PROJECT 9:24
Project 9:24 is a Christian service designed to equip church staff with the skills necessary to manage and more importantly, teach children with autism and related disabilities. The name, Project 9:24, is derived from Mark 9:14-32. Verse 9:24 reads:
"Immediately the boy´s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!‘" –NIV
Throughout the Christian walk, our "Faith" is tested, stretched, fulfilled, and sometimes questioned. However, it is encouraging to read that Christ still operates in spite of our unbelief, and perhaps more importantly he recognizes that Faith is a struggle. In today´s fast-paced church marketplace, it can be quite intimidating for individuals to find that certain comfort level. This idea rings even truer with families dealing with a special needs child. Past parent discussions have uncovered a disheartening truth: parents tend to avoid church environments due to the nature of their child´s needs.
In order to alleviate some of the stress that parents may feel in attending their home church, the project provides on site supervision from a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, as well as other trained staff members. The project´s mission is to establish trained church staff inside of parents´ own church environments, in the hope that parents can actively participate in worship and related church activities.
Project 9:24 is an attempt to meet the needs of our parents and others in need. Recent published statistics suggest that parents explain the presence of a special needs child in the home heightens the family´s stress, and often inhibits families from engaging in community activities, including church activities in which they would otherwise participate. Project 9:24 is addressing this issue one church at a time!
– Ben Weeks