Pediatrician Screening Flunked . Excuse #2.
I have recently been impressed with the FACT that there is NO good time to become a missionary. I mean if you are single, you may want a spouse. If you are recently married, you may need “time”. If you are having children……well who would want to expose them to a third world environment? If you have teens, will you dare disrupt their life? Careers. Security. Retirement plans. Sick parents. Special Educational needs. Personal sickness. Mid age and being away from your young adult kids and emerging grandbabies. Retirement age and then parents back home are more in need then ever of your care. When can one “Go” and it be the “RIGHT” time? NEVER. Except when God calls, He makes up for the lack, the unknown, the need and the EXCUSES. I hope to tackle some of these missionary “Excuses” by talking with current missionaries, in the field, who authentically had/have great excuses. I think we are about to happen upon some of the greatest stories to be told………
Jill and I literally RAN into each other. Both of us in a random city, stretching our brains, and desperate to stretch our bodies from endless sitting equaled 6:00 a.m. morning runs. We discovered that we preferred a slow but steady pace and that distractive talking was a great way to pass 30 minutes, rather then focus on not being able to finish the exercise goal of the day. So these facts brought us together. She a physician. I a nurse. Both of us, mother’s of four. Each with our stories. The more I ran with Jill, the more I knew that her story needed to be told. One more excuse that one could not “go”. Defying logic they went.
Both Jill and her husband are physicians. Jill is a Pediatrician. Early in their marriage they did lots of short term mission trips. Eventually they began to lead short term mission trips for their church. They decided that they wanted to adopt a child from Russia. On the application, they stated that they were open to adopting two children. Jill can still remember it so clearly, sitting at a Starbucks with her husband on a Valentines Day, and learning that in one week they had been approved to come and get 2 girls. Quickly they purchased clothes and made everything ready. Upon arriving in Russia seven babies were put in front of them, in a row, on a bed. They were asked to choose. Which was so difficult. What happened to the two approved of girls? All the babies were six months old. A baby boy looked up at them and smiled. He had locked arms with the little girl next to him. That did it. They were the chosen ones.
When the adopted children were one year old, Jill and her husband led yet another short term mission trip to Cambodia with their kids in tow. Toddlers changed everything. It was that trip that helped Jill and her husband decide that they either needed to go or stay. No more short term stuff. Either they were going to commit to full time missions or stay home and minister locally. They also felt like they didn’t have all the tools needed to address a foreign communities health needs. Her husband was passionate that they not be careless in their mission work and throw out “Junk for Jesus”. Longing for a masters in Public health, this duo physician team prayed for open doors.
Having two adopted children the same age, Jill couldn’t help compare their development. She stated that the little boy seemed to be missing milestones, and his “sister” was the control or example to which she could compare. Also her pediatrician knowledge kicked in. At 18 months old, Jill did a routine pediatrician screening on her son and he flunked. The diagnosis, Autism. Will was always cuddly and good at relationships, which many autistic children lack. Confirmed diagnosis through testing led Jill to a new learning curve. Speech and occupational therapy became daily activities.
When someone heard of Jill and Mike’s vision and desire to go back to school and overseas , this individual sponsored a foundation. This foundation would fund Jill and her husband to attend a 9 month public health program at Harvard University. So moving their family (now the adopted children were three years old and they also had a one year old girl) to Boston, they lived downtown. Jill said the next 9 months were really difficult. They hired a Nanny for 3 days a week and with no car embraced this educational opportunity, as much as one can with two 3 year olds and a 1 year old.
As a call to Cambodia came into view…..many people warned Jill and her husband that this was a “dangerous move” with their little autistic boy. There would not be all the special educational services and special therapies. But when God calls……logic is defied and trust becomes necessary.
3 months after finishing at Harvard, they were on their way to Cambodia. Now 7 years later Jill looks back reflectively. She is really, really encouraged by how well Will has done in this third world setting. He is now a thriving 12 year old, who has thrived in the routine of Cambodia mission life. Despite mission life being filled with transitions and change, this has really helped Will. Where normally autistic children struggle with instability and the unexpected. Will has adapted. At his international School, Will fits in, because of the 8 boys in his class…..he is amidst boys of 5 different cultures. There are no social norms. Will has never been bullied or mocked. If Will were still in the states, he would have been treated as an outsider. Jill sees all of this as the Grace of God. She states, “This should fuel my trust in God for whatever!”
Having an autistic child has become one of Jill’s passions. She has learned through experience that hard work and heavy engagement from the parents, really makes a big difference in these kids lives. She challenges us to embrace our kids challenges and throw ourselves into it. To see their uniqueness as a blessing and to not loose hope. Too minimize the child’s weakness and to find the things they excel at. To find their strengths and challenge them.
Jill also feels that having a child with autism has helped to break the “perfect” mold in her. The mold of having “perfect” kids and her “perfect” plan. Besides mothering her (now) 4 children, Jill works as the attending pediatric doctor in a Cambodian hospital. She also teaches 30 resident doctors. They deal with sensitive subjects like sexual abuse, trafficking and child abuse. She is trying to create a paradigm shift in how the Cambodian doctors evaluate and act towards these abused children. She said they want to treat this issue like an ear infection and not ask the difficult questions.
