— THE WORKSHOP SERIES —
Four workshops.
Four audiences.
One mission.
Empowering caregivers, communities, families, and children to rise above limitation with hope, resilience, and purpose.
John Foppe leads transformative workshops tailored to four distinct audiences. Each session moves participants from charity-based thinking toward relationships of mutual dignity — and equips them to foster presence, compassion, and shared responsibility.
View All Four Programs ↓
— PROGRAM 1 · FOR COMMUNITIES —
The Gift of Presence: How Communities Help Children with Disabilities Flourish
From low expectations to belief, belonging, and shared responsibility.
FOR
Faith Communities • Civic Orgs • Educators
LENGTH
60–75 min
FORMAT
Keynote + Q&A
Children with disabilities are too often limited not by their diagnoses, but by the low expectations and isolation imposed on them by society. John shares his journey of navigating life without arms — offering a deeply personal invitation to rethink what it means to be part of a truly inclusive community. With warmth, humor, and conviction, he invites participants to explore how small acts of inclusion, belief, and presence can profoundly change a child's trajectory.
WHAT ATTENDEES TAKE WITH THEM:
Shatter unconscious stigma surrounding disability
Discover the power of friendship and belonging
Embrace their role as a "village"
See how community shapes a child's self-worth
Move from charity to mutual dignity
Foster a culture of presence and shared responsibility
— PROGRAM 2 · FOR CARE STAFF —
Restoring Dignity: Reframing Care from Service to Solidarity
Lifting caregiving from maintenance to mission.
FOR
Caregivers · Therapists · Direct Support
LENGTH
60–90 min
FORMAT
Keynote + Small Group
John invites staff to move beyond clinical care into a ministry of presence, purpose, and partnership. Drawing on his own life and on institutionalized children he has encountered around the world, he challenges participants to see caregiving not as a job, but as a vocation rooted in restoring dignity. Through storytelling, reflection, and real-world strategies, staff leave with renewed vision and a spiritual framework that lifts their work from maintenance to mission.
WHAT ATTENDEES TAKE WITH THEM:
Avoid the helper–helpless dynamic
Use emotional presence to unlock growth
Balance structure with adaptability
Foster capability and choice in those served
Tools to prevent burnout and rediscover meaning
Hold care and challenge in healthy tension
— PROGRAM 3 · FOR FAMILIES —
Called to More: Raising Children with Disabilities Without Lowering the Bar of Hope
Holding unconditional love and high expectation in the same hand.
FOR
Parents · Siblings · Extended Family
LENGTH
60–90 min
FORMAT
Keynote + Small Group
Being the parent of a disabled child can feel like living with two competing truths: your child needs extra help, yet you don't want to rob them of challenge, growth, or purpose. John speaks to the hearts of caregivers with honesty, humor, and faith — offering counsel from someone who knows firsthand what it means to defy limits. Participants gain renewed clarity and courage to raise their child with both unconditional love and high expectation.
WHAT ATTENDEES TAKE WITH THEM:
Resist overprotection and learned helplessness
Reframe suffering as character formation
Practice self-care as part of caregiving
Push boundaries without guilt or burnout
Foster identity beyond the diagnosis
Trust that meaning can come from any life
— PROGRAM 4 · FOR YOUTH —
What's Your Excuse? Living with Courage and Purpose — No Matter What Holds You Back
Direct talk for young people from someone who has lived it.
FOR
Ages 10–18
LENGTH
45–60 min
FORMAT
Interactive + Q&A
John doesn't just talk about overcoming — he lives it. Born without arms, he travels the world, drives a car, eats with his feet, and operates a mission to help forgotten children find hope. In this interactive session, John speaks directly to young people about the courage it takes to show up, take risks, and believe that God has a plan for them. Engaging stories, demonstrations, and open dialogue leave kids with lifted spirits and a challenge to live each day excuse-free.
WHAT ATTENDEES TAKE WITH THEM:
Face fears and try the seemingly impossible
Respond to self-pity, teasing, and doubt
Dream big with grit and faith
Know your disability doesn't define your destiny
Set goals and find your strengths
Remember: you are loved, and you matter
— VOICES FROM THE FIELD —
What our partners experienced.
Two missionaries who have walked beside our work share what the seminars and workshops have meant to the children, caregivers, and communities they serve.
Sister Julie Matthews
Guyana Mission Partner
— BRING US TO YOUR COMMUNITY —
Four workshops. Your community.
Whether your audience is a parish, a hospital, a school, a family ministry, or a youth group, there is a workshop here that meets them. Available globally — in person and virtually.