International Roofbreaker events
During one of our mission trips to Mozambique, we learnt about a family with a severely disabled child. Shockingly, they had been told by others in their local community to sacrifice the child to appease God. Another family was criticised by neighbours for not killing their disabled child to bring ‘the suffering to an end’. Thankfully, the church had stepped in with love and compassion, sharing the Gospel, and counselling these families to care for, and value, their children. But such tragic misunderstandings continue to happen throughout the world.
To change these negative attitudes to disability, our International Roofbreakers project facilitates events (training seminars and conferences) to equip churches in developing countries with a Christian perspective on disability, helping them to be fully inclusive, so everyone is valued. The International Roofbreaker events often follow a year or so after a Wheels for the World mission in a community - so we can provide pastoral and spiritual support for the disabled people who received wheelchairs and mobility aids from Through the Roof.
What happens at International Roofbreaker events?
At these events, our UK mission teams join with local teams to help church communities and local leaders understand the physical, cultural, and spiritual barriers that disabled people encounter, and show them how God sees them, encouraging them to engage with the disabled people in their communities and beyond. We rely on donations and volunteers to run please consider donating to support this work by following this link.
We want to stand side-by-side with local churches and groups to journey together and resource each one to enable disabled people to be involved in church life and grow closer to Jesus.
The church is God’s vehicle for changing lives, and it needs to be equipped, empowered and resourced to include disabled people fully in all aspects throughout the world. The Bible says that each one of us has a part to play within the Body of the church. The need is seen more than ever in developing countries, where disabled people are often seen as cursed and kept out of churches and community events due to misunderstandings about God creating and valuing disabled people.
Can I get involved with International Roofbreaker events?
Roofbreakers are disability champions, inspired by the example in Luke 5 of the friends who empowered their paralysed friend to meet Jesus. International Roofbreakers are volunteers who share a message of church disability inclusion in countries outside of the UK, so disabled people are valued. Roofbreakers encourage churches to recognise that where disabled people are fully involved, not just as members of the congregation, but actively using their gifts and skills in church life, everyone is blessed as a result.
We do this work in developing countries by providing training and support for local partners that fits their cultural context - in churches, church groups, schools or other settings. We aim to help educate, empower and equip volunteer Roofbreakers to serve their communities and give them a new outlook on disabled people’s potential.
These are events where the good news of the gospel is proclaimed, God’s love is displayed, and cultural stigmas, spiritual strongholds and other barriers confronted, while disabled people themselves tell how God is working in their lives. At these events we also endeavour to visit those who received mobility aids the previous year, to see how they are getting on, but also to see what other needs they might have.
If this vision excites you, then you can be a part of it! Maybe you are someone who can teach the bible or loves to listen to the stories of those who are disabled, whose lives God has transformed. Or you might have experience of photography or drama? You may also be disabled and would like to testify of God’s goodness in your own life to lift those who don’t yet know Christ and are burdened by their disability.
We are looking for anyone who is mission-minded to be part of this work. Follow this link for a list of planned International Roofbreaker trips. Or email Shaun@throughtheroof.org for more information.