Northwest Ministry Conference 2009

Written by admin on March 28, 2009 – 8:22 pm -

We finished our first conference for Gabriel’s Foundation of HOPE today.  It was a successful conference for all of us.  Our booth was well attended and we got some good contacts.  Steve and I presented a workshop about our desire to help individuals and families dealing with disability through our nonprofit.  We also want to come along side churches to help them minister to the disabled community.

We heard stories from families who have struggled with finding resources for their children affected by disability.  It reinforced the reason for our ministry.  We are excited to get to work writing grants and seeking donations to promote our causes.  We know we are doing what God has called us to.  That feels so good.

It was very exciting to meet Rev Dan’l Markham from Joni and Friends.  My heart has been with Joni’s ministry for many years.  We hope to partner with her ministry in the coming months.  Dan is also on the board of directors for Nick Vuicich from Life Without Limbs.  We hope to meet him one of these days.  I think he and gabe would make a dynamic duo sharing their stories.

For those of you who have never been to the Northwest Ministry Conference, it is an amazing and fun time.  The speakers, the worship, the exhibit booths and the workshops are worth every penny spent.  Don’t miss it next year on the weekend of March 18-20, 2010.  You

Thank you to those who stopped at our booth.  It was such a blessing to meet each one of you.  We hope and pray that in the coming months we’ll meet again.  Perhaps Gabe will be able to speak at your church.  I’d love to speak to your women’s ministry as well.

Please keep coming back to our website to learn more about what we are up to.  God Bless.


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Gabe’s Freshman Year

Written by admin on March 24, 2009 – 10:06 am -

Gabe just finished his second quarter of college.  The time has flown by.  He is doing well and enjoying classes.  We are learning along the way.

Gabe stays at a dormitory.  The University of Washington provided him with a great wheelchair accessible room.  They have been very accomodating.  They added a new automatic door that opens both his room door and the hall door with a press of a button or the swipe of his keycard.  It makes it so much easier to enter and exit his room.

We had a meeting with the Department of Vocational Rehab a few weeks ago.  We needed to iron out some misunderstandings about Gabe’s desire to major in Education.  It was discussed that there was concern about that vocation because Gabe wears a hearing aid.  We were able to agree that we all think Gabe would do a phenominal job as a teacher and we do not think his hearing aid is going to pose a problem.  We still have some documentation to provide DVR for their records but I think we are now on the same page.

Gabe’s aid services are provided by Chesterfield Housing Services.  They did a great job matching him with two caregivers who help him during the day.  He’s learnng to be more independent so we are evaluating how many hours he needs this personal care.  We appreciate the care we’ve received so far.

This transition to college is getting easier for me and Steve.  It was difficult at first to release Gabe to the care of someone else.  As we’ve watched him learn and grow along the way, we are able to understand that everything is going to be okay. 

I’m reminded all the time that he is now an adult.  I’m wearing a consultant hat now.  I’ve retired my mom hat.  I’m learning to only give advice if he asks for it.  Boy that’s hard isn’t it?


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