Abi Loves Going to Family Retreat to Make New Friends

During her first year of life, Abi developed typically. Her mother, Erica, who was then in an abusive marriage, didn’t understand why Abi’s development hit a dramatic slowdown.

A series of tests when Abi was one year old revealed that she had cerebral palsy. Erica later learned that her daughter’s development had been permanently changed following a trauma caused by a family member. Shocked, Erica cried out to God, desperate for answers.

With the help of her mother, who assured her that God loves Abi even more than she can, Erica began to trust Him with her daughter’s journey. With growing faith, Erica saw God working in Abi’s life. Erica recalls coming home from an appointment where doctors predicted that Abi would never speak…

“Suddenly, Abi started to talk!” Erica remembers. “She talked for eight hours straight!! She didn’t stop!!! She was almost two and had so much to say! I sat there and just cried! God is bigger than the doctors!”

Now, thirteen years later, Kevin and Erica’s family is thriving as they navigate Abi’s disability with Jesus at the center of their lives. While she uses a wheelchair, has limited use of her hands, and endures chronic migraines and ongoing surgeries, Abi is a strong Christian who loves to talk with friends on the phone, paint, and go to the local coffee house. A social butterfly who loves Jesus with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength, Abi has no fear sharing the Gospel with anyone she meets.

As Erica says, “Abi loves going to Family Retreat because she gets to see her friends and make new friends! She loves being outside in God’s creation. And last year’s wheelchair races on the go-cart racetrack were incredible. She had so much fun!”

Erica loves the fellowship, too! As she says, “Talking to other parents who I can relate to is so refreshing and soothing to my soul! I really don’t think my friends understand how much I need to talk about my struggles of taking care of a child with a disability. I never complain about it because I believe Abi is a gift, but sometimes I need to vent or need to just talk about it.”

Erica and Kevin’s friends at Family Retreat understand life with disability. They pray together and cry together without judgement.

“It’s so precious!” Erica says. “I love the time of growing in Christ together and the refreshment! We look forward to it every summer!”

You can make a life-changing difference for families living with disability!

Erica wants supporters of Joni and Friends to know how important Family Retreat has been to her—and encourage you to make it possible for others to experience the same blessing.

“I don’t even know how to tell you how much of a blessing Family Retreat is to my family! It has truly changed our lives! We have grown in our walks with the Lord, in our relationships with each other, and our desires to reach the world for Jesus Christ! Please consider helping others who need this time of rest, refreshment and restoration in their Savior Jesus!”