Thoughts on Her Serving Persons with Disabilities

 

Nerissa and I were in Tabaco City a couple of weeks ago.  I facilitated the 2-day strategic planning of the City Federation of Differently-Abled People of Tabaco, Inc.

The day before the strategic planning, Nerissa spoke about the barriers faced by persons with disabilities, such as physical, institutional, and cultural barriers during their opening program of the 48^th National Disability Rights Week.

Two things come to mind every time I watch Nerissa ably and sincerely perform her duties as a barangay, municipal federation, and provincial federation persons with disabilities officer and as a psychosocial services resource person for persons with disabilities.

 

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD

First, I remember the period when I was still seriously considering pursuing and marrying a person with a chronic illness.  One conversation with a godly Christian friend, kuya Ellis, helped me in my decision.  At that crucial moment, he reminded me that only God holds our future.  We try to avoid someone with a dire physical condition because of fear, so we naturally prefer a person who has no health issues.

However, we can marry a perfectly healthy person but after a year or so, that person may suddenly acquire a life-threatening illness.  So, we really can’t tell.  It boils down to how willing we are to love a person in sickness and in health and if we can see the person as a partner in fulfilling God’s plan for our lives.  It really boils down to faith.  “Without faith, it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6).  How far can I trust God and how far can I trust God to walk with, and provide for, me and the person I love?

 

THORN IN THE FLESH

There is a second thing that comes to mind whenever I see how far Nerissa has gone in serving people with special needs, given her own physical vulnerability.  Why didn’t God heal Nerissa?  Why does she have to live with a chronic illness?  Some friends may even wonder why I have not desperately prayed for healing nor searched for some miracle cure.

I remember Paul and his thorn in the flesh, something that he said was “a messenger of Satan buffet” him (2 Cor. 12:7-10, NKJV).  I first learned about this passage in college when a pastor pointed out that Paul did not specifically write what the thorn in his flesh was.  Like Paul, we may have this thorn in the flesh that we ask God three (or a hundred times) to take away from us but He doesn’t, in order to show us “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  

Nerissa’s chronic illness causes her physical pain during periods of her life, but it is this same thorn in her flesh that God has used so she can enter the circle of persons with disabilities to empathize and sincerely love and serve others who literally have thorns in their flesh.

 

IT’S HER BIRTHDAY

               It is Nerissa’s birthday today.  The woman who has a chronic illness completed another year and braces for yet another year.  Only God holds and numbers our days.  We only need to believe that He will see us through our pains and He desires to use us not only despite our thorns, but even BECAUSE of these same thorns.

               Happy Birthday, Nerissa!  Pa-burger ka naman.