not usually available.
A regular highlight is for people from Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North and Whanganui to spend a day of fellowship, good food and a liturgy at Southern Star Abbey. The monks make us feel very welcome and they enjoy our company so much, they keep inviting us back.
In Hawke’s Bay, we saw a need for transport for people with disabilities. We were able to buy a bus that takes 18 people and four wheelchairs.
In April, we held a combined service in Palmerston North with people from Wellington, Central Hawke’s Bay, Hawkes Bay, Palmerston North and Whanganui. Over 100 people attended this service, including 80 with disabilities. David Loving-Molloy and Joan Parker were the speakers. David works with the deaf in Palmerston North, and is also looking to work with people with other disabilities in the Manawatu region.
At the moment, David is doing a bible study and Life in the Spirit seminars through the deaf centre.
There is a lot of support around and we, as a group, want to encourage and build up people with disabilities.
For more information contact:
John Hawkins, Wellington
(04) 569 9096
Lyn Spencer, Manawatu
(06) 357 0045
Joan Parker Hawke’s Bay
(06) 877 8026
Beth George Taranaki
(06) 758 7295
David Loving-Molloy at the PN Deaf Centre: catholic.deaf@pndiocese.org.nz
Photos: top: A Saturday night dance party at the latest regional camp.
Bottom: One of the group meetings at the previous regional camp.