David and Lizzie
Davids story:
One day my son David and I were dropping some items off at the Goodwill. The heat index was about 103 degrees and we came across a woman who was homeless. We stopped and offered her some water, chatted and then went on our way. As I drove away I broke down in tears and prayed for her. Now lets rewind a bit. My son David has special needs. He is an adult now and has recently exited the school system. It has been a struggle to find the right fit for him with employment that works towards his strengths. So what are his strengths? So many but lets start here; he is joyful always, loves to be around and connect with people, loves his music and movies and is the best greeter and connector of people hands down. His infectious smile and joyful spirit continues to change the lives of all who meet him. You see David sees the world through rose colored glasses. He loves and accepts everyone right where they are and this is a gift....a gift that blesses many. So fast forward to meeting the woman who was homeless. After leaving her David and I went to the store and purchased food items for snack packs. And then the idea hit me. Out of prayer God planted a dream and vision. This is an opportunity to teach valuable job training skills with creating and distributing bags for the homeless community through volunteer work. And I believe David will bless and encourage each person he encounters through this opportunity with his beautiful smile and joyful spirit. He will continue to grow, learn, fine tune skills and transform lives including his own.
Lizzie’s story:
Our daughter Lizzie was born with a birth defect called “Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum.” That’s a mouthful huh? I remember thinking, “Say what? What does that even mean?” Well, what it means is that she is missing the part of her brain that connects the two hemispheres. It also means that there was no certainty as to how she would grow and develop mentally and physically into adulthood. Lizzie is the youngest of our five children and we determined to nurture and care for her in a way that would help her achieve her best life. She has faced many health and developmental challenges throughout her life, but has always done it with incredible strength and love. She is a shining example of the unconditional love of Christ in our home and wherever she goes. Every person who meets Lizzie is greeted with warmth and compassion. As Lizzie transitions into adulthood I am so excited to team up with my beautiful friends on the Able Hands project. This is a wonderful opportunity for Lizzie and adults like her to have a place in the community with a multifaceted purpose. Won’t you partner with us as we help bring compassion and worth to our community?
