The Reimers

Justin and Tamara Reimer desire to see the gospel of Christ transform the lives of people impacted by disability. Before having children, the Reimers were preparing to be missionaries in Russia. Their first child, Elisha, was born with Down Syndrome, and they began to invest in the disability community that they became a part of, ultimately founding Guidelight. God then brought the calling to cross-cultural missions and their passion for disability outreach together by leading their family to Ukraine. 

There, they built a team to serve in special needs orphanages, as well as the Imago Dei Center for People with Disabilities, where they hosted many church-based outreaches and services for those affected by disability. The war necessitated a move back to Portland, where they continue to partner with the church in Ukraine and the stateside disability community through Guidelight, hosting retreats for families impacted by disability and providing church-based training.

We have been able to partner with churches and missionaries in other Eastern European and Central Asian countries, with a concentrated focus on equipping churches and missionaries in Albania. This church has now seen families join the church and come to faith. In the months to come we will be partnering once again in a retreat for families affected by disability in partnership with this and other local churches. Pray for Evangelical Church Bilisht and Guidelight as we prepare.

Over the past 4.5 years we have seen our friends and church community in Ukraine continue to serve the special needs community through outreaches that have endured the war. We continue to make trips to Ukraine to encourage and continue ministry. We recently partnered in retreats for families affected by disability for the second consecutive year. The Lord has been kind to supply many gospel opportunities for us and our partner churches in Ukraine. Soon we will be providing a conference on disability and the gospel in partnership with local churches in the broader Kyiv region. Pray for protection for the Body of Christ in the midst of this war.

The work of the ministry in North America has continued to grow as we've been able to equip more churches and serve more families through retreat ministry. We are grateful for the Lord's provision of opportunities to help the Body of Christ evangelize, disciple, and care for people and families experiencing disability.

Our desire is to see the Lord continue to faithfully work through the churches and missionaries we are partnered with to the effect that more people living with disability would know the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That more churches would find their members with disabilities to be indispensable parts of the Body.