the Low Down

One OF millions…one IN a Million

One of millions…one in a Million

 

The streets are bumpy, there is dirt everywhere.  It looks like a wind storm has blown through leaving a brown coat on everything from the streets to cars and even the wall of the homes.  It is dry and at times you have to be very intentional about taking a deep breath because the air quality.  We are driving through narrow neighborhoods made of brick cinder blocks, metal siding and occasional fiberglass rooftop.  There is garbage in the streets and the crumbled stone of broken walls lay crumbled on the sidewalks.  Rivers of murky water run down from the streets above. 

We make our way up street after street.  Then we stop.  We have come to the house of a teenage boy in need of a wheelchair.  We scale down stones to get to his front door and are met by his mother who looks excited but overwhelmed with so many people in her modest home.  Her home has wall of brick and a floor of cement.  The front door consist of pieces of plywood that swing freely on make shift hinges.  A curtain draped from the ceiling acts as a back door.  The space is cold and dark.  The roof is made of metal sheets that keep the weather out but it keeps the cold dampness in.  There is no furniture just pieces of various junk being used as places to sit or lean on.  In the corner there is a small figure who slowly stands up to cautiously greet us.  It is her father a man in his 70’s.  From a nook off the living room we hear sounds of a young man.  He is in his room which is simply a brick closet.  Just enough room for a cot.  There is no light except that coming from the one lamp in the entire structure.  This cot is where this young man spends his life.  Not just where he sleeps, not just where he hangs out, not just where he goes when he wants to be alone.  It is where he spends his entire life.  He has no control over his legs, he has advanced Cerebral Palsy.  He is too heavy for his mom and aging grandfather to take him out of his room.  He cannot speak or make eye contact.   When we lifted him into his new wheelchair it was the first time he had been off his bed since he was a young boy.  He was scared with all of us being there and he clung tight to his mother.  But he was excited.  His mother told us he was content and she began to see what is possible for her son now.

            This stirred up many emotions.  It seemed so overwhelming to make a difference.  This was one child of possibly millions of children in need.  He still will struggle with his condition and it will take enormous support from the neighbors to get this boy out of the house.  How many more like him are out there?  Where do you begin?  Then it hit me.  It may seem overwhelming to us but to them their world just became brighter.  It became more accessible.  We added to their joy by being a messenger of God bringing them the gift of mobility.

            Yes this young boy is one OF millions in need. 

But this young boy is one IN a million.

We were able to show him love and that is the gift we get when we go out and choose to be a blessing to others.  We are blessed.

 Pastor Low