Reyna and her four children 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 Valentines to Reyna at Joni and Friends, PO Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. See a photo of Reyna and her kids at joniradio.org.
It’s Heart for the Disabled week here at Joni and Friends!
That’s right! I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and all week I’m asking you to help me give Christian encouragement to families who have attended our Family Retreats. Because it’s the dead of winter, and families are struggling extra hard under the strain of disability. They really need a lift. So grab a pen, and write a Valentine card or a note, a poem, or a Bible verse or two; maybe a brief letter, a gift card. And send it all to a special needs family – a family like Reyna and her four kids.
Reyna and her husband had a growing family – their 19-year-old daughter Belen; Leo, who is 17; Yahir, 10 years old; and little Mia, a baby. Both Belen and Leo were born with the same genetic disorder. They are wheelchair users and require constant care for all their daily needs – and their needs are extensive! Reyna has to start every day at 4:00 a.m. just to have time to complete their caregiving routines. And she’s been doing this daily for 19 years. Then, when Mia was born, it just became too much for Reyna’s husband, and he left the family. It meant increasing demands for Reyna. And she is exhausted, what with tending to two teenagers in wheelchairs, and her 10-year-old, and her little baby.
Now, because Yahir is 10 years old, he’s able to help his mother take care of his older siblings. Get this – this little boy, this ten-year-old, feeds his older brother and sister, and he changes their diapers, too. I mean, that’s such a big burden for a young boy! But this is “life” for this humble family struggling against disability. Reyna says they don’t get out often because of Belen and Leo’s disabilities. And all this makes Reyna and Yahir feel even more isolated and alone.
But when this family came to our Family Retreat, they found such comfort in the friendships they made! And they found comfort in the Gospel! Now because Reyna speaks mainly Spanish, we made sure we had volunteers on site who were fluent in Spanish and able to communicate the love and truth of Jesus to Reyna and her children. As this precious single mom explained to us through an interpreter, “I see Jesus in all the volunteers at Family Retreat!”
And friend, Reyna and her four children are going to see Jesus shining his light through you as well, as you send your Valentines, and your cards, your Scriptures, and poems. So take a moment to jot a note to Reyna – and don’t worry if it’s not in Spanish. There will be someone to interpret, I know. Let this single mom know that you are praying for her and her children. And hey, if you want to be creative, how about a gift card to a grocery store or a coffee shop? Anything to lift their spirits and point them to Christ. The important thing is your words and your prayers. And if you go online and find a Bible verse in Spanish, I just bet that will really add to the package. A really special touch!
Mail your card to Reyna and her children in care of Joni and Friends, PO Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376. And if you don’t have a pencil, just go to joniradio.org for all the details about this family. Oh, friend, thank you for caring! I am so grateful for your heart for the disabled. May the Lord bless you and make his face shine upon you as you share the love of Jesus with special needs families. Again, if you need any details, it’s all there at joniradio.org. Oh, and while you’re there, I’ve posted a photo of Reyna and her children! It’s right there for you at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends