The Encourager

Welcome to the work and ministry of The Encourager.

The Encourager started in March 2002 as a printed newsletter being posted to just 11 readers monthly. The aim has always been to offer hope and encouragement to Christians affected my their own or another’s mental illness. The reason it was aimed at Christians was that there was little or no help of it’s kind that could be found by the original worker, Colourful Dave [ me ]. I felt a call from God to do this work [ see My calling to the mentally ill ] so in time I did. My name was originally David Longworth but it is legally now Colourful  Dave . I’m still the same person. You can see more about me on another website www.colourfuldave.net

I started in 2009 a website for Christians affected by physical disability called www.christiandisabledaustralia.net  On there are things that are related to this site and there are books for sale sold by me and now books from Koorong are available at community group functions/meetings only. PLEASE NOTE I DO NOT have general discounts for Koorong. They are only if I come and speak at your church or group meeting AND are only on MENTAL HEALTH/DISABILITY issues only at a discounted price.  I have started this new site as time has gone on I have become more aware of the need for this, especially with my going into a wheelchair when I go long distances.

My legs have been getting weaker and weaker slowly over a period of years since about 2002  and I have eventually having fought it for a year but known I needed to go into a wheelchair. My neurologist says it’s the best thing he’s ever seen me do even though he doesn’t like me being in it. I have shooting pain fom below my kness mainly to just above them but sometimes goes all through my ribcage and spine into my head on bad days, The only thing that takes away the pain is sitting down so really the wheelchair has been a blessing not a curse to take away falls that would otherwise happen over 200 times a year before October when I lost count. The only single thing despite dozens of doctors and the doctor considered best specialist in the field of neurology in Australia working with me over 23 years, that’s longer than I’ve been under pyschiatry unable to do anything for me than recomend severly I use a wheelchair. What else can I do? It doesn’t worry me now being in a wheelchair…it worries and disables other people more because they can’t handle it. But it did take a long time for me to get used to it. Other people seem to have more of a disability than me with their inability to accept it. My pain has 99.9% stopped when in the chair. It’s only if I try and walk that I’m in pain.  Despite what well - meaning medical people say I have proved of being in it near a year that the wheelchair is best for me and NOT making matters worse… in fact they’re better. Being in a wheelchair has taken away daily pain and falls for me.

The newsletter’s readership grew rapidly to about 80 copies across Australia and the world, mainly in Australia.

I would get letters and cards reguarly thanking me for how it helped people through their difficulties. One even saying the newsletter had helped him not to commit suicide by giving a reason to live!!!
Eventually I shifted from mailing through to the internet because of lack of finances and having the ability to reach far more people by the net.

Being a Christian was never a pre-requisite to receiving help here and never will be. However that was the target audience.

I am mainly now doing work on the websites {I have four in all which keep me busy} and am devoting writing into my books for sale and my four websites. I am also busy with a part time paid job, a mental health support group I attend, my local church activities and my other part time job - medical appointments. And it does take longer getting between them all now that I’m in a wheelchair. I’m not a para or quadraplegic. I just fall over a lot and its safer and more convienient to use a chair. So I’m not doing the newsletter so much because even though about 50 say they want the newsletter, literally only two are faithful in paying for it. That puts a big cost on my very limited income.

So if this sounds of benefit to you or someone you know please pass on the information. Thank you and be blessed. For more on why I chose to do do this see: “My calling to the mentally ill.” This ministry is not set to any particular church or denomonation. You can be of any Christian faith, none in particular or of no faith to be involved here.

Contact details for THE ENCOURAGER  and all websites of mine is. Colourful Dave P.O. Box X2222 Perth WA 6847 Australia colourfuldave@gmail.com