This past weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend with twenty senior highs (grades 9-12) from four different schools, fellowshipping together and spending time in God's Word. Nineteen of the twenty youth were your average teenager, typical by every definition - but one, a very special one, who I will refer to as John, was atypical and a blessing to all who were present.
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Above youth from the fall retreat pause to have a little fun after an
afternoon
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John is fourteen, optimistic, creative, insightful, and happens to be an Individual With Disabilities. John is challenged by physical limitations such as poor balance and limited vision, and social limitations typical to one on the autism spectrum. John's most noted accomplishments (at least in my book) include overcoming his limitations, a screenplay that he wrote his freshman year, joining the church and now - defying gravity by trying both the climbing wall and high ropes course on our fall retreat. While John's attempts at outdoor adventure activities may not have been graceful, his attitude surpassed any I have ever experienced. From the moment he expressed his desire to try, to his positive critique of what typical teenagers would have considered failure, John embodied for me the value of a Christian community. In that space and time, John felt safe enough to let down his guard and try. While John's outdoor adventure attempts spoke volumes, his insights and thoughtfulness during group study exceeded anything I could have possibly imagined. Sharing openly and bearing himself to the group (of which as a typical teenager I would have been intimidated) John shared Christ with others. In the hours and days following our study time together, teenager after teenager has approached me saying 'John really inspired me' or 'John is such an amazing person' or 'John made me want to try harder on my walk with God' - to those typical teenagers John's atypical teenage attitude made a lasting impression.
This reflection on a weekend where God was alive and at work, has caused me to stop, marvel, and give thanks for the love and energy that has been poured into John's life. John has truly been created in God's image and those who have reminded him of that day after day, year after year are a blessing to all!
Eli,
ReplyDeleteWhat an encouraging story. Our youth group has a young lady in it, who is much like John. Orphaned in Russia, she was adopted by American parents when she was 4 years old. She has acute cerebral palsy, which limits her mobility and eye sight. After battling with severe depression and suicide attempts her senior year of high school, she repeated the year and graduated this past spring. When she delivered her senior sermon to the congregation, she received a standing ovation (from a congregation who ordinarily doesn't even clap). Youth like these really bring perspective to "typical" teenagers and adults alike.