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A fall picnic . . .

14 Oct

Steve and I enjoyed a picnic yesterday.  There’s a quiet little spot that we sometimes visit where there are tall trees,  lush green grass, and various little creatures scampering about, such as deer, squirrels, birds, butterflies.  It’s a spot that caught our eye quite a few years ago, and we knew that we would eventually take time out of our busy life to truly appreciate it.  Yesterday was one of those beautiful autumn days, so we took a blanket and a picnic lunch and found our exact spot.  Behind us, we could hear the music of wind chimes blowing in the gentle breeze along with birds singing.  To our left, a squirrel was darting around looking for food, and we could smell the sweet fragrance from a nearby apple tree.  I discovered a small Praying Mantis resting on a nearby stone, and it surprised me when it jumped and flew away.  I assumed that they only prayed and moved very slowly, so I learned something that day.  We also learned that we can make the best of any situation and find beauty and peace.

Holocaust Documentary

26 Sep

There are moments when I have no words to describe my thoughts and can only shake my head in utter amazement. This week, I had one of those moments.

I received word that my little Sammy—a boy who couldn’t walk or talk—will appear on the big screen at the Heartland Film Festival, October 16-24. He will appear in the documentary “Auschwitz—If You Cried, You Died”. I know what you’re thinking, “How in the world did Sammy find his way into a documentary about the Holocaust?”

Several months before Sammy passed away, I began working with a graphic designer, Jennifer, to design a logo for Families for HoPE. During the process, she shared with me that she felt God was directing her to tell me about another project on which she was working. Of course, she was probably a little worried about what I would think, but she bravely posed the question, “Do you have any interest in the Holocaust?”

In the months prior to her question, I had begun reading a lot about how the German government in the 1930s instituted euthanasia for the systematic killing of the mentally and physically disabled. (The secret operation was code-named “Action T4″—Google it and see for yourself.) Because I had been trying to comprehend how human beings could come to the common understanding that an entire race of people should be exterminated, I had begun reading on topics such as Eugenics, Euthanasia, and Social Darwinism.

Jennifer explained that she was editing a documentary about the Holocaust which chronicles the journey of two Holocaust survivors as they revisit Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The documentary which has been distributed to high schools across the U.S. also addresses the dangers of prejudice, the value of diversity and the need to respect others. The theme of the documentary is that “we must learn from the past to protect our future”, and it addresses topics such as cruelty, bullying, and dehumanization.

There is a segment of the newly-edited version where the viewers are urged to ask themselves how they treat others based upon appearance, money, race, religion and even upon mental handicaps or physical disabilities. Then, we see Sammy’s cute little face along with a video clip of Steve and me explaining Sammy’s condition and our worries of how our precious little boy might be treated by society as he grows older.

Back to the question, “How in the world did Sammy find his way into a documentary about the Holocaust?” God called upon our “imperfect” child to be used in His Perfect Plan by bringing him into the world not to learn, but to teach.

Five things from the HPE conference . . .

14 Jul

We just wrapped up the HPE Conference, and there’s so much to tell. I’ll share more in the coming days, but here’s a few things that are especially memorable to me:

1. Sammy has a twin, and his name is Andrew! Prior to the conference, I had never seen a picture of Andrew, so I had no idea that he was a Sammy Yammy impersonator! Steve and I were able to spend a little bit of time cuddling with him, and we both intend to visit Andrew in West Virginia for more one-on-one cuddle time with him. As soon as I have a photo of him, I’ll have to share it.

2. My van was used for transporting several of the families to and from the airport, and it gives me a warm feeling whenever I drive my van now knowing that such amazing families and living miracles have had a presence there.

3. Gas prices need to come down so that I can hit the road and visit some of our families. With 43 families in attendance, it was difficult to spend much one-on-one time with anyone. Of course, two moms and I did stand outside our hotel rooms talking until 3am on Saturday morning, and that seemed to be the best way to catch me.

4. One of the siblings gave me a beaded bracelet with the word “HOPE”, and she told me how much she missed Sammy. Another sibling told me that Sammy meant a lot to her.

5. I’m exhausted, but fulfilled.

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