by Devin Bond
When I was born I was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis. It causes tumors to grow on muscles and nerve endings. When I was in the second grade my parents found that I had developed a tumor on my optic nerve. The doctors went in and did brain surgery. They got enough of the tumor for a biopsy. After my surgery I had radiation treatments to shrink the rest of the tumor. At the end of all this, the doctor said I was legally blind and would never get any of my vision back. My parents were devastated. But my “Mawma”, who is my Grandma, told my parents not to listen to the doctors. She said to pray and put their faith in God to heal me. Sure enough “Mawma” was right! By the healing hand of God I slowly got some of my vision back. Growing up with my vision disability I struggled through school. My Mom and Dad fought the school every year to provide me with the large print and reading materials I needed to have the same level of education as other children at my school. Unfortunately the school did not always do what they were supposed to. I would come home everyday with headaches due to eyestrain trying to read normal print books and worksheets. |
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I have had many people ask me that while I was growing up, and even today, why I can’t get glasses to correct my vision. I simply tell them that it’s not my eyes that are damaged, my optic nerve was damaged from the tumor. Growing up in a church going family I knew who Jesus was. I learned who Jesus was in Sunday school. That he died on the cross for us so we could be saved, and that he really loved us. It was not until I got older that I truly knew Jesus, and understood what it meant to be saved. I truly came to know Jesus when I was about 13. I was taking confirmation classes at my old church. During the time I was in confirmation class I learned a lot of things I did not learn in Sunday school. After I finished my confirmation classes I was baptized at the churches altar. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and my life got much better. The first thing I noticed after I received Christ was that I began to have an inexplicable desire to read the Bible. Years earlier, I was too young to understand the word of God. The second thing I noticed was that I had been given deep love for everyone including people I’ve never even met. This isn’t an emotional love, but it’s a love that gives me a deep concern for the mental, physical, and spiritual well being of others. Enough love that I am willing to sacrifice my time, money, effort, and prayers, for the benefit of others. Of course my love is not perfect, if it was I’d give everything I have. Around this time I was starting Middle school and I got involved in band. I play the trumpet up to my junior year in high school when I went to the vocational school and studied graphic arts. Even in middle and high school the teacher failed to provide me with the materials I needed to get an equal education with other students. The two years I was at vocational school were the best two years of school I ever had. All the teachers provided me with the reading and visual aids I needed. If they forgot to enlarge a test for me they would take me out in the hall and read it to me. Finally, I was in a school that felt like God was at work in. After graduation from high school, I headed off to college at Hocking College in Nelsonville Ohio. I met and became very good friends with Roger Crigger and his family. I spent two years at college and lost my funding due to the fall of the economy and I was left two classes short of my associate degree. Not too long after I left Hocking College my “Pawpa”, grandpa passed away. He had gotten worse over the past few years but we knew he was no longer suffering and he was with the Lord. He had been a Godly man his whole life. Looking back now, “Pawpa” was more of a father to my brother and I than my real father had been to us. I started working at a restaurant called Roosters. People there treated me like dirt because I was a slow worker. No matter how badly I was treated, I had God in my life and that is what kept me going. Finally I gave that job up when I was able to get on SSI disability. |
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