Embrace Ministry Delivers 50 Wheelchairs to Partner Ministry in Egypt

By Anne DeVries

Austin Ridge Bible Church’s Embrace ministry recently traveled to Cairo and Minya, Egypt, to deliver 50 wheelchairs to their partner ministry, NOVA. This lifechanging delivery was made possible through donations from the Austin Community. Many recipients had never had access to a wheelchair before, limiting their mobility and quality of life.

Embrace is a ministry that supports families of children, teens, and adults with special needs. They offer parent events, support, and activities for individuals with intellectual or developmental delays. The ministry also provides one-on-one pal support and hosts classes during Sunday services at all Austin Ridge Bible Church locations. Austin Ridge volunteers contribute weekly to supporting the Sunday ministry by engaging with youth and adults in the pal support program.

The trip to Egypt marked Embrace’s first mission abroad. In addition to delivering wheelchairs, volunteers from Austin Ridge trained support staff leaders for NOVA on disability awareness. Led by Austin Ridge Volunteer-Lead Gail Henderson, the training included demonstrations of communicating with individuals who have unique sensory or cognition needs. With the help of an interpreter, over 80 NOVA volunteer leaders were trained by the Embrace ministry during their visit.

Henderson, who has spent over 40 years working with children with special needs as a professional, stated that participating in the Embrace ministry allowed her to “regain her sense of purpose” following her retirement. She has been a volunteer with Embrace for over 11 years.

One of the unique aspects of NOVA’s ministry in Egypt, which Embrace supports, is their in-home visitations and training of special needs individuals to share their Christianity with others. Embrace volunteers from Austin observed the inspiration the NOVA program gives to special needs individuals by training them to lead bible study and introduce others to Christianity. The experience of visiting Egypt prompted Amy Sutherland, the director of the Embrace ministry, to implement a similar program at Austin Ridge for their special needs community. Leaders within the community are already training to embark on this program, which will take place in the homes of Austin Ridge special needs participants.

The relationship between NOVA and the Embrace ministry is a beautiful partnership that provides growth and benefit to both programs. A second trip to Egypt is planned for July this year, focusing on building a fully accessible playground. Donations for the “Embrace Egypt Trip-July 2023 Fund” can be made at www.austinridge. org/give.