Be Kind To The Needy

It’s not often I’m fighting mad, but I sure was the other day!

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I’m good friends with several quadriplegics who depend on Medicaid, as well as Medicare. One friend is named Jaime, and she is more disabled than I am. She can only move her head and so, when she sits up in her power wheelchair, she depends heavily on her chin control device to operate it. It’s the power unit that fits under her chin so that, when she moves her head either to the left or right, she can turn her wheelchair to the left or right. I’ve watched Jaime move her wheelchair this way and that, to turn and greet people, to go from one room to the other, to wheel down the sidewalk across the street down to the mall, with her grandkids on either side. She’s able to shop at the grocery store with her helper; she wheels up to her desk; she uses her power wheelchair to go on picnics and outings and to church. For as paralyzed as Jaime is – remember, she cannot move her arms at all – for as limited as she is, Jaime really depends on her power wheelchair with its chin control to get around. For her, it means everything, that wheelchair. It gives her independence, as well as a feeling of freedom and dignity. It’s the one thing she can do for herself.

However, this old power wheelchair with its chin control has been in serious need of repair for a long time. And so Jaime applied for help from Medicaid and Medicare – could they please underwrite the costs for repairs? Or even a new chin control? My friend was very disappointed when she was turned down the first go-round; and so, I helped Jaime write a letter of appeal so they could review her case. And man, I was so upset. Actually, no, I was fighting mad when they declined to help. The government basically told her that she did not need the chin control, or for that matter, the power wheelchair. But they would be willing to underwrite a manual pushchair. Like, what?! A manual chair ain’t gonna help; Jaime wouldn’t be able to move or do anything that would give her independence.

Thankfully, Jaime’s church heard about her plight and chipped in. Her congregation is financially underwriting the cost of the repairs needed for her power wheelchair and chin control. And I was so very happy when I learned this. Proverbs 14:31 says that he who is kind to the needy honors God. Jaime’s desperate need was a wake-up call to her congregation. Her need gave her church an opportunity to serve in a wonderfully practical way, all to the glory of God. Because we know how much God cares for the truly needy.

Friend, this is just one example of how a church can make a huge difference in the life of someone with a disability. Because Jaime’s situation is far more common than you would think. And her story fits so well with this being the week we focus on the sanctity of life. Because to be pro-life means to go far beyond the womb, doesn’t it? Jaime’s need gave a great opportunity for her church to show its pro-life colors to the community, and that gives glory to God! Like I said, Jaime’s situation is not uncommon; there are so many like her out there. And your church can help them. And Joni and Friends has lots of great church resources that you can share with your leadership; just go to joniradio.org where we have placed a link to our church training page. Oh, and while you’re there, get all the details on our new Pray for Life Bible. It’ll strengthen your pro-life convictions directly from the Word of God. We have it all right there for you today at joniradio.org. And, oh, one more thing, please. Pray for my friend Jaime, would you? And ask God that this wheelchair and her chin control holds up for years to come.

© Joni and Friends