Crossroads is a centre based day program for people who have a physical or intellectual disability - many have both. And I helped care for them. A few student leaders from a private school visited Crossroads to check out the place before their band visited. One of the student leaders struggled emotionally with what she saw. Very confronting.
Alf (not his real name) is a tall, well built, good looking young man. He has conditions from which he will not recover. These didn't stop him from taking the role of chaperone of the students. He noticed the tears of this student as she watched folk with chronic illnesses participate to the best of their ability. Then, on the big day, as the students led the worship service, Alf turned to this same student whose tears he remembered, wagged his finger under her nose and said very seriously, "Now you're not gunna cry again are ya!" The school Chaplain had a good laugh over this.
Alf was quite definite about his instruction to the student. What overwhelmed her was no big deal for Alf. He lives with stuff like this every day...and night. A way of life about which the students knew absolutely nothing. They had no idea how people coped with painful and chronic limitations. And to be fair, how could they? But their visit did reassess what really mattered.As I write this, I recall saying to our Crossroads volunteers how important it is to treat our guests with care and respect. It's all too easy to join them with conditions affecting us and our families. Now I'm legally blind along with arthritis throughout my old body. Surely it couldn't happen to me - well, it did. And I am still coming to grips with it all. I thank God for my family who really understand this.