Cinthia Hieber’s Advocacy for Radical Inclusion at Global Assembly
In a compelling session at the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Cinthia Hieber, president and CEO of the Paraguayan Stuttering Association, stirred delegates from over 120 countries with her powerful call for radical inclusion of people with disabilities. Her heartfelt appeal was met with a standing ovation, emphasizing the need for churches to become beacons of “intentional visibility” for individuals with diverse needs.
Hieber, sharing her personal journey during the panel discussion titled “Living the Gospel in Culture and Cities,” recounted her struggles with stuttering, a condition that began when she was six years old following her parents’ divorce. “I am a person who stuttered since I was 6 years old,” she stated, highlighting the genetic nature of her condition and the traumatic event that triggered it.
By eight, despair had set in, leading to a suicide attempt prompted by fears of an unfulfilled future. “I had my first suicide attempt because I didn’t see any future in my life,” she recalled, driven by aspirations of marriage and family that seemed unattainable.
Throughout her youth, Hieber’s determination to excel in sports and academics was fueled by a desire to make her mother proud, despite feeling like a failure. Her struggle with faith intensified during her teenage years when she embraced atheism, believing her condition indicated divine abandonment. However, at 18, a transformative encounter with God affirmed her faith, marking a significant turning point.
Post-conversion, Hieber’s speech improved dramatically, increasing her fluency from 5% to approximately 80% within two years. Yet, she grappled with why complete healing eluded her. “For 20 years, I fought with God,” she confessed. “Why didn’t He heal me completely?”
A pivotal experience in Germany introduced her to supportive environments for those with similar challenges, fostering a sense of belonging. Upon returning to Paraguay and discovering a void in such support, she was inspired to create one. The impetus came from a tragic letter written by a young boy who had taken his life due to bullying over his stutter, prompting Hieber to establish Paraguay’s first support group and the Paraguayan Stuttering Association.
Hieber, now also a board member of the International Stuttering Association, advocates for speech and cognitive conditions globally. She urged churches to emulate Christ’s radical inclusivity, stating, “We as Christians should be as radical as Jesus was,” emphasizing the need for faith communities to offer visibility in cities where many feel unseen.
Quoting Job 29:15–16, she questioned whether churches are equipped to support individuals with various disabilities. “Do we know in our churches how to treat a person with autism, or someone who is blind, or who has mental health challenges?” she asked.
Hieber advocated for a ministry where inclusion is deliberate, integrated into its very essence. “We have to understand diverse needs so that inclusion isn’t accidental — it’s built into the DNA of our ministry,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of training leaders and volunteers.
Describing a recent experience in Nairobi, Kenya, where a worship service was led by individuals with mental and developmental conditions, she remarked on the profound impact of such inclusion. “It wasn’t the perfect worship,” she noted, “but it was like Heaven. There were tears everywhere — a haven for them and for their parents.”
Hieber’s testimony serves as a testament to divine grace through perceived weakness, asserting, “I have seen how God uses what the world calls weakness to reveal His glory.” She urged the global Church to foster environments where individuals can fulfill their divine callings, reflecting God’s vision of them.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
