Wheelchairs in Heaven?

By 7017444915 June 26, 2026
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others…” 1 Peter 4:10 At Hope Haven, we believe every person has God-given gifts to share. That belief is at the heart of the Hope Haven Ambassadors, a group of individuals served through Hope Haven’s My Day program who are learning to use their voices, share their stories, and advocate for themselves and others. The Ambassadors were formed in January 2025 after a community experience sparked a bigger conversation about inclusion, dignity, and the way individuals with disabilities are perceived. Since then, the group has been working to help change that narrative. The Ambassadors have presented to community groups, attended advocacy trainings, traveled to the Capitol, and spoken about issues that matter. Along the way, they are building confidence, developing leadership skills, and helping others understand that every person deserves to be included and respected. For Maggie, being an Ambassador is about helping her community see people with disabilities as equals. “I want individuals with disabilities to be treated as equal to everybody else,” she shared. “I want my community to know it’s okay to be different.” For Lori, the message is simple but powerful. “We are regular people who have different challenges,” she said. “I want to help my community understand that people with disabilities are not less of a person because of their disabilities.” For Octavio, advocacy means using his voice not only for himself, but also for others who may struggle to speak up for what they need. Through his experience with the Ambassadors, he has learned something important: “Our voice matters.” Programs like My Day are about so much more than daily activities. They are about friendship, confidence, purpose, community, and belonging. They create opportunities for people to discover their strengths, build relationships, serve others, and take part in the world around them. Your support helps us continue creating opportunities like the Hope Haven Ambassadors, where individuals can build confidence, share their stories, and discover the power of their voice. Your gift allows us to keep growing alongside those we serve, making an impact that lasts. If you wish to contribute, plea se CLICK HERE to donate today. Thank you for your continued support, prayers, and partnership in Hope Haven’s mission .
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Heaven. Have you ever wondered what it would be like–aside from streets of gold and “no more crying and no more tears? In this blog Hope Haven’s Religious Services Department  invites you to consider what Heaven – and Earth – is like for people of all abilities. 

David Morstad in his book “Whole Community” challenges one’s thinking about people with disabilities and heaven. Morstad mused “Is heaven a place where people who do not speak will be able to do so? Or is it a place where my own ability to understand will be perfected? Is heaven a place where people will no longer use wheelchairs? Or is it a place where barriers no longer exist? Who among us will be healed?”

A bit later he quotes writer Ben Mattlin “My lifelong experience with disability has made me a creative problem-solver and ironically perhaps a diehard optimist if only because I’ve had to be. It’s taught me a great deal about patience tolerance and flexibility. My disability is part of who I am. Are there no wheelchairs in heaven? I’m not buying it. For me it’s not a place where I’ll be able to walk it’s a place where it doesn’t matter if you can’t.”

 

Typically abled people tend to view the world through the lens of someone who is “able.” On this side of heaven it is impossible to know for sure what it would be like for anyone. But perhaps a more relevant point is the attitude that non-disabled people of faith bring into relationships now. And rather than a prayer for healing and restoration for others a better direction for prayers might be for wisdom to learn from those who have so much to teach and what can be done right now to make life for others here on earth a little more like heaven?

Morstad concludes “Most people with disabilities do not seek healing for the affliction we perceive them to have as much as they seek a wholeness in the world to which they could more freely belong.”

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