Joni: Hey, as we get ready for a new year, we’re getting ready for ministry! Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and as this year winds down, I know you’re thinking of what’s ahead. And I’ve got my forward-looking friend, Kara Ferris, here with me today who is looking ahead to our Joni and Friends outreach in 2012. Kara, thanks for coming in today. And, you know, first set the stage here because you’ve helped us with our National Family Retreats for a number of years.
Kara: Yes, it’s been about 7 years now.
Joni: And you do volunteer training?
Kara: I do the training for the short-term missionaries that come in and kind of oversee that position during the week and make sure that everybody is adjusting well and is doing a great job with their campers and that they’re fully equipped.
Joni: Now, that you’re doing it so long tells me you love Family Retreats.
Kara: Absolutely!
Joni: And you probably caught the vision to what – take this internationally with us?
Kara: Yes, because in 2000 I was over in Ethiopia in Africa and watched the people with disabilities crawling through the streets. So when I found out we were going to our first one in Ghana, I jumped at the opportunity!
Joni: That was a Joni and Friends Family Retreat, when was that?
Kara: That was just 2 years ago. It was an amazing experience. There was one family in particular who came and their little boy was about 2 years old. And always the mother put him in long sleeves. We knew that he had a disability, but we couldn’t see his hands. She kept him covered because to have a disability is such a shame over there. And about the second day in, the Lord laid it on my heart to talk to the Ghanaian volunteers about this little boy. And I said, “You know, I can’t get close to him. He’s so afraid of the white woman with the blond hair that he screams. So, I’m asking you, would you please get close to this family. Would you go tell that mother that her little boy is a gift, that God has created and designed him with purpose and intention? But she keeps his little hands covered, and because of that shame, he can’t use his hands like God has intended. So just ask her if perhaps she could put him in short sleeves.”
Joni: Hmmm.
Kara: So, I went out of the room and maybe 45 minutes later one of the volunteers came running up saying, “Kara, Kara, look at this! He showed me his camera and he had pictures of Ebenezer holding his first can of soda by himself and drinking out of it. His sister is dancing next to him, jumping up and with joy because Ebenezer is giving himself a sip of soda out of this can.
Joni: I gather Ebenezer had never had the privilege of using his hands before, they were deformed, they were what, twisted?
Kara: His little hands did not have fingers at all and I think he was even missing bones in his forearms because he just had little tiny pads with no fingers.
Joni: But he could hold a can of soda.
Kara: He could put his hands together around that little can, what he had, and hold that can of soda.
Joni: God bless him.
Kara: And then later in our worship time, his volunteer came over and got my camera and took pictures of him playing a little flute, holding it in his hands, and then touching his sister’s face with his hand. I have a beautiful picture and the sister is so happy that he can touch her.
Joni: Well, you know what? Let’s post it on our radio page. Go to joniandfriends.org and you’ll see that little photo of Ebenezer. Kara, when you do something like this, it must open a mother’s heart to the Gospel as nothing else can.
Kara: Oh, it sure does. God is always teaching me lessons through these campers. To watch this little boy whose arms were covered, I thought, isn’t that just like what the enemy likes to do with us – cover up our shame, keep us limited. It’s in our shame that we’re limited. And so I thought, you know, that’s exactly what the enemy will do to us. So, get off that shame, take that out of our lives! And the Scripture 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Joni: Kara, thank you for your heart for little Ebenezer – and friend, if you would like to participate in our outreach in 2012, we’ve got Wheels for the World teams heading to Thailand and El Salvador, first up in the New Year. So pray about it and check out all the details at joniandfriends.org. And while you’re there, don’t forget to take a look at a very cute little photo of dear Ebenezer!
Used by permission of JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376
www.joniandfriends.org © Joni and Friends