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Inclusion as Mission
 

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Inclusion as Mission
Inclusion in Cambodian Families, Churches, and finally….Schools

Written by Vince Stange
Page Image
Picture of four cambodian school children
Image Caption
Teachers at MCC partner schools are learning strategies to teach all students, including children with disabilities​.


Opening paragraph

​​Prior to moving Cambodia to serve with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as a facilitator for MCC’s rural school development program, I worked as a special education teacher. I was interested in encompassing inclusive education programming into MCC’s work. ​​​
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Initially, I was encouraged. In my rural town of Prey Veng, children with disabilities were embraced​ in the community and participated in the local church I attended. ​
I was shocked, however, to discover that  the majority of children with disabilities were simply staying home while their peers were attending school.  

This revelation came when my colleague Maly and I were meeting with families in a particularly impoverished region. I noticed a mother in the back of the room holding a young boy with Cerebral Palsy. 

Lina, the boy’s mother, explained that she had little support for her three-year-old son, Nath. She wondered if I could help find a program that could support his needs. I promised to do what I could and returned to the village a few days later to collect basic information so that a local Cambodian organization could send field staff out to assess Nath’s needs.

I left completely ….overwhelmed.

Upon arriving, I found a line of four children with significant physical disabilities waiting to meet with me. 

I realized that Cambodian children with disabilities face a crisis of accessibility. In a country with little-to-no systematic safety nets for its citizens, the vulnerable slip through the cracks. It quickly became important to me to ensure that MCC play a part in promoting educational inclusion for children with disabilities in Cambodia. 

Networking and researching led me to the National Working Group on Education and Disabilities. Now a part of the working group I’ve been able to collaborate monthly with some of the most brilliant minds in inclusive education in Cambodia. Being only one of two foreign contributors, I’ve been immensely encouraged by the unrelenting passion of Cambodians to mandate, monitor and regulate inclusive education for children with disabilities.

 I’m grateful to MCC and the wider church for embracing and supporting initiatives for inclusive education. I'm inspired and thankful that the teachers of our rural partner schools are breaking out of their traditional teaching methods in order to make learning accessible to not just some, but all students in their communities. 
 

  

 


Vince Stange is originally from Indiana, USA. A trained special education teacher, Vince  has served as Education Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee in Cambodia since 2015. 



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 In this issue

  • Let the Children Come to Me!
    ​​Jesus admonished those who hindered children from coming to him saying, “the Kingdom of Heaven be-longs to such as these!” This edition of Connections features stories of youth with disabilities being embranced by faith communities.
  • Teen Suicide: 4 Ways Youth Pastors can be a Lifeline
    Speaking from their experiences, Tiara Coleman and Ross Erb share their reflections on how church leaders can intervene and support youth struggling with mental illness and suicide.
  • Welcome Rachel!
    Portland Mennonite Church in Portland, OR, supports Rachel Joy to work three hours a month for ADN with editing. ADN is thrilled with this partnership. Welcome, Rachel!
  • Stories of Inclusivity
    This year ADN’s annual Circles of Love Banquet featured four speakers who shared inspiring stories of inclusion. Thanks to all who helped make the evening meaningful.
  • Becoming more Accessible Fall 2017
    Congregations desire to better incorporate youth with Autism into their youth groups. ADN Executive Director Kathy Nofziger Yeakey reflects on the collaboration and sharing that happened on this topic at MCUSA Convention in Orlando last summer.
 

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