LifeAbundant
SPRING CELEBRATION 2024
LIVING IN THE GAP
BY KRISTA MASON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dave and I watch from the stands as Ben’s sturdy 10-year-old body wiggles and spins at the starting block, awaiting the start of the 50-yard freestyle event of his first Special Olympics Ben has always been supremely at home in the water, but this is his first competitive event
At the pop of the starter gun, the athletes plunge in and they’re off! Through tear-filled eyes, I watch Ben swim with his own distinctive movement - not so much a stroke with a forward trajectory - but rather a buoyant meandering
Mid-way, Ben stops swimming and plunges deep, deep in the water. I see his head pop up, then his bottom, then his head. He’s doing flips, round and round, like a jubilant porpoise in its natural habitat
Sound swells around me. The crowds in the stands are cheering for Ben! An Anne Lamott quote comes to mind, “He follows the music he hears, and it takes him where it will.” My heart nearly bursts for the beauty of it, Ben’s signature way of moving through life on display in an olympic size pool
Life unfolds in surprising ways, doesn’t it? My early imaginings of what life would look like for Ben at 10, or now, at 28, is terrifically different than reality. Different, yes. Disappointing? Well, that depends on how I choose to respond to the unexpected.
Our hopes and dreams are formed by our reality as we go And reality, it would seem, rarely meets our expectations It follows then, that our measure of contentedness is dictated by the size of the gap between our reality and our expectation But need this be so?
I occasionally experience still water and green pastures, as the psalmist wrote At moments, abundant life is fresh and bold, right in front of my eyes; a newborn baby, a meaningful connection with a friend, an encounter with creation that stirs my soul in a way that can only be described as holy But, if I’m truthful, most days I trudge in the mundane and the common, overly mindful of the gap between what I expected and what is.
Grief, loss, failure and disappointment have been central to the human experience since the garden We all find ourselves mired in the mundane of life It is work to keep our heads above water and resist the urge to fling our arms in the air, exclaiming, “I give up!” When reality falls starkly short of expectation we find ourselves faced with a choice. How will we respond?
For me, I start with unvarnished questions of God “What would you have me learn in this? If you are a God who redeems, what is your plan for this that seems so broken?” To be clear, Ben is not broken But, at times, the complexity of autism has made me feel broken. Contentedness feels utterly out of reach.
W W W B E N J A M I N S H O P E N E T
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Contentedness is not discovered by chance nor is it divinely endowed to a chosen few elected to be “the happy ones”. I’ve often wished that God would let me in on His plan with a memo, or an email, or that he would speak to me in a voice that I can hear While I do not audibly hear the voice of God, if I quiet myself, I’ve come to recognize the perpetual stillsmall whisper of one word Surrender.
The definition of surrender is “to yield (something) to the possession or power of another”. I would add that for those of us who call ourselves Christ followers, surrender is the yielding of something to the divine.
The “starting block” of our race for contentedness begins with laying something down It is an act of the will. Surrender, it would seem, is the essential first step toward abiding contentedness.
For me, laying down expectations is a daily act of will In doing this over decades, I’ve learned that God rarely changes my circumstance; instead, in babysize increments, He changes me
In the “laying down” of my expectations something wondrous happens. God changes the desires of my heart. Surrender makes space for a soul-deep awareness of the Father’s love. And, in God’s mysterious economy that never wastes our pain, I find that my reality, still vastly different than my expectation, is exactly what I need
Is that why the Apostle Paul urges us to give thanks in times of trial? Perhaps. I don’t know for sure. However, as I mine for beauty in this complicated world, the words of the prophet Isaiah come to mind, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert ” Isaiah 43:19
In closing, I am thankful to be “living in the gap” together and sharing the wonder that God is indeed, doing a new thing! Can you see it?
In Anticipation, Krista
L I V I N G I N T H E G A P , C O N T I N U E D BEHOLD,IAMDOINGANEWTHING;NOWITSPRINGSFORTH, DOYOUNOTPERCEIVEIT?IWILLMAKEAWAYINTHE WILDERNESSANDRIVERSINTHEDESERT. ISAIAH43:19
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ASK ME
Words matter, and the question of person-first or identity-first language is an ever-changing and sometimes thorny discussion in the autism community
Person-first language: Refers to the person first and the identity second. For example: “The writer, who has autism,” as opposed to “the autistic writer.”
Identity-first language: Refers to the person’s identity first and the person second. For example, “autistic people'' versus “people with autism ”
Some people prefer person-first language, while others prefer identity-first language. People who prefer person-first language do so as it “puts the person before the diagnosis and describes what a person has, not who a person is.” Meanwhile, people who prefer identity-first language consider their autistic identity to be an inseparable part of who they are.
