A while back I wrote a blog about joy
coming through mourning; this past week I was able to see first hand what that
looks like. My team spent the week as counselors for Higher Ground camp; our
campers all had acquired brain injuries. These campers all started out living
lives without disabilities and one day, everything changed. Here are some of
their stories:
Tom
Tom is 21 years old. When he was 17 he was
in a car accident. His friend’s mom was driving and he put his head out the
window. Then, as he puts it, there was a “Tom head sandwich.” Another car hit
him and his head got stuck between the 2 cars. Now he can’t walk. Tom just took
his exams to get his high school degree.
Howard
Howard, by the grace of God, survived a
single engine plane crash. Before the crash he had achieved several degrees and
was an engineer. During the flight his friend asked to switch seats with him.
His friend didn’t make it. Now Howard, after therapy, walks with a cane. Howard
hopes to get another degree.
Cameron
Cameron was in the military. He had one
month left in his tour and was given the task of changing a tire on a large
vehicle. He and another soldier went to change the tire. They were unable to
remove some of the bolts and told their commanding officer who told them to
figure it out. They went back to work on it and one of the bolts came off at
such high speed that it killed the other soldier and then hit Cameron in the
head. Cameron was in a coma for several months. Now he walks with crutches. He
is now a motivational speaker and poet.
These are just a few of the many stories
that I heard this week. From car accidents to strokes to seizers, each person’s
life was changed by one incident. Many of the campers have trouble with
mobility, speech, and memory. The amazing thing was that none of them
complained about their situation. They were all accepting of their situation
and praising God through their circumstances. The hope of healing is there as
many of them have already experienced great healing. Some of them were not
supposed to live, others were never supposed to walk or talk, but God is the
Great Physician and He is healing. It was a humbling experience.
Each one of these people had to go through
the mourning process. Some of them lost their ability to communicate and walk,
others lost their spouse, and others lost both. But they have come through
victoriously praising God for their lives and living their purpose. They choose
joy.
Many Blessings,
Kim
