Leon and Kim 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 Leon and Kim at Joni and Friends, PO Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. See their photo at joniradio.org.
Welcome to our last – and best – day of Heart for the Disabled.
Hi, I’m Joni, and I want to thank you for participating in our campaign to encourage families that really struggle with disability. And I’ve been sharing their stories this week, and you have been writing the most amazing notes, and cards, and letters, offering true Christ-centered encouragement. And on this final day, I want to tell you about Leon and Kim, who are in their 60s. After 25 years of raising their own children, circumstances were such that, well, they felt called to adopt and raise their grandson, Isaiah. This little boy was born 16 weeks premature and has traumatic brain injury, an intellectual disorder, cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, and he uses a wheelchair at times. Oh, my goodness. Caring for their grandson brings them great joy, but it’s a lot of hard work, leaving Leon and Kim often weary and wondering what the future holds.
Well, it’s all worth it, being parents again in their 60s. It’s a huge change for them. After all, Isaiah has multiple disabilities. And Leon and Kim said – and here’s a quote – they said, “We had to totally relearn how to be parents. Everything we thought we knew about parenthood we had to flush down the tubes.” Well, for most special needs parents, it’s so important to feel supported and to make connections with other couples who understand disability. But being grandparents of a child like Isaiah with all his complications, well, Leon and Kim have not always found that much-needed support which is required. And that makes it doubly hard.
And Isaiah has found it hard, too. Like his grandparents, this little boy is pretty much isolated. And it’s so hard on Leon and Kim. They see how challenging it is for their grandson to make friends, and it breaks their hearts. Ordinarily, most young people are able to make friends easily and naturally. But for a child with multiple disabilities, that just doesn’t happen. Leon and Kim love their grandson and it grieves them to know that he is missing out on so much.
And that’s why Family Retreat has been a lifesaver for them. At Family Retreat, Leon and Kim were able to connect with other adults who have adopted children with disabilities. They enjoyed digging into God’s Word, networking with others, and taking part in fun activities. Kim called Family Retreat her life-support! And they found what their souls had been longing for. They came away telling everyone that Family Retreat was, for them, a breath of fresh air. But when asked about the biggest blessing, Kim said proudly, “Isaiah made a friend!” And that friend was Sullivan, Isaiah’s volunteer. You see, because Sullivan had also been born prematurely with residual effects, he was able to really bond with Isaiah and develop a true friendship. And now, Isaiah tells everyone about his new friend, Sullivan.
And, hey, you can encourage Isaiah even further with an uplifting note or a fun card. Or send a letter of encouragement to his grandparents, Leon and Kim. I know these grandparents would just love it. So, send your Valentine to Leon and Kim, in care of Joni and Friends. That’s P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. Get all the details about this special family at joniradio.org where I have also posted a photo. Again, that’s joniradio.org. And on this Friday, I’m so glad that you, my friend, have a Heart for the Disabled. And God bless you for that!
© Joni and Friends