Families Experience the Love of Jesus through Joni’s House

Around the world, people with disabilities need to experience the love of Jesus in hands-on, transformative ways.

And through our international Joni’s House programs, individuals and families find new pathways to hope and belonging in Christ. Just ask Maria, who teaches weekly sign language classes at Joni’s House El Salvador to parents of children with disabilities, volunteers, and other staff members. 

“At Joni’s House I feel like I belong,” says Maria. 

Maria knows how it feels to live with disability. Deaf herself, she enjoys sharing the skills of sign language, which can provide an excellent mode of communication—not just for deaf people, but also for hearing people with a variety of disabilities. 

“Non-verbal children can learn to communicate their needs through sign language,” says Maria.  

When parents learn how to talk to their non-verbal children through sign language, they gain the ability to understand and connect with them on a deeper level. This both relieves frustration and behavioral issues, and builds greater trust and joy within families. Breaking down communication barriers also empowers children to relate to others in a variety of settings, fostering community and belonging. 

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22  

In addition to classes and community, Joni’s House El Salvador offers therapy, spiritual counseling, and support services to support families living with disability—families like Oscar’s… 

One of Oscar’s favorite aspects of the care he receives: time with our therapy dogs! 

Like many children who come to Joni’s House El Salvador, Oscar loves the trained therapy dogs who provide emotional support, friendship, learning, confidence-building, and fun! And our canine teammates help lower anxiety, opening the door for children to participate in therapies that might otherwise be too challenging or stressful for them. 

Plus, therapy dogs foster language development and provide companionship and friendship—qualities that are all too often missing in the lives of children with disabilities. 

Creating Culture Change 

Around the world, Joni and Friends is known for promoting human rights and the equality of all people, regardless of ability level. In El Salvador specifically, our team has been recognized for eliminating physical, social, and emotional barriers in the lives of families living with disability.

Recently Joni’s House El Salvador received a prestigious award from El Salvador’s National Council for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities. Sisters and ministry partners Monica and Claudia Aguirre, who serve the Lord and families living with disabilities at Joni’s House El Salvador, share what the work means to them.  

“We take great pride in representing Joni and Friends in our country as we extend God’s kingdom. This recognition reveals, once again, the purpose God has for our lives as it gives meaning to hardship. It reinforces our commitment to people living with disabilities and their families,” says Monica, Director of Joni’s House El Salvador. 

Claudia, our International Regional Manager for Central America, lives with quadriplegia and understands personally the need for raising awareness about inclusion for disabled people in society. As she says: 

“We will continue serving people with disabilities—dignifying their lives. We thank God for giving us the privilege to serve him this way as instruments in his hands.”