John and Juliana could use your encouragement this Valentine’s Day! Share the love and hope of Christ with this special needs family as part of the Heart for the Disabled campaign.
Send your Valentine to John and Juliana at Joni and Friends, PO Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. See their photo at joniradio.org.
I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and welcome to Heart for the Disabled! It’s when I share stories of families who attended our Joni and Friends Family Retreats. And it’s the middle of winter, a long time after the warm glow of fun and fellowship, and these families are in need of a boost! So, grab a pencil and a pad of paper so you can jot down a few details as I share these stories.
So, let me begin by telling you about nine-year-old Qorban, who has a very complex condition. His parents, John and Juliana, are missionaries to refugees in St. Louis, Missouri, mostly ministering to Muslims who live in that city. Little Qorban uses a wheelchair, communicates using a speech device, is visually impaired, suffers with seizures. His six-year-old sister Matea “has seen… paramedics put Qorban’s motionless body on their stretcher and take him away after one of his seizures.” That’s pretty traumatic. Life is hard for Matea. No one in a family goes untouched by the disabling condition of their loved one, right? Every person in the family is impacted by a disability.
For example, Qorban struggles to fall asleep and stay asleep. And because of that, he stays in his parents’ bedroom. And if he doesn’t sleep, no one else does. This family is exhausted! But Qorban’s family found such rest and refreshment at our Joni and Friends Family Retreat back in 2021. They were surrounded by people who, well, they understood it, they “got it.” They experienced a sense of belonging with other families who deal with constant issues, like sleeplessness and seizure disorders. At Family Retreat, Qorban was even able to go down the water slide with his daddy. Wow! But the best part: the spiritual refreshment. Qorban’s parents said, you know, “We left Family Retreat so full of life – our minds recreated… our spirits refreshed.” But you know what? It didn’t stop there. The following year, this precious family returned to Family Retreat this year and even helped to lead worship! I even heard that Qorban helped his daddy play the guitar while the rest of the family sang.
You know, it’s been quite a while since that Family Retreat, and the winter months have set in. And so have the many day-to-day disability routines. Qorban’s issues have not gotten any better, and I just know that John and Juliana, along with Matea and, of course, little Qorban himself, all the family would love to know that someone’s praying for them. That someone cares enough to notice their needs and to share words of encouragement. So, please bless this family with a handwritten note, a special Valentine, or a drawing, or a favorite poem, Scriptures, whatever. And hey, you could even include the words to a favorite worship song or hymn! Truly, I know it would bless this family to hear that you are praying for them. Just send your cards to John and Juliana, in care of Joni and Friends, P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. I posted a photo of this wonderful family at joniradio.org. Plus, I’ve included details about their story. Look, John and Juliana are serving as missionaries to the Muslim refugees in St. Louis, Missouri, so let’s do something to serve them! Even with all their family challenges, they still have a heart for helping others. So let’s do the same, would you? Let’s help them with Christ-centered words of encouragement. Have a heart for the disabled and send your letter or card to Qorban’s family here at Joni and Friends. Get all the details at joniradio.org. Again, joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends