Encouragement

---

On the 4th day of October in the year of nineteen hundred and fifty nine God placed a very special and wonderful person in my life. My parents came home from the hospital with a little baby brother for me. They had named him Alfred after my father's younger brother. This baby boy was born with Downs Syndrome and my parents were told by medical professionals to have him put away because he would never be able to walk and talk. They were also told that he would most likely die before his twelve birthday. It took a little longer but this special little child by the grace of God began not only to form words but he also began to walk and run like other little children. As we began to get older, we became more than brothers; we were the best of friends. In fact, when we were growing up if you saw one of us, you seen the other. When I went outside to play with other children, my mother would say take your brother out with you. This little fella could not read or write and he was too fragile to participate in a lot of the games that we played but he was accepted by all of my friends. Years later, I would learn that a few of my friends had a brother or a sister with Downs Syndrome or something similar but they were always hidden away in the house because their families were ashamed of them. My godly mother was main streaming my brother before main streaming ever became popular. Although he was never allowed to travel alone Alfred went places and met people. He lived with my mother until she went home to be with the Lord in 2001. My sweet wife packed up his belongings and welcomed him into our home. She loved him as if he was her very own son; and he loved her like a mother. When I consider all the obstacles that were placed before him, I realized that every day of his life was a miracle. In fact, a fifty-three year miracle. Please allow me to wipe away a few tears. I had to perform CPR on him this morning. It is not looking good he is in ICU on a ventilator. He learned many things over the years. I am so happy that he learned how to say I love Jesus!

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR