Pain=Gain: How my greatest burden became my lightest load
“What did you and your husband do … what sins did you commit that caused your son to go blind?”
That question came out of the proverbial “no where” from this religious-acting woman while I was escorting my three young children into church to their Sunday school classes. She was one of their teachers. That changed.
The reaction: There were gasps and looks of surprise from my fellow church members, many of whom had just offered words of encouragement and comfort for our return to Sunday school after my son’s seven eye surgeries. His detached retinas were not saved. At age 8, John Charles Kimbrough, became blind. New vision was on its way.
That now-ex church member’s words were shocking. Her intentions hurt real deep. That moment-in-time captures what my family and I experienced. Those insensitive words were matched by years of acts and words of unkindness from others. It began years earlier during John’s tumultuous health journey from 3 months old when he contracted life-threatening meningitis. It sent his immune system into a negative spiral, impacting his hearing and respiratory system. However, the biggest blows of negativity from our village came once John lost eyesight. That’s when the birthday party invitations from close friends and family members abruptly ended for him while continuing for…
