This summer has been so full of transitions. Everything has changed, and honestly, that has been hard. But in the midst of the challenges, God has brought some pretty cool things into my life. A couple weeks before graduation, my mom called to let me know of a 2-month house-sitting opportunity, which I did for July and August, and an amazing full time job that I never would have pursued if God hadn't tossed it into my lap. This should come as no surprise, but I have found that when we open up our hearts and minds to any possibility, God will open doors to completely crazy and awesome things. I was planning on taking my CNA2 class (which I did) and applying for hospital jobs (which I'm doing now) but this summer I had the privilege of working as a personal support worker for Kate, a sweet young teenager with Down Syndrome.
I never thought I would be interested in working with people who had developmental disabilities. I had never known anyone with a disability before, and while I wasn't uncomfortable with the idea I just figured it wasn't my thing, I probably didn't have the knack. But as soon as my mom told me that a woman from church was looking for somebody to work with her daughter, I knew I wanted to do it. I was so excited to get to know Kate and spend time with her, and give God the opportunity to grow and stretch me.
Over the course of the summer, Kate and I have baked together, done spelling and vocab (she is sharp and has a great memory), gone on outings around town and taken public transportation, read lots of books together, written letters to friends and family, talked about God's faithfulness and trustworthiness, and grown to love each other. And about a month ago, I made an interesting realization. I no longer see Kate's disability anymore. She's just sweet, spunky, tenacious, clever, Kate. The other day she was talking a lot about an appointment she was apprehensive about, and when I was in the kitchen doing something else she started praying out loud. She understands that even though life can be scary, God's promises are true and He promises to be with us at all times.
Working with Kate has often been challenging, but also rewarding. I've loved getting to know her and developing a friendship with her mom. It has been so cool to see how God has used this twist in my projected plan for my life to stretch and teach me, and show me that His plan is always greater. I can't wait to see what other surprises He brings in the future.
I never thought I would be interested in working with people who had developmental disabilities. I had never known anyone with a disability before, and while I wasn't uncomfortable with the idea I just figured it wasn't my thing, I probably didn't have the knack. But as soon as my mom told me that a woman from church was looking for somebody to work with her daughter, I knew I wanted to do it. I was so excited to get to know Kate and spend time with her, and give God the opportunity to grow and stretch me.
Over the course of the summer, Kate and I have baked together, done spelling and vocab (she is sharp and has a great memory), gone on outings around town and taken public transportation, read lots of books together, written letters to friends and family, talked about God's faithfulness and trustworthiness, and grown to love each other. And about a month ago, I made an interesting realization. I no longer see Kate's disability anymore. She's just sweet, spunky, tenacious, clever, Kate. The other day she was talking a lot about an appointment she was apprehensive about, and when I was in the kitchen doing something else she started praying out loud. She understands that even though life can be scary, God's promises are true and He promises to be with us at all times.
Working with Kate has often been challenging, but also rewarding. I've loved getting to know her and developing a friendship with her mom. It has been so cool to see how God has used this twist in my projected plan for my life to stretch and teach me, and show me that His plan is always greater. I can't wait to see what other surprises He brings in the future.
