The Answer to Their “Why?”

12/27/18

July 1991

The air we breathe every day gives us life to do the things we expect to do that day. Soberly, I sit down to write, with thoughts of others who are going through many of the same things I went through, but they have a different prognosis right this very minute. I find myself reviewing the previous article because the question is so fresh on my mind, and yet those around me going through this only get the words, “I am praying for you and the family, and so sorry you are having to go through this.” Now why can I not take their pain away or give them any other words of encouragement? Because I do not know the answer to their “why,” and any words expressed to them show them I care, I am thinking of them, I want to do something, I … There is comfort in the knowledge that there are others that want to change the circumstances for you. It really makes it hard to move on from these thoughts, yet I know that my God gave me a story to share, and in that story He had given us some encouraging times that we will never forget.

We had returned from our National Spelling Bee adventure and hit the summer months. Around this exact same time, we had news from Make-A-Wish. Most people have heard of this organization; it has given children with critical illnesses a twinkle in their eye during a time when those twinkles are few and far between. Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with a critical or life-threatening illness who apply or are referred to the organization. I definitely fell in the right category, even though I would have rather not been there. It is a process, so when we filled out the paperwork we had no idea we would be traveling again in two short months. When we received notice that we were going to be granted a wish, I was ecstatic. Mom asked me what I wanted to wish for, and I knew exactly what it would be; a brand new wardrobe! I told her that would be so fantastic, and she could fill out the request and send it in right away. A short time later, she came to my room and asked me if I would consider choosing Walt Disney World because she had known this was one of the most requested wishes. She told me if I chose the trip for the family, she would buy me a new wardrobe.

It makes me chuckle because my only thought processes were something that was forefront in my fourteen-year-old mind. New clothes! New shoes! Shopping! Hanging out with friends! Someone was offering me anything in the world and that is all I could come up with; that and I remember thinking I wanted this cancer thing to go away if they could really grant me any wish. We were granted the wish, and the trip was scheduled for July right in between chemotherapy treatments. I would have a chemo the week before and have a couple of days recuperation before we left.

Walt Disney World here we come! All of the details were taken care of for us, and we were mailed the plane tickets, directions, itinerary, and information for the week stay. We flew from Salt Lake City to Orlando, and upon arrival we picked up a super nice rental car to use for the week. Just driving to our accommodations, this small-town preacher’s family could not believe that this was actually happening to us. When we arrived at our accommodations, we were in awe. Over half of the wish requests to Make-A-Wish are to go to Disney World and the surrounding parks. We were to stay at a resort called Give Kids The World Village which is a place that was created for this very wish. At the time we were there it had only been open for a couple of years and has almost tripled in size since that time. The resort has multiple areas where families can enjoy time together at playgrounds, pools, a theater, ice cream parlor, and other activities. Our family was given a ground floor villa with a stocked refrigerator, meal tickets to eat at the dining area, passes to four theme parks, daily spending money, etc… We met many Disney characters in the dining hall and walking around the village.

During the week, we stayed very busy trying to get all the theme parks in and enjoy our time. I actually struggled with my health, though. We were not used to such hot Florida weather; Wyoming has maybe one week where it might hit a high temperature of 90 and even then there is no humidity. It was really hard to be out in the heat and humidity, so I did my best. I was given a large button upon arrival to wear which gave us access to enter the exit line to get on the rides and attractions, or I most likely would not have been able to do so much, and I know the family was grateful.

Throughout the week, we met and visited with many families at the village who were there because of the very same reason, not just cancer but different critical illnesses. When you are going through treatments, you see children in the waiting room or walking down the treatment hallways. The magnitude of the disease stays to a minimal, because you are in one location. When you step inside the village that was created for children from all over the country, you realize that the world is a bigger place and there are hundreds of families going through similar things. My parents were definitely encouraged with how I was doing. Many children were far worse than I, and I recall hearing a passing of one of them who was visiting. I was more than grateful to be as healthy as I was and be able to leave the village to go to the parks, when others were not feeling well that day. We even met families who were granted a wish for multiple children in their family, not just one. This trip at this level would most likely never be repeated. We were and are so grateful to those who have given of their time, finances, and to support this organization who in turn give a much-needed push to others to keep pressing on during a very hard time in their lives.

Those families we met 27 years ago, and the ones we know today who have a time in their lives without an answer to their why, will find that answer in God. Maybe not at the moment, but that is ok. God is still there. Philippians 4:4 says to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” He is not telling us to rejoice no matter the circumstances but to rejoice IN HIM no matter the circumstances. What does that look like? Paul who wrote Philippians, later states that whatever state he is in, to be content. We really can choose or look for the joy in the midst of the trial that is so big in front of us we do not really know if we can take the next breath. God is still there. He does not say life will be easy; He just tells us to rejoice, because He has an answer to the “why.”