The Saintly Handicapped

Tonight is the friday night thing if you're wondering. We've got a little video especial. It was odd visiting St. Albans, although I didn't go inside. But imagining all those mentally ill people and the ware and tear it must have on the staff as well...well I couldn't help but weep for them. Someday...however the Lord leads...I'd like to be able to participate in the healing of such illnesses. Cause I believe it involves both body, soul, and spirit, and thus it takes wisdom and discernment to bring about full restoration. Not exactly an easy job...but mental illness in general really is the leprosy of today's world. Lepers were made to live outside the city, where no human contact was allowed from the "normal" people. They were never touched, never affirmed, nor had any hope of recovery. Until, that is, Jesus laid his hand of healing on their deformed bodies. I remember reading somewhere that pain, to them, really is a gift. They lose their sensory of pain and thus they injure themselves in accidents. Infection sets in etc. Pain is just the red light that, hey be careful, something's wrong here. There's a man that comes to get coffee at the mall. There is something obviously wrong with him. He cannot stand still; he can barely talk right. I wonder if there's anyone taking care of him. I wonder if there's anyone praying for him or knows what his real issues are. I know God has so much compassion for people like this. I imagine a parent who finds out their child has some malformity at birth. How do they feel when the person they already love so much is going to struggle unnecessarily through life, probably dying at a young age? How much more does God cherish, and fight for that life? How much more could we as Christians fight on behalf of the Lord for someone like that? I guess, if you've ever felt like that there's a grace to war. Otherwise, it'd probably suck you dry and best to do something else.