Frequently Asked Questions

The name Bethesda is taken from John 5:2-9 and means House of Mercy.

John 5
“ ² Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³ Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ⁴ From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had. ⁵ One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"
⁷ "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
⁸ Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath. ”

Initially Bethesda rented a facility called the Faith Home located on Margaret St. in Watertown, Wis. Land was later donated on the Rock river in Watertown, the current site of Bethesda's headquarters. [More about Bethesda's history]

The word Bethesda is reflected in water to symbolize the pool of Bethesda which cured people with disabilities in John 5:2-9.

• Volunteer time at Bethesda's Resale Shops [More info]
• Volunteer time with the individuals Bethesda serves [More info]
• Donate goods to be sold at Bethesda's Resale Shops [More info]
• Support Bethesda through financial programs [More info]
• Shop Bethesda's online gift shop, stocked with gifts made by the individuals Bethesda serves [Shop]

A developmental disability is a severe, chronic disability that is attributable to mental and/or physical impairments that manifest before age 22. Mental retardation is a developmental disability that occurs before the age of 18. An individual with mental retardation will have a lower level of intellectual functioning and have significant limitations in skill areas that may include communication, self-care, health and safety, and social skills.

Developmental disabilities can be caused by any condition that impairs the development of the brain before and during birth or in childhood. There are over 300 known causes of mental retardation, however, the three major causes are Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and fragile X syndrome. It can occur in any family; it cuts across the lines of racial, ethnic, educational, social and economic backgrounds.

Developmental disabilities affect everyone differently. People with developmental disabilities have a varied range of abilities. They have the capacity to learn and grow, it just happens at a slower rate. They may have difficulties with basic concepts, and with learning and retaining information that pertains to all aspects of life. Often, they have a limited learning capacity, short memory and attention span, and are unable to generalize information.

You need to realize that people with developmental disabilities are just like everyone else, just with more specific needs.

There are many ways to include someone who has a developmental disability in your life. You can invite someone with disabilities to join your group, class, or social hour; sit next to them in church; or volunteer to do arts and crafts or a recreational activity at a local service organization.

Bethesda offers a variety of disability awareness materials to help you find ways to include people with developmental disabilities in community, classroom and church activities. [More about Bethesda's awareness materials]

Talk to someone with a developmental disability just like you would anyone else. Be genuine and honest with them. People with disabilities have likes and dislikes, wants and needs, just like you do.

If you're not sure what to talk about, pick a general topic such as the weather. The topic of conversation isn't what is important, it's that you're opening your mind and heart and including people with developmental disabilities in your life.

Yes. People with developmental disabilities have a varied range of abilities, but they enjoy doing the same things as everyone else. Individuals with disabilities are able to live and work in the community just like you and me. Other individuals need more intense support services to help them live as independently as possible, but they still enjoy watching movies, going out for dinner, and spending time with friends. [Read Bethesda's success stories]

Anything that requires reading, writing or other communication skills may be a barrier for someone with a developmental disability. You can help remove these barriers in your church, school, or organization by having materials with simple text, large print and pictures available for people with disabilities.

People with developmental disabilities are capable of holding jobs in the community. Many people with disabilities work at grocery stores or convenience stores, on assembly lines in factories and in the restaurant and hotel industries.

There are also opportunities at job-training workshops for individuals who are focusing on gaining vocational skills that will prepare them for a job in the community.

It is important to use concrete, age-appropriate materials that will appeal to their interests and relate to their lives within their family, home, vocational or school setting. Also, when presenting information, try to break it down into steps or segments and remember to repeat things again and again.

Another effective method is teaching the skill where it will be used. If you want to teach street crossing, go for a walk and cross streets. If you want to teach worship skills, go to church together. Use a variety of people and settings to teach the same skill.

For more information on teaching people with developmental disabilities, subscribe to Bethesda's Breakthrough, a quarterly publication providing inspiration and ideas for congregations and teachers serving people who have developmental disabilities. [More about Breakthrough]

There are many useful Web sites with information about developmental disabilities. [Developmental Disability Web Sites]

You can also request information about developmental disabilities from Bethesda's National Christian Resource Center (NCRC), dedicated to providing resources worldwide to families and friends of people with developmental disabilities, pastors, volunteers, teachers and professionals in the field of developmental disabilities. [About Bethesda's NCRC]