[Vision2020] Letter to the Editor: Church is noninclusive

[Saundra Lund]

Dear Visionaries:

It's not often I'm moved to heartbroken tears by a letter to the editor, but
it happened today.  For those who don't subscribe to the Moscow-Pullman
Daily News, I'm pasting the letter below my signature.  I've been around
long enough to know that there are always at least two sides to every story,
and this letter tells only one side.

I hope everyone takes the 45 seconds or so it will take to read the letter,
but I'm hoping for more than that:  my fervent prayer is that each of you
who reads this will find out what your place of worship would do in this
situation.  Let your feelings be known, and demand that inclusive policies
be more than policies -- insist that inclusiveness be practiced.

And, if any of you happen to know the family in question, please pass along
my heartfelt prayers for them and for Ginger . . . and for their church.

Please don't forget to scroll down to read the letter!


Wiping Away Tears of Sorrow,
Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
- Edmund Burke

Published: 08-04-2006 
Church is noninclusive 

I am writing so I can stand up for a disabled person who has no voice to
challenge the policy of a big church.  Ginger has Down syndrome.  Since the
death of her mother six years ago, her sister in Florida has been taking
care of her.  Now it's my wife's turn to take care of her.  She just came
here to live with us.  My wife is doing her best to do what's good for
Ginger.  We take her out to numerous places so that she is "mainstreamed." 

We have lived in different parts of the United States, and this is the first
time we have had any issues with organizations who provide services.  We
attended this particular church that we thought had great youth programs.
So, when Ginger came to live with us, we placed her in a first-grade Sunday
school class.  The teacher was more than welcoming and accepting to her, as
well as the other students in her classroom. 

Although she is 48 years old physiologically, her mental age is about that
of a first grader.  She is well mannered, loves to color, write letters to
her sisters, reads at first-grade level, etc. 

This church was having a vacation Bible school from July 17-21.  We had
hoped to place her in the first-grade class, however, we were told the
director of children's ministries had made a decision along with the head
pastor to exclude Ginger from the program. 

I don't understand.  An institution like a church promoting "inclusiveness"
didn't let Ginger participate.  My wife was going to be one of the helpers
at the vacation Bible school, so that she could keep an eye on Ginger if
something happened. 

I didn't know where to turn so I am writing this letter. 


Yoshi Smith, Pullman