Communities and churches are beginning to recognize and accommodate children with disabilities. However, what happens when a child doesn’t fit into or ages out of these programs? What about their families?
Respite for All (RFA), an Alabama-based non-profit that began in 2012 to assist people living with dementia and their caregivers and families, has grown dramatically over the past 13 years.
Two Alabama Baptist churches have seen a tremendous need and are making a difference in the lives of people and families living with dementia.
At 60 years old, evangelist Douglas Runkles – better known as “Runks” – considers himself the “elder statesman of youth ministry.”
It started with a little girl in second grade who had possibly already been trafficked asking if she could go home with the reading volunteer.
Wesley Dickmann’s life changed in a “miracle year for me,” said the 82-year-old artist and minister.
Birmingham’s Lifeline Children’s Services provides care for children and families, continuing to develop ministry opportunities and resources since their founding in 1981.
For many pastors, the road to longevity in ministry is often the “road less traveled,” as many are unable to endure the test of time or withstand struggles along the way.
