Humbled by Angel Boy Art

If anyone on occasion happens to watch ABC's 'Extreme Home Makeover', you will take note on various tragic stories affecting families, and sooner or later a particular episode (or two) will bring tears to your eyes.

Such was the case of the story of Louis Vitale Jr. of Vermont. When born, he was not expected to live due to a debilitating birth defect. Louis Jr. has since survived the first few critical days of life, and currently at age 2 now lives with his mother, father, and brother (who is 5).

Louis Jr. is considered a 'special needs' child and is fed through a stoma in his stomach, and needs help breathing from a stoma in his trachea. He is wheel chair bound and has limited mobility, slightly disfigured, and may never talk.

Within the first 2-3 minutes of the show, I and my wife were heartbroken. Here I sit in my home worrying about the day to day minutiae that may or may not come to pass, and here this little boy is born into a loving family who parents have the courage of reinforced steel, and he suffers daily.

As therapy, his parents started Angel Boy Art where special needs children like Louis Vitale Jr. can express themselves through art, because of all the other difficulties they suffer. It truly is an amazing story and I encourage you to visit their gallery here, and maybe pick up a print or learn more about Louis Jr., his family and the whole Angel Boy Art project.

However I couldn't help think back to the old non-beleiver argument of "If there is a God of love, why do innocents suffer?" I admit, I think of this as well. Everytime I turn on the news and I see a child or animal born into heinous circumstances and wonder to myself: "Why would God allow this?" These thoughts are then followed up my my own self-guilt and shame for complaining about things that compared to Louis Jr. are trivial. Then in my head I often make bold assumptions: "Well, this should be a one-way ticket to heaven if there ever was one", or "I hope Jesus takes care of them for all the crap they didn't ask for down here in this cesspool".

I have mixed emotions as well: anger, sadness, frustration, empathy, guilt, compassion and much more, but they are so jumbled up inside.

I watched this show for its 1 hour (minus commercials) and I was a wreck as a deplorable human being. And then I thought this poor boy is like this 24 hours a day, for over two years, and who knows how many more years to come?

Louis Vitale Sr., the father then put me in my place as only I hope I can achieve one day in my spiritual thinking: "I learn from my son everyday. There is a reason for this. The reason being that Louis Jr. is a teacher, and he teaches everyone who comes into contact with him on how to be a better person.".......

.......

Ug, like a hammer to the chest, I sit humbled though still confused and distraught why a God of Love allows for this to happen. Louis Jr., does indeed teach people every day. He teaches them compassion, like an animal, he teaches unconditional love despite his short comings and obstacles. Somewhere inside each of us, the Holy Spirit makes himself known as we despretely groan inside for the boys comfort and ease of pain. We thank God that we are healthy, and we want to pray for others sufferings and salvation. Perhaps Louis Jr., will inadvertantly bring some who are on the fence closer to God. Maybe he will remind us how feable we all are. I can go on and on here, but I think you get the gist. At least I think I got the gist, though I wonder if there are other ways God could go about it.

But then I think back to original sin. God did not want any of his children or creations to suffer, and someday, again, He will wipe away all tears and we will be filled with unyielding joyfulness. It was mans arrogance that brought us into our sinful nature, and despite all the evil and 'bad' things that happen, Christ gives us a choice. We have fallen, but He wants to help all of us back up...not to be our crutch in the world...but to look forward to the day when all this earthly pain and suffering is finally over. It is up to each and every one of us to make that decision within our own hearts.

Jesus, Thank You so much for Louis Jr....he reminded me once again that my stuff is of a selfish nature. Louis Jr. has brought me once again before you to pray for children everywhere, and those of my friends and family and non-believers. He reminds me of unconditional love, and how great parents and communities can indeed be when they look past the problems right in their face, and base everything they do on faith!