In 1977, a staff task force on Persons with Disabilities was established. A number of consultations were organized, including one in Bad Saarow, Germany in 1978 on "The Life and Witness of the Disabled in the Christian Community". In 1981 the-then WCC Sub-unit on Family Education organized a consultation in São Paulo, Brazil, on "Humanity and Wholeness of Persons with Disabilities".
From 1978 onwards, the WCC Christian Medical Commission held a series of regional conferences on the theme: "Health, Healing and Wholeness".
A full-time consultant, Frances Martin, was appointed in 1980 for eighteen months to help the WCC task force conscientize the churches during the International Year of Disabled Persons.
When Lynda Katsuno left the WCC staff in 1991 , no one was appointed to follow up her work. The task force continued to carry some responsibilities in this area until 1994, when Ye Ja Lee was appointed consultant for Differently-Abled.
Due to limited staff, research planned on inclusive community could not be done. The Inclusive Community working group decided that the stream should limit its focus to the differently abled issue.
In the period 1994-1996, contacts were re-established with member churches, national and regional ecumenical bodies, church and secular agencies working with differently abled people.
In 1997, an interim statement on the "Theological and Sociological Understanding of the Issue of Disabilities" was prepared by the working group and brought to the WCC Central Committee for adoption. With a new title of "Interim Statement on the Theological and Empirical Understanding of the Issue of Disabilities" it was sent to member churches, regional ecumenical organizations and national councils of churches.
In his accompanying letter the WCC general secretary said: "[The document] presents what may be a new perspective for many churches: that congregations need the presence of people with disabilities. 'The parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable.' (1 Corinthians 12:22)."
Efforts to change the consultancy to a permanent position did not materialize due to the WCC's financial problems. The programme on Persons with Disabilities was therefore discontinued in 1996. The stream coordinator and Disabilities task force worked hard to get the participation of Persons with disabilities as advisers at the WCC's 8th Assembly in Harare, and to establish a network. The working group had also endorsed a disabled person's involvement in the Assembly Planning Committee representing the concerns of the Differently Abled.
The working group also recommended that the WCC change the terminology to "people with disabilities". The recommendation was accepted by the WCC Central Committee in 1997.
Consultations on Differently Abled Persons
In November 1994, a global consultation was held in Cartigny (near Geneva) with regional ecumenical bodies; participants came from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, North America, Middle East, Latin America, and the Pacific. Its purpose was:
The many concerns raised were prioritized under the following headings:
As a follow-up to this event, two participants helped organize consultations at regional levels. The first was organised jointly with the Middle East Council of Churches in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1995 on the theme "From Institutionalization to Independent Living". The second, on the theme "Theological and Sociological Approach of the Differently Abled", was co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches in Korea, the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the WCC in Seoul, Korea in 1996.
A third consultation for Central and Eastern Europe on "The Church as Inclusive Community: The Place and Role of Differently Abled Persons in its Life, Education and Mission", was held in Sibiu, Romania in 1996. It was organized jointly by the stream on Lay Participation Towards Inclusive Community in collaboration with desks on Education and on Orthodox Studies and Relationships in Mission.
In 1998, the WCC invited a number of people with disabilities as advisors on disability concerns to its 8th Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was the springboard for the establishment of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, (EDAN).
Conclusion
The WCC has long been involved in disability work. Prior to its 8th Assembly, it concentrated on fulfilling this mandate at minimal expense and with maximum efficacy, and based on its vision of regionalisation.
The formation of EDAN at Harare continued this approach. Furthermore, the global nature of the Network, in line with the WCC's "Common Understanding and Vision", provided a basis for coordinating ecumenical efforts. The idea of offering administrative support through an ecumenical partner with both the interest and necessary working structure was another way to consolidate the move towards regionalisation.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), which had been running a fully-fledged desk for Persons for nine years, was chosen as a home for a coordinating office. The NCCK gladly agreed to
provide staff time for this effort. With WCC as enabler, EDAN is presently administered by a part-time consultant, Samuel Kabue, who also directs NCCK's Advocacy Unit.
As a further demonstration of its commitment to disability work, the WCC invited three people with disabilities to its 1999 Central committee: Rev Arne Fritzson, Rev Kathy Reeves and Mr. Samuel Kabue. Meanwhile, EDAN was officially launched after an historic Nairobi 1999 consultation.
The challenge now is to keep the fire burning until the world is hears the call from Harare to churches and communities to tap the resources of people with disabilities. Without us, people with disabilities, the body is incomplete. If the church really believes in the power of weaknesses, we should not be discriminated against for being as God created us, "He who makes all things".
At the WCC's Sixth Assembly in Vancouver, Canada in 1983, 21 people with disabilities were present. Subsequently, Lynda Katsuno from Canada was appointed as a full-time consultant from 1984-1991.
People with disabilities in their booth - Agora - at the Seventh Assembly, 1983
Ye Ja Lee's presence helped both the group and staff of the Ecumenical Centre to be aware of this issue and to plan awareness-raising programmes through visits, worship services and exhibitions. Ms Lee worked closely with the Disabilities task force.
1. Theology
2. Peace and Justice
3. Awareness Building
4. Prevention
5. Networking
6. Degrees of division within disabilities
7. Attitudes
8. Culture
9. Research and Evaluation
10. Regional Consultations