Sunday, April 23, 2006
You Go "Bo"
His name is Bo. Bo is Chinese and is an amazing young man, in any terms. When Bo was about 10, he was hit by a train, and lost his left arm below the elbow, and his whole left leg. He has never let that hold him back. He came to the US about 5 years ago in order to receive prosthetics to enable his life to be easier. But when this 10 year old boy got on the airplane that day, he boarded a plane he not only had never ridden, but one he had never seen. He boarded that plane with 11 people he didn't really know, and left his parents, brother and everything he ever knew. His adoptive mother asked him one day how he had the courage to leave everything he knew, and his response was a simple response of faith of a child. He said, "The Lord gave me a vision of a woman from the west who would come to save me. When I saw you, I knew you were her."
This young man has endured painful surgeries, to extend his bone in order to fit the prosthetic leg. He has endured painful infections, that left him sweating, but he never complained. He has simultaneously had the fun loving shenanegans of a child, and the seriousness and maturity of someone far older than himself. One day during the coffee hour at his church, I found Bo riding his wheelchair at the top speeds down the handicapped ramp, coming down from the sanctuary. When it was suggested to him that he could really get hurt doing that, he just smiled. I am sure as soon as I turned my back to leave him, he took one more ride. Who needs Disneyland?
Oh and speaking of Disneyland, my son and I took Bo and his adoptive mom to Disneyland. Because they are not from LA, I drove us there. Unbeknownst to me, Bo was watching my speedometer on the trip down. He was overheard telling one of his friends, "Pastor Sue was going 80 on the freeway. She had to get us to Disneyland FAST!" You have to love him!
As an 8th grader, a little over a year ago, Bo was given a special award for academics. It was the highest academic award for all of the Junior Highers in the community where he lives. He wanted so desperately to walk down on his new leg to accept the award, but was not able to because it was too painful. He went down on crutches, with great pride and great humility. He walked down the aisle as the whole auditorium stood in applause. Peers and parents, teachers, administrators, and community representatives. Throughout all of these surgeries, challenges, and even learning a second language, this young man has always had straight A's. He is aiming for MIT for college.
I had the honor to be this young man's Associate Pastor, and now our families are family to each other. I consider it an amazing honor to know him, and I just sit with great expectation to see what the Lord will do in and with this young man. I have a feeling we will all be reading about him in the years to come. You go Bo!
This young man has endured painful surgeries, to extend his bone in order to fit the prosthetic leg. He has endured painful infections, that left him sweating, but he never complained. He has simultaneously had the fun loving shenanegans of a child, and the seriousness and maturity of someone far older than himself. One day during the coffee hour at his church, I found Bo riding his wheelchair at the top speeds down the handicapped ramp, coming down from the sanctuary. When it was suggested to him that he could really get hurt doing that, he just smiled. I am sure as soon as I turned my back to leave him, he took one more ride. Who needs Disneyland?
Oh and speaking of Disneyland, my son and I took Bo and his adoptive mom to Disneyland. Because they are not from LA, I drove us there. Unbeknownst to me, Bo was watching my speedometer on the trip down. He was overheard telling one of his friends, "Pastor Sue was going 80 on the freeway. She had to get us to Disneyland FAST!" You have to love him!
As an 8th grader, a little over a year ago, Bo was given a special award for academics. It was the highest academic award for all of the Junior Highers in the community where he lives. He wanted so desperately to walk down on his new leg to accept the award, but was not able to because it was too painful. He went down on crutches, with great pride and great humility. He walked down the aisle as the whole auditorium stood in applause. Peers and parents, teachers, administrators, and community representatives. Throughout all of these surgeries, challenges, and even learning a second language, this young man has always had straight A's. He is aiming for MIT for college.
I had the honor to be this young man's Associate Pastor, and now our families are family to each other. I consider it an amazing honor to know him, and I just sit with great expectation to see what the Lord will do in and with this young man. I have a feeling we will all be reading about him in the years to come. You go Bo!
Monday, April 03, 2006
Be At Peace, My friend.
His life has been tragic. Filled with lost hopes, unfulfilled dreams, and very little love experienced, and now he is dying. In and out of mental hospitals, no defined faith because his family never really practiced. His brother feels bad about the life his brother has had, and in his own way he has tried to do the best he could to make it as easy as possible. I would imagine he has felt helpless.
Tonight, Stephen is dying. He is wide awake and aware of the fact that he's dying. His brother came to see him and stayed for awhile, but then not knowing what to do, he left, to go home and have a glass of wine with his wife. He says he will come back tomorrow IF he's still with us. So, in his helplessness, he has left his brother alone, grateful that the hospice staff is there, to do what he is unable to do.
So his nurse sat at his bedside, quietly watching him, and being attentive to whatever he might need. She said, "He has been alone his entire life. He is not going to die alone. " As his chaplain, I spoke words to him of blessing and assurance that God does love him, even if he had never realized it, and encourged him to reach out for God.
Is it possible to feel so empty for someone, and yet so full for your own life? I think so. Even with the failures, pain and disappointments in my own life, I am rich, with a family that not only loves me but shows it to me in tangible ways. I have a wonderful circle of friends, a calling on my life that gives me fulfillment, and also hope.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Be at peace, Stephen. A peace that passes all understanding and a peace you have never felt before.
Tonight, Stephen is dying. He is wide awake and aware of the fact that he's dying. His brother came to see him and stayed for awhile, but then not knowing what to do, he left, to go home and have a glass of wine with his wife. He says he will come back tomorrow IF he's still with us. So, in his helplessness, he has left his brother alone, grateful that the hospice staff is there, to do what he is unable to do.
So his nurse sat at his bedside, quietly watching him, and being attentive to whatever he might need. She said, "He has been alone his entire life. He is not going to die alone. " As his chaplain, I spoke words to him of blessing and assurance that God does love him, even if he had never realized it, and encourged him to reach out for God.
Is it possible to feel so empty for someone, and yet so full for your own life? I think so. Even with the failures, pain and disappointments in my own life, I am rich, with a family that not only loves me but shows it to me in tangible ways. I have a wonderful circle of friends, a calling on my life that gives me fulfillment, and also hope.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Be at peace, Stephen. A peace that passes all understanding and a peace you have never felt before.