So are they ready to move home and toss in the towel on their surely completed mission service? Not at all. This family is committed and thriving. Marveling in God’s perfect plan for a toddler who flunked his 18 month old screening. To now an almost thriving teenager. This family presses forward, glad that they kicked excuses aside and listened to the heart call of God’s plan. Jill, let’s run on! Separately, in different countries, yet we will RUN.
Jill and I literally RAN into each other. Both of us in a random city, stretching our brains, and desperate to stretch our bodies from endless sitting equaled 6:00 a.m. morning runs. We discovered that we preferred a slow but steady pace and that distractive talking was a great way to pass 30 minutes, rather then focus on not being able to finish the exercise goal of the day. So these facts brought us together. She a physician. I a nurse. Both of us, mother’s of four. Each with our stories. The more I ran with Jill, the more I knew that her story needed to be told. One more excuse that one could not “go”. Defying logic they went.
Both Jill and her husband are physicians. Jill is a Pediatrician. Early in their marriage they did lots of short term mission trips. Eventually they began to lead short term mission trips for their church. They decided that they wanted to adopt a child from Russia. On the application, they stated that they were open to adopting two children. Jill can still remember it so clearly, sitting at a Starbucks with her husband on a Valentines Day, and learning that in one week they had been approved to come and get 2 girls. Quickly they purchased clothes and made everything ready. Upon arriving in Russia seven babies were put in front of them, in a row, on a bed. They were asked to choose. Which was so difficult. What happened to the two approved of girls? All the babies were six months old. A baby boy looked up at them and smiled. He had locked arms with the little girl next to him. That did it. They were the chosen ones.
When the adopted children were one year old, Jill and her husband led yet another short term mission trip to Cambodia with their kids in tow. Toddlers changed everything. It was that trip that helped Jill and her husband decide that they either needed to go or stay. No more short term stuff. Either they were going to commit to full time missions or stay home and minister locally. They also felt like they didn’t have all the tools needed to address a foreign communities health needs. Her husband was passionate that they not be careless in their mission work and throw out “Junk for Jesus”. Longing for a masters in Public health, this duo physician team prayed for open doors.
Having two adopted children the same age, Jill couldn’t help compare their development. She stated that the little boy seemed to be missing milestones, and his “sister” was the control or example to which she could compare. Also her pediatrician knowledge kicked in. At 18 months old, Jill did a routine pediatrician screening on her son and he flunked. The diagnosis, Autism. Will was always cuddly and good at relationships, which many autistic children lack. Confirmed diagnosis through testing led Jill to a new learning curve. Speech and occupational therapy became daily activities.
When someone heard of Jill and Mike’s vision and desire to go back to school and overseas , this individual sponsored a foundation. This foundation would fund Jill and her husband to attend a 9 month public health program at Harvard University. So moving their family (now the adopted children were three years old and they also had a one year old girl) to Boston, they lived downtown. Jill said the next 9 months were really difficult. They hired a Nanny for 3 days a week and with no car embraced this educational opportunity, as much as one can with two 3 year olds and a 1 year old.
As a call to Cambodia came into view…..many people warned Jill and her husband that this was a “dangerous move” with their little autistic boy. There would not be all the special educational services and special therapies. But when God calls……logic is defied and trust becomes necessary.
3 months after finishing at Harvard, they were on their way to Cambodia. Now 7 years later Jill looks back reflectively. She is really, really encouraged by how well Will has done in this third world setting. He is now a thriving 12 year old, who has thrived in the routine of Cambodia mission life. Despite mission life being filled with transitions and change, this has really helped Will. Where normally autistic children struggle with instability and the unexpected. Will has adapted. At his international School, Will fits in, because of the 8 boys in his class…..he is amidst boys of 5 different cultures. There are no social norms. Will has never been bullied or mocked. If Will were still in the states, he would have been treated as an outsider. Jill sees all of this as the Grace of God. She states, “This should fuel my trust in God for whatever!”
Having an autistic child has become one of Jill’s passions. She has learned through experience that hard work and heavy engagement from the parents, really makes a big difference in these kids lives. She challenges us to embrace our kids challenges and throw ourselves into it. To see their uniqueness as a blessing and to not loose hope. Too minimize the child’s weakness and to find the things they excel at. To find their strengths and challenge them.
Jill also feels that having a child with autism has helped to break the “perfect” mold in her. The mold of having “perfect” kids and her “perfect” plan. Besides mothering her (now) 4 children, Jill works as the attending pediatric doctor in a Cambodian hospital. She also teaches 30 resident doctors. They deal with sensitive subjects like sexual abuse, trafficking and child abuse. She is trying to create a paradigm shift in how the Cambodian doctors evaluate and act towards these abused children. She said they want to treat this issue like an ear infection and not ask the difficult questions.
So are they ready to move home and toss in the towel on their surely completed mission service? Not at all. This family is committed and thriving. Marveling in God’s perfect plan for a toddler who flunked his 18 month old screening. To now an almost thriving teenager. This family presses forward, glad that they kicked excuses aside and listened to the heart call of God’s plan. Jill, let’s run on! Separately, in different countries, yet we will RUN.
Loved reading Jill's story! Curious where you met her?
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