Dear Friends,
We spent some time at our staff meeting yesterday talking about how our Easter activities went this year. I'm still feeling so proud of our church for the inclusive Easter egg hunt we hosted on April 4. We got a lot of great feedback from parents who said they had tried taking their kids with autism to Easter egg hunts in the past, and the children had felt overwhelmed or even frightened and wanted to go home. These parents were so happy about having a place they could take their child to enjoy the egg hunt experience in a way that worked for them. Here is a quote from one of the most appreciative parents.
"Thank you so much for creating a safe space for my child. We were at the Easter egg hunt this weekend. My son was having a rough time and decided to run out into the field for space. When he came back, the hunt was over and all of the eggs had been collected. Your volunteers were gracious and made a hunt just for him, which he enjoyed and participated in. They didn't have to, but they did. I appreciate you and everyone that made the hunt possible. Thank you!"
I think a great strength of our community is our enthusiasm for welcoming people and making them feel wanted and at home while making space for their unique needs. We are already making plans to host a similar event next year and considering other possible inclusive events. Thank you to everyone who served and helped to make this event possible.
Love in Christ,
Michelle
