Kristy and her Children Found Refreshment at Family Retreat
“God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”
Psalm 68:6
Kristy understands the power of new beginnings.
After having three biological children and one adopted son who are now grown and on their own, she has given a new beginning to six children through adoption.
Kristy always loved children and wanted a big family. Her medical background positioned her well to foster and then adopt babies with significant needs.
While she was not actively seeking out children with disabilities, she explains, “God had other plans!”
Now a single mother of her ten children—with six living at home—Kristy found herself in need of a new beginning, too.
The day-to-day demands of parenting a house full of children are challenging enough, but when disability is added to the mix, emotions can get raw and thin, and the need for respite becomes critical. Take a look at what Jesus did for Kristy and her family at Family Retreat…
Kristy’s family includes Wyatt and Jemma, who are both double-leg amputees adopted from China, and Cody, who has a genetic syndrome that causes cognitive, behavioral, sensory processing, and developmental disabilities. Like Cody, eleven-year-old Havyn has intensive needs.
Since Havyn was adopted from a Chinese orphanage at the age of two, Kristy explains that it is often hard to differentiate whether her behavior is a result of her disability or past trauma.
Havyn spent the first two years of her life severely neglected, malnourished, and on her back.
Havyn has a genetic chromatic abnormality: a microdeletion of her chromosomes that resulted in cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and hearing loss. Havyn is non-verbal, has sensory processing issues, and requires a G-tube for feeding because of low muscle tone, which affects both chewing and swallowing. She has to wear soft gloves at all times to protect her from self-harm. She requires constant supervision because she will get into anything and everything, endangering herself and others.
Doctors told Kristy that Havyn would be antisocial for the rest of her life, but that is far from the case. And she loved her experience at Family Retreat.
As Kristy says, “She loves people! She’s in your face and in your space!”
Kristy shared that her entire family thrived amid the Joni and Friends community. When Kristy asked her eldest daughter, Jade, what she loved about Family Retreat, Jade agreed.
“Mom, it’s the people. Everyone is so nice, and they talk to you and want to be with you.”
Family Retreat was a powerful new beginning for Jade and her typical siblings who normally experience the seclusion that comes with having brothers and sisters with disabilities. Kristy put it this way:
“At Family Retreat, I felt that my neurotypical kids could go and be kids for once. Any time we go anywhere, they have to step in and help. But here, they don’t have to! They can be kids and enjoy themselves, and I know they will be taken care of. To have people volunteer and want to help us—people who choose to spend their week with us this way—it’s huge!
All of my kids have been poured into. Even the neurotypical siblings have a partner with them. I’ve heard people praying with them, talking about Scripture with them, sharing life lessons and the Bible. At Family Retreat, you’re not just getting to go out and have fun on the water. You’re also being fed in your soul.”
At the end of Family Retreat, Kristy and her children expressed their gratitude. They also said they can’t wait to come back next year…
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8
You can make it possible for families like Kristy’s to find connection, refreshment, and joy at Family Retreat.
Donate to Joni and Friends!
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