“Are you going to have an Isaac. This was the question asked by a concerned sister when my Sarah was in the operation theatre for the delivery of our second child. “If not Isaac, we shall be happy to get a Rebecca.” was my reply. Thus came our beautiful 3.3 k.8 bundle of joy and blessing into our family.
When the doctors told me that they suspected Rebecca to be a Down Syndrome child, I was not greatly moved. Deep down in my heart, I had the concrete confidence that this child is a gift from God and nothing can go wrong and whatever has happened has to be definitely in the plan of God. But any way without saying anything about this to my wife, I started to fast and pray during the day. After 11 days the Lord very clearly confirmed to me that Rebecca was His best gift given to us for his glory.
Then I shared the news with my wife Sara and she was able to take it quietly but with mixed feelings. Let us listen to what she says about her feelings.
Little did I realize as I strummed my guitar and sang with all my heart, “Through it all………I ‘ve learnt to trust in Jesus. I ‘ve learnt to depend upon His word” was going to be a song of my own testimony. I was singing this song to the nurses sitting on the bed in the Martha’s hospital. Even three days after her birth, Rebecca neither opened her eyes nor cried. She seemed to sleep all the time. The nurses showed much love to her and called her China doll.
Very soon I learnt that I have become a special mother. I answered with a courageous smile the countless questions asked by the visitors who were ignorant of the fact. But at times I had wept before the Lord, as deep within me I was gripped with the fear of how I would cope-up with a Special Needs child. But as the baby grew up, I learnt that the such a child does not bring terror and fear, instead he or she brings courage and love to those around.
We started training her and disciplining her in many ways. She is keeping very good health as against what the doctors predicted. She has a very good understanding of things concerning food and her daily needs. Though she struggles with words, she is able to express her feelings thro’ her eyes and actions. She likes music very much. She very quickly learns the actions of the songs which we teach her.
Rebecca is very patient, kind, loving, affectionate and even more gentle than normal children. She has given us the very things we lacked: courage, patience and love towards other Special Needs children and the motivation to reach other parents of such children. She has changed me into a better wife, mother, friend and a compassionate Christians.
Our elder daughter Ruth is a rare gem of a gift to us given by God specially to cope with Rebecca. Even from the time Ruth was five, she started taking care of her special sister in daily chores such as feeding, changing the nappies, playing and putting her to sleep.
We have accepted Rebecca as a treasure from heaven. She has enriched our life much more than any other normal intelligent child could have done. It must have pleased God to entrust such a child into our hands for a special purpose. We shall continue to pour out our love and cherish over this gift as long as God lets her remain with us”.
This article titled “Rebecca the syndrome of Joy was written for March-April 1994 issue of the magazine Family Foundation by Chandrakumar and Sarah who are involved in their “Salt and Shine”
ministries and are based in Bangalore. Mr. Chandrakumar an Engineer by profession has made Evangelism his vocation.
