Cameron Doolittle is President and CEO of Jill's House. As stated on their website, "Jill's House provides respite for children with intellectual disabilities and their families in the Greater Washington, DC area. We serve boys and girls, ages six through seventeen, with intellectual disabilities without regard to race, religion, or ethnicity. Our mission is to be a safe haven to which parents can entrust their children, allowing the parents a time of rest."
Today we talk with Cameron about misconceptions of special needs, importance of rest for parents, and creating a "Jill's House" environment in the church.
1) There are so many misconceptions about children with special needs. But what, in your view, is the biggest?
When we think of people with special needs, our minds dance with pictures of happy children with Down syndrome. That's a misleading picture in a couple of ways. First, most families that learn they're having a child with Down syndrome no longer bring that child to term. As followers of Jesus, we've asked people to choose life. For those that did, we have a responsibility to walk with them. Second, most of the special needs community is far lower-functioning. The majority of the children we serve are on the severe end of the autism spectrum and 90 percent of their families have no connection to a church. That's a whole mission field we're missing.
2) Jill's House fills a unique need for families of special needs children. How did this ministry begin?
In 1992, Jill Solomon was born with a seizure disorder that left her with irreversible brain damage and needing constant care. As they worked to provide for her, her parents Lon Solomon (the senior pastor of McLean Bible Church) and his wife Brenda, began to feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. One of their friends organized a group of caregivers for Jill so they could get some rest. Lon and Brenda experienced the gift of respite and they wanted to offer it to families like theirs. In 2010, Jill's House opened its doors for its first weekend.
3) Research seems to indicate a high divorce rate among parents with special needs children. Is respite and time away one of the keys to avoiding this?
God is using Jill's House to heal families. The divorce rate for couples with children with special needs is eighty percent higher than couples with typical children. When they need a break, they can't just have grandma babysit or call the teenager down the street. Since we opened in 2010, we've empirically proven the power of regular overnight breaks. God hasn't gifted me to heal autism or genetic abnormalities, but he has given us this tool to alleviate the extra stress.
4) How can pastors and church leaders best assist families with special needs? Can they create a "Jill's House" type ministry in their communities?
Anything the church does for families affected by special needs is awesome. It's a fragrant offering to Jesus and a great witness to a watching world. We're excited to bring Jill's House centers to more communities. But, without having to build a multi-million-dollar building, you can start by bringing our camp-based programs to your community. To learn more about our weekend mission trip visit oxygen3.org. Your church will glimpse God's heart for special needs while you grow together as a team and bless families in your community. It's a win-win-win.
5) If you could give one piece of advice to a pastor or church leader about creating an environment for special needs families, what would that be?
Many families with children with special needs feel isolated and alone. To serve these families, I encourage leaders to create church environments that are interested in these families. I guarantee you will be blessed by knowing them. Visit their homes, listen to their stories, and find practical ways to serve them. Help them step out of their isolation and into a community where they can meet Jesus. To go beyond that, contact us at info@jillshouse.org. We love to serve churches as churches serve their communities.
Daniel Darling is vice-president of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Activist Faith.
