Thanks to all who sent in donations to help offset the cost for Breaking Barriers. We received a considerable number of letters and email messages about the new format (winter 2006). Here is a sprinkling:
Praise
“I admire your stewardly and considerate decision to cut the size of the newsletter ‘due to expense and to enhance readability.’ It worked for ME! Thanks for sharing your family's experience on page four of the newsletter. Also, I believe Disability Concerns has a positively encouraging summary phrase in Everybody Belongs. Everybody Serves.”
“The Breaking Barriers four-page format is great—enjoyed it. I’ve been teaching Friendship for maybe 15+ years (a gal that had a high fever when very young). I used to teach school before marriage and enjoy any part of teaching. We have a great group in Edgerton, even my daughter who taught in China for 12 years with her husband has joined our group of one-to-one teachers. Keep up the good work.”
“In Breaking Barriers I like to read of other families handling the disabled person in their home life. It is good to read how God helps others managing their hidden blessings.”
“Thanks for your newsletter. Yes the new format is good! I liked especially the Resources section, the Help with Inclusion, as I am president of a ministry for people with developmental disabilities and always am looking for information.”
Room for Improvement
Some wrote that the new font and layout make Breaking Barriers more difficult to read.
Others commented on the contents: “One of the appeals, if not the major appeal, of the previous format was the personal tone of the articles, which were for a large part personal stories and letters. I am afraid that the new form will lose much of that particular kind of content, especially since it was cut down from eight pages to four.”
A few asked that we stop sending them paper copies, and prefer to read an electronic version. One expressed appreciation for the work of Disability Concerns but asked that we stop producing Breaking Barriers entirely and limit our communication to Banner articles.
Expressions of concern help us to keep improving. We are working on the following ideas: producing a large-print edition that will be printed on off-white paper, putting letters and stories on the Disability Concerns Web page that do not fit in the print version, and sending out an electronic edition of Breaking Barriers.
Please continue to let us know your thoughts about Breaking Barriers or about any aspect of ministry with people with disabilities. We will continue to include personal stories and letters, and invite you to send yours. Stories and letters may be edited for length and appropriateness of content.
