A New Friendship at Family Retreat
Kate Walsh is an intern with the Joni and Friends Marketing department and a student at Wheaton College. As part of her internship experience, Kate volunteered at our Michigan Family Retreat. And she came home with a beautiful story to tell about befriending a woman named Randi and her mother, Pat.
Hear from Kate…
Sitting alone in my bedroom, finishing my morning devotions on the first day of Family Retreat, I wondered if I should have come. Mostly, I felt unsure. I had never volunteered at a Family Retreat, and I had no experience in disability ministry. The family I was partnered with seemed wonderful—the day before, I had been assigned to Pat and her daughter Randi, a 30-year-old woman with Down syndrome. I did not doubt Randi, but myself. What if we didn’t get along? What if I wasn’t a good buddy?
As I wrestled with my uncertainty, I remembered the words a Family Retreat staff member had prayed over me the night before. She prayed that I would be a friend to Randi. As I finished my devotions and assembled my cowboy costume for the family welcome, I decided that, if anything, I would try to be a good friend.
When Randi and I first met, she instantly calmed my fear. As I walked with her toward her lodging, she smiled at me and said,
“I like buddy hugs if you do.”
After exchanging a sweet hug, Randi began to tell me about herself. As she spoke, I realized that she was going to be a good friend to me. And getting to know Randi and Pat throughout Family Retreat turned out to be a fun and rewarding adventure.
Finding a New Friend
As I learned more about Randi, I was struck by how openly she loves things. The most important is her faith; after we met, she pointed to herself emphatically and declared:
“I am a Christian of God and baptized.”
Randi’s commitment to God sharpened my own—every time we faced a challenge that week, Randi’s first decision was to pray. It had been a while since I had prayed so much!
Randi also loves her job—she works at a carry-out place called Gus’s, where she helps to prepare the store, make food, and serve customers. Even though she was not working, Randi still wore her black Gus’s cap all week, proudly explaining to her many friends at Family Retreat that her store sold delicious pizza, chicken, and ribs!
Randi’s job is extra special because she works there with her dad and brother. Randi’s family is supportive and loving, and she is devoted to them. Whenever she tries something new, she dedicates it to her family. During retreat week, she rode a horse for her dad and drove a pontoon boat for her brother!
As I became acquainted with Randi’s mom, Pat, I could see how she has deeply impacted her daughter. Pat is a kind, patient, God-fearing woman. Always an encourager, she gently pushed Randi to try new things, whether that was riding a bigger horse or cutting her hair into a pixie cut like Halle Berry! She was constantly praying for Randi. And through prayer, she encouraged me too, directing my heart toward God at every mealtime.
Fun and Belonging at Family Retreat
From the beginning, I could see that Randi loves Family Retreat. As Pat told me jokingly,
“She starts asking when we are coming back about a week after we leave!”
By the time the week ended, I understood why Randi looks forward to Family Retreat so much! Our time together was very active and filled with fun activities that were perfect for Randi’s needs and interests.
Because she is a big animal lover, Randi prioritizes the petting zoo. As we knelt beside the animals, we burrowed our hands into the soft fur of bunnies, the coarse hair of billy goats, and the silky feathers of roosters. Even though I was frightened, Randi cheered me on until I petted a cow too. The entire experience was sweet and fun, but the best part was hearing Randi’s constant giggle. Her laugh didn’t stop once!
The most anticipated activity of the week was the talent show. It didn’t take me long to realize that Randi was a Family Retreat celebrity—everyone we met told me to look forward to her performance.
Since her first year, Randi has hula hooped at every talent show. Twirling to a musical piece, Randi completes her number with hand motions and a finishing pose!
This year, she hula hooped to Sarah Evan’s crooning ballad “No Place That Far,” bringing the whole crowd to applause by the end of her routine! That night, she was the star of the show!
Although Randi and I enjoyed all of the activities, we both appreciated having a new friend more than anything. Friendship, Pat told me, is really what keeps them coming back. She said:
“Randi loves it so much—it’s a nice getaway for me, but mostly I know she really enjoys it. She likes the attention she gets. She gets to do some things she doesn’t normally get to do. She really loves befriending her volunteer buddy. That’s very special. She gets a friend that’s devoted to her for four days.”
This year, Family Retreat provided a fun, safe space of friendship for both of us. By the end of the week, Randi and I were excited to meet again next year. Like Randi, the friendship is ultimately what will bring me back.
Serve with Us at Family Retreat!
When you intern or volunteer with Joni and Friends, God will work through you to serve families living with disability—and he will also work in your life, deepening your faith and joy!
