As a mother of children with special needs, author Elrena Evans writes, “Welcoming children with disabilities into church communities is something that holds a special place in my heart. … Those of us who live without disabilities may not know what it feels like to communicate in sign language, or use a wheelchair, or struggle with processing sights and sounds; those of us who live with disability know how hard it can be to navigate these contexts.”
Employing simple, positive explanations framed by the reality that all people are different from others in some way, Evans introduces young readers to six children with special needs who are welcomed and belong in their local church. The children experience going to church, which means singing together, reading together, and sharing food together. It also means they will receive the help and encouragement they need. All the children know that God loves them and their church family loves them, too.
Author Elrena Evans explains her goal in writing When I Go to Church, I Belong: “It is my hope and prayer that this book can be a jumping-off point for discussions about disability with your family, your Sunday school, and your church as a whole.” Illustrator Rebecca Evans’s cheerful, emotion-filled pictures depicting Christians of different abilities, ages, and ethnicities interacting and worshiping God together are a step toward achieving that hope.
(IVP Kids)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.