When you see a need, follow the example of Jesus, and do all that you can to meet it! Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Defend the cause of the needy. Put the Word of God into action!
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Never, ever have you heard of a child’s first day of school like this one!
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and can you imagine getting your little girl ready for her first day of school, seeing her excitement, anticipating the wonderful day ahead, only to be told: “Your daughter is disabled, and teaching her is a useless waste of time.” Oh, it breaks my heart to share this, but that’s exactly what happened when Lorena brought Daniela to school. This little girl from El Salvador had a stroke when she was an infant, and it caused partial paralysis and developmental delays. Now at 11 years old, Daniela is able to walk with assistance, but she falls frequently. Because she does not have good motor skills, she cannot brace herself when she falls. And the scar on her forehead speaks to that.
So Lorena resorts to carrying Daniela on her shoulders, which is how she gets her to school. Still, this child is up against so much. Daniela was eager to learn and make friends, but she discovered all too quickly that the other kids had no interest in calling her “a friend.” They pushed her down; pulled her hair; told her she was crazy, sick, crippled, and nothing but a waste.
When Lorena brought this terrible bullying to the teacher’s attention, she was coldly told, “It doesn’t matter what you do, because Daniela is always going to remain ‘like that.’ She’ll never learn.” When Daniela got wind of this, she cried and cried. And when Lorena shared this, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She went on to say, “And the other mothers called me ‘Sick Girl’s Mom.’ But I don’t cry in front of Daniela. I wait, and I cry later.”
Lorena and her husband Luis, who is a street sweeper and a garbage collector, simply do not have the money to provide the education and physical therapy that Daniela needs. They live below the poverty line in El Salvador, and daily they face discrimination both at school and from their extended family. But then, Lorena and Luis brought their daughter to Joni’s House, and everything changed. We evaluated Daniela; gave the family food, vitamins, and supplies to make house repairs. Plus, Joni’s House is providing therapy so that this little girl can gain her balance in order to walk. Best of all, the family meets with a local pastor who is helping them find answers in the Word of God. Lorena is learning how to navigate the educational system down in El Salvador. In short, her husband Luis said, “Through Joni’s House, God has touched our hearts. Since we met Joni’s House, our lives have changed.”
Oh, friend, the Bible makes so much of putting the Word of God into action. Jesus inasmuch says, “If you see a need, meet it. Even if you have to make sacrifices to do it.” And what a model our Savior gave us of this when he walked on earth. Hey, you may never visit a country like El Salvador, but what you can do is rescue, defend, help, speak up for, and care for the afflicted, no matter where you live. And, hey, this little girl is just too precious; you simply must see photos of Daniela. And come see a wonderful video that I’ve posted of her at joniradio.org. And while you’re there, sign up for our ministry newsletter so that you can always be inspired by stories just like Daniela’s. You can do it all at joniradio.org. And on behalf of disabled children like Daniela – my goodness, thank you so much. And we’ll see you later at joniradio.org. Thanks for joining me for Joni and Friends!
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