Ultimately, if it is necessary to describe a person’s identity, it is best left to the individual to determine which language use they prefer. We respect the dignity of people with disability when we use language that reflects the desire of each individual.
Respecting a person’s preference is an easy thing to do in everyday life with people we know And, as we strive to respect the variance of thought represented in a wide audience, you will read both identity-first and person-first language in this newsletter.
Language is nuanced and deeply personal We honor the agency of people with disability when we respect each individuals’ preference
Toward this aim, whenever possible, ask
P E R S O N - F I R S T O R I D E N T I T Y - F I R S T L A N G U A G E ? W W W B E N J A M I N S H O P E N E T 4
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HOPE WAY
COMMITTED TO LOVING GOD AND OTHERS, WE FIERCELY RESPECT THE DIGNITY, INTELLIGENCE AND VALUE OF ALL HUMANS. WE ARE CREATIVE, COURAGEOUS AND COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE. THROUGH THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WE LIVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE TOGETHER.
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PREACH IT, BROTHER
BY PASTOR ERIC PETERSON
It was the summer of 2017 and Nathan, the youngest son of Amy and Mark Buhl, was newly graduated from his Chicago high school. The Buhl’s were praying about what adult life would hold for Nathan. Amy reflects, “We needed a community.” Having followed the growth of Ben’s Hope, they were drawn to the mission of the Church of Ben’s Hope to “connect people of all abilities with Jesus and one another ”
That same summer, Ben’s Hope launched a new program called Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). RPM is a method of teaching non-speaking people the motor skills to spell with a letter board and eventually a keyboard Over prior years we met non-speaking people who were previously considered “unintelligent” and later learned to express themselves independently through typing Their stories compelled us to bring RPM to West Michigan
The Sunday we announced the kick-off of this new program, Amy Buhl could not believe her ears Years earlier they had traveled with Nathan to California to see Soma Mukhopadhyay, the pioneer of RPM They were captivated by Nathan’s response to Soma and RPM However, they did not have a way to continue Nathan’s RPM instruction in Chicago.
In a bold step of faith, the Buhl family packed up their Chicago life and moved to Holland Nathan was one of our very first RPM students!
Today Nathan spells independently. RPM has opened up opportunities for Nathan, a man of deep faith, to pursue his studies at The Center for Disability and Ministry at Western Theological Seminary
Recently, the Church of Benjamin's Hope had the privilege of witnessing what I truly believe was a miracle. Nathan preached his first sermon! This was the culmination of literally years of hard work - starting with writing single words, then complete sentences, then paragraphs and now an entire sermon manuscript utilizing first a letterboard and now a keyboard
Nathan spent hours crafting his message by typing it out. Because of his neurodiversity and the way God has created him, this process is time consuming. Having been friends for years, I’ve had a front row seat to Nathan’s growth. It is fascinating to me that Nathan can independently compose a thought in writing and then read it, out loud; yet spontaneous speech is beyond reach A mystery of the way his mind and body work!
As Nathan preached, I was moved by his spiritual insight and the gift of hearing his voice. I wondered. is this the first time in history the gospel has been preached using RPM?
PASTOR ERIC TEXTED NATHAN LATER THAT NIGHT, “HOW DO YOU FEEL, NATHAN?” “LIKE A REAL, REAL PREACHER.”
Nathan’s journey beautifully displays that nonspeaking is not the same as non-intelligent Let's presume intelligence, always.
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MAYBE
Spring is here
Moving the green into view
Maybe the green will never leave
Maybe the sun will never stop warming our hearts
Maybe more time can be spent playing outside in nature
Maybe winter can take a break for a longer time this year
Maybe
C O M P O S E D B Y C O R E Y J U D D U S I N G R A P I D P R O M P T I N G M E T H O D ( R P M ) 6
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WHAT’SNEWATBEN’SHOPE?
BREAKING GROUND ON 2 NEW HOMES SUMMER 2024
Each week we receive 5-10 inquires from families urgently in need of housing and services We believe God is calling and equipping us to respond
This summer we will break ground on 2 new homes which will make it possible to welcome 12 new residents and 30-40 new staff! Funds have been raised for construction We are still raising funds for furnishings and new vehicles
THANK YOU to the many people who have given generously to make this possible! We welcome your continued prayer and support as we prepare for growth
HOW WILL NEW PEOPLE BE IDENTIFIED?
People are often surprised to learn that Ben’s Hope does not have the authority to determine if a person is eligible to reside here if they are planning to utilize Medicaid funding Eligibility determination resides with each person’s local Community Mental Health (CMH)
If you are interested in exploring living at Ben’s Hope we encourage you to start with your CMH supports coordinator.
