This is the third installment of our Disability in Missions series.

Though talks of access, equal opportunity, and social justice are common discussions in American society today, this is all a recent phenomenon. In modern times, it seems that society, not the Church, has led the way in the inclusion of PWDs. There is no doubt that all spheres, religious or secular, have had difficulty welcoming PWDs to the table, but few have begun the conversation of empowering them into the mission of God.

In the big picture, little time has passed since marginalization was the lot for all who were born with a disability. During the 1920s and 1930s, PWDs were a mocking source of entertainment, being considered for elimination from society and, at best, hidden away. However, by 1970, legislature was making accommodations in education and work life for them; by 1971, all disabled Americans had a right to free public education.¹ The shift was rapid, and though progress has been made, employability for PWDs has not kept pace with legislative reform.

The mantra of the Disability Rights Movement in the United States has been “nothing about us without us,” stating that PWDs would no longer stand idly while others made decisions for them.² PWDs grew weary of losing repeatedly when they were left out of the conversation. The reaction was rugged individualism and independence. The independent living movement started in the late 60s and early 70s in the United States which created a paradigm shift in how Americans viewed PWDs and how PWDs viewed themselves. Dependence was cast down and independence replaced it.

This radical ethos of independence has so dominated the discussion around disability that little space has been left for interdependence. Cultures all around the world still have a strong practice of collectivism and interdependence, but much of the foundation of the Disability Rights Movement was built upon American, rugged individualism. While PWDs became more educated, employable, and self-sufficient, little space was given to mutuality. This ethos of independence traveled well in the United States with its high importance on individuality but hasn’t worked well in some of the world’s “warmer” cultures that emphasize collectivism. Listen to an African perspective on humanity. Ubuntu, loosely translated as “humanity” or “how people relate to one another,” is described as follows:

"There are various interpretations of the ubuntu concept, but at the heart of the concept is the idea that people are human only in relation to others  – the proverb "uMntu ngumntu ngabantu" (a person is a person because of other people) is commonly cited as core to the ubuntu concept... we hold the principle of interdependence as central to the way we should think about developing disability work in Africa (and in adhering to this interdependence, or ubuntu, concept, we are at some distance from several European approaches to disability which very strongly emphasize independence)."³

South Asian and Pacific disability rights advocates have commented along similar lines, stating that familial and collective approaches are needed. Independence is not culturally nor biblically the goal in releasing PWDs into mission.

If mission agencies originating in the West carry this same mantra “nothing about us without us,” what will come of the body of Christ metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12? Where is the interdependence of the Trinity God in such a paradigm? Will mission agencies simply mirror the kingdom of this world in their ethos or is there a different way?

Several questions need to be answered in sending out PWDs into missions. How would we answer the following:

Answering these questions honestly will require workers in God’s mission to come together to have conversations rather than racing to solutions and pragmatics. We can enthusiastically state, “Let’s see the whole body empowered into the mission of God.” However, if we don’t know where we are stuck, where our blind spots are (pun intended), or where our biases lie, we will be unable to move forward. 

The challenge is this. Mission agencies can get everything right with all their inclusive practices, empower PWDs, even have a robust biblical basis for all they do – however, the halt comes when missionaries with disabilities land in a new culture with very different reference points on disability. How will they be received? Will they be able to cope with the differing perspectives on disability that may not be favorable to them? Can mission organizations do anything to prepare PWDs and walk them through the cultural adaptation on disability that is inevitable? What about international health insurance? Then there is divine healing. Where does this come in as much of the Global Church is Pentecostal/Charismatic with a strong desire for those with disabilities to be healed? The complexity grows.

While it is true that a Kingdom vision is required as outlined in a previous post , knowledge and understanding of the perspectives on disability of both sending and host cultures is required. If the Lord has indeed called all to the banqueting table and has sent all of Christ’s body out to serve, there is an ongoing necessity to deal head-on with these complexities. They will not go away overnight, and the diligent work of listening, study, and justice is before us. Lean into the complexity. Christ is right there with us; He sorted it out in His day and He can empower us to do the same.

In the final post of this series I will lay out biblical and theological foundations for doing missions with PWDs. This is more than just a good, social idea – it is God’s plan.

Written by: John Trotter