Hi all,
More of a personal note this month. On Monday, October 16 our son Chris, woke up in his group home in extreme pain. Long story short, he had suffered ‘an acute compression fracture of his L3 vertebrae’, which is in the lower back.
It isn’t unusual for elderly adults in wheelchairs to suffer compression fractures due to weakened bone structure, so this is uncommon since he is only 43. There is some question if he was dropped or fell that Sunday before, as it is unusual that this would ‘just happen’. But no one reported any drop or accident.
Chris is mentally 4 years old, though age 43.
I’ve recently spoken of him in my Wednesday YouTube/Facebook videos. (Umbilical cord around his neck cut off oxygen in labor). He is normally very happy and outgoing, but that morning all he could do was cry out in pain; ‘My bones hurt’.
They took him by ambulance to the hospital, did CT and x-rays, 8 nights in the hospital, and now at home for about 8-10 weeks healing. Home was the only option, so an ambulance brought him home, and we gladly brought him home to recover. (He thought it great fun to ride in an ambulance, though he was strapped flat on his back, lol)
Chris is now doing much better, being week 5 since the fracture.
He has gone from spending each day flat on his back that first 2-3 weeks to now tolerating being in his wheelchair (with pain medicines) for several hours at a time. Thank you for your prayers for him, and us.
Our lives through the end of the year are focused on him right now. All that to say I’m way behind in emails, we’ve suspended Zoom online meetings until next year, I’m not taking or making calls during this time, and so on.
I’m able to record my weekly YouTube/Facebook short teachings on Wednesdays, and pray/study/write in the early morning hours or late at night either before he wakes up or after he has gone to bed. Barb is keeping up with all the extras required when caring for someone spending most of the time in bed, from non-stop laundry, extra bedding and meals, to helping me as we transfer/dress Chris to/from bed and shower, toilet, and so on.
But Chris is my ‘little buddy’ so being mentally 4 he wants to be with dad.
When he is awake he is my shadow – either rolling around the house in his wheelchair or asking to play a game, look at picture books, play with his numerous metal die-cast toy muscle cars or his Kindle for kids…it’s babysitting every waking moment for Barb and I. But we are thankful, and by the first of the year we expect him to be able to go back to the group home, or a bit before.
Already he is asking to go back ‘to school’ and see his friends, go to ‘workshop’ and ride the bus. So that is a very good sign, as before, he was very discouraged and we don’t think fully understanding it all. He is so trusting of mom and dad as any 4 your old is, and has a great attitude. It’s just that he is a 43 year old man who needs bathed and shaved daily, help with bathroom needs, clothed, food prepared for, and entertained and so on.
Just sharing here why I’m so behind
Especially in emails…we are treading water but doing well. And we are thankful for those closest to us who we let know what was going on, for their encouragement, prayers and support. We had to buy a hospital style bed and ongoing supplies of everything from adult diapers to bedding, so we have appreciated everyone’s support in prayer, caring, and finances, it’s been amazing grace all the way.
Knowing and fellowshipping with the Father
We are thankful we can care for Chris at home. And this just happens to be the time of year many nations have set aside a day of Thanks-giving. Thanksgiving can be a year-round condition of the heart. The world now makes the day about being thankful, but the root of the giving of thanks is to the Father, and to the Lord Jesus.
When people ask me how to know the Father, I tell them to include Him conversationally in their life, especially in the giving of thanks. Romans 1: 21 says of those who refuse to acknowledge God, ‘neither were they thankful.’ Being thankful is the core foundation of fellowship with the Father.
When I first wake up I say, ‘Good morning Father, thank you.’ And when I see the sunrise I say ‘Beautiful sunrise this morning Father, thanks for letting me see it’, and many things like that throughout my day, often including sunset in my thanks. Again, Romans 1 says seeing Him in nature is the foundational way to know Him as creation reveals Him. So start with giving thanks for things in nature, from pets to starry nights and every day, stormy or calm. Start with thanking Him for aspects found in the natural world. Be thankful.
I also thank Him for everything from a good parking spot to the chance to pray for the person in the ambulance that raced across my path. When with Chris in a car and an ambulance or firetruck races by, He will reach out for my hand and say; “We better pray.” And we do, with thanks.
When I see a familiar face at a store, or Chris and I see a dog and the owner lets Chris pet it, I give thanks. Always, I’m finding ways to thank the Father for ordering my steps. So very often, Barb and I will get in the car having been someplace, and we say; “Thank you Father for that, it was a good time”, and words to that effect.
Then…and this is important; After I thank Him, I’m silent for a time.
A few seconds or for minutes longer, I shift my attention to my spirit, and sense His presence, listen for His presence, and often, there is a response. Very often He will say, “You’re welcome” and “You’re welcome, I knew you would like it.”
Practice giving thanks as a lifestyle, internally most often but directed to the Father. Then pause, shift attention to your spirit, and listen…just be silent…for me, doing so without the distraction of others being around, no tv or music or radio or computer…just giving thanks, then silence, listening…sensing Him. Sensing His presence inside, loving that Presence, that warmth, that peace…and I let that Presence take over my emotions, my thoughts…I let Him saturate my thoughts on my daily schedule…and rest, returning to that place of peace many times a day….
A note about this month’s audio teaching entitled ‘Gender Confusion’. I share on a deeper level how Satan perverts and imitates what God tries to do, give some very practical information about gender confusion, and share about the processes going on in Christians and non-Christians alike who struggle with their gender identity. It’s revelatory and good information about the how and why of gender confusion
Conferences
May 2-5 conference in the Netherlands. Looking SO forward to seeing our friends again and meeting new ones. Email Wil and Ank at cwowi@solcon.nl.
Our Tulsa conference will be here faster than we think, and many have to plan now for days off for work. June 28-30, registration above.
KWOWI continues to grow in sponsorships! http://www.kwowi.org
There are now 134 kids sponsored in Uganda, and 99 kids sponsored in Kenya. Thank you to all who are helping to change the trajectory of these kids’ lives!
The Uganda school will host a Christmas celebration for the kids. They want to purchase a Christmas present for each child, and provide a special meal with meat (a very rare treat), and extra veggies.
This is an expense above the normal sponsorship funds we send them. If you’d like to help with that celebration, please make a donation to CWOWI and note “Uganda Christmas”.
In Kenya, a vehicle was recently made available to help Daniel and Christine, our Kenyan leaders, be able to drive themselves to deliver the sponsorship funds each month to the kids. Until now they’ve been taking the very bumpy, dirty public transport to nearly 100 kids every month, some 4 hours away.
Most of this vehicle was paid for by locals who helped raise funds, but we’d like to contribute the remaining $3000 needed to help him with this very important ministry expense. If you’d like to help with that need, please donate to CWOWI with the note “Vehicle for Kenya”.
We are thankful Chris is healing and we have the opportunity to help him heal by bringing him home to do so. And we are thankful for you being in our lives. Know we are praying for you, that I personally pray for each prayer request, and for those who email with specific requests, and for all donors. We so very much appreciate your prayers and financial support.
Thank you for being in our lives!
Blessings,
John & Barb, Brian & Amy