OUR ENDOWMENT FUND IS GROWING
The wages of our 100+ direct-care staff are funded through Medicaid; however, Medicaid rates are not keeping pace with inflation. Endowment funding is vital as we plan for a sustainable future, and to remain debt-free Why? Endowment funding ensures that Ben’s Hope can continue to provide services as we weather diminishing public dollars in years to come
In the fall of 2022, we received a most amazing opportunity from the A.A. Van Elslander Foundation, a long-time partner. Understanding the vulnerability of public funding, they challenged us to raise $1M to receive a $1M matching grant With your help and God’s provision, we did it!
Today our Endowment Fund is over $5M. We send a resounding THANK YOU to the many people who helped meet this match. As you consider how to best steward what God has entrusted to you, we welcome your continued participation in helping Ben’s Hope thrive long into the future
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MAKING THE WORLD BIGGER
FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES
Two oft posed questions around Ben’s Hope are: “How do we make the world bigger for people?” and, “What can we do to ensure that people are experiencing life to the fullest?”
Recently Ben’s Hope was blessed to acquire a lovely 12-acre wood adjacent to our east Through the lens of these questions we’ve pondered how to best use this land to expand ministry and broad community impact
A beautiful idea emerged of winding accessible trails and an accessible treehouse The idea was inspired by Dan, the handsome fellow on the front cover. Dan has a cool and fast motorized wheel chair that he uses to buzz around campus and the community. Dan is an adventure lover and would love to roll through trails and hang out with friends in a tree-house!
A big part of our ministry is connecting people from all over our community in a way that combats the isolation that too often accompanies living with disability Ben’s Hope has become a favorite destination for West Michigan families.
There are over 3,000 people in Ottawa County who use wheelchairs to move around the world Imagine families and friends coming out to Ben’s Hope for a visit with the alpacas, a stroll in the woods, and a picnic in a treehouse! Perhaps one day you will stroll our wooded path From away, up in the trees, you hear someone call your name. Peering up you see Dan. He’s calling to you, “Come on up! I can see everything!”
This is making the world bigger!
TREE HOUSE & ACCESSIBLE TRAILS
$100,000
GOAL
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LIFE IS A DARING ADVENTURE
OR NOTHING AT ALL
HELLEN KELLER
The best word to describe Josh is exuberant! He has a wide and inviting smile, and makes friends with ease And Josh finds a way to incorporate dancing into everything!
In our NEXT program, Josh is learning culinary skills and soapmaking He is reading novels about far away cultures and volunteering in the community While Josh loves most things at Ben’s Hope, he has made it clear that he is NOT a fan of animals ANY animals. As such, Josh’s programming day has not included time in the barn or with Lola, our facility dog. That’s fine, there are plenty of opportunities for choice in the day!
Recently Josh expressed that he wants to spend more time with friends. That’s great! However, one of the things his friends enjo – you guessed it - spending time with the animals out at the ba
New friendships have motivated Josh to overcome his aversion animals, so a plan was developed to help Josh achieve this goa has worked hard to become increasingly comfortable around th alpacas, goats and rabbits
Look at him now! What a joy to see Josh fearlessly feeding the alpacas... with a friend! That’s dignity.
Supporting a NEXT scholarship is an awesome way to make a difference! Go to www.benjaminshope.net/NEXT to learn more
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Summer Hello
OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES
JUNE 6, DYING WILL BE EASY
JUNE 27, DUNEGRASS
JULY 18, FRIENDS OF FRIENDS
AUGUST 8, THE KHAKIS
AUGUST 29, SUNDAY SCARIES
Pack a picnic basket, grab your lawn chair and come on out from 6 - 7:30pm on Thursday nights! Follow our Facebook page for more details
THE CHURCH OF BEN'S HOPE
EVERY SUNDAY AT 6PM
Everyone is welcome!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 28, 3 - 6PM
Family friendly fun!
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Benjamin's Hope
15468 Riley Street
Holland, MI 49424 Part and full-time 1st, 2nd and 3rd shifts available Health benefits 401K with employer match Weekend premium wage Paid-training, no experience required
Benjamin’sHopeisa“live,learn,play,worship”farmsteadcommunity wherepeopleofallabilitiesaretransformedbytheloveofChrist.
MISSION
At Ben's Hope we are committed to loving God and others. We fiercely respect the dignity, intelligence and value of all humans. We are creative, courageous and committed to excellence. Through the love of Christ, we live the abundant life together
Yearning for a job with Kingdom impact? Learn more about being a SideKick at Ben’s Hope at www.benjaminshope.net.
to benjaminshope net to apply!
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