Micheal brings a whole new meaning to the term “Extra leg room”. He was adopted from an orphanage in Taipei, Taiwan, and was born with a rare condition in which neither of his feet developed, and one arm stopped developing above the elbow. He has other complications as well.
Until recently I didn’t realize my parents kept all his legs. When one of my kids ventured into the attic, we discovered they actually had a room for extra legs!
Michael has a great sense of humor and enjoys making people laugh. He loves being unique. We used to stick his legs under the couch when people came over. We had some friends that were pretty gullible, they thought he was crushed under the couch! He was a cute kid. He may have had an older sister who might have taken advantage of his big brown eyes and possibly had him ask for the price of something at garage sales because she knew people might give it to him for free.
He never let his condition slow him down. Recently, we visited the university he attended, and a professor told us about a time when Michael had sent his legs in for repairs, leaving him unable to walk because he had no feet. He simply crawled to class! We always say to our kids “You got two legs, get it yourself!” This kid didn’t and he still didn’t let it stop him.
Chinese people called him Pinocchio, and so, my dad called him a “real boy” because Pinocchio had to be really good and then he would get to be a ‘real boy’! I’m sure Michael would love to wake up one day with a complete set of feet and arms. Instead, he uses his ‘disadvantage’ and wields it like a machete slicing through every preconceived notion we ever had about the handicapped.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8,9
With problems in both ears, I have been left with significant hearing loss. Several years ago, I was fitted for a hearing aid, but I was embarrassed and humiliated, afraid of what people would think of me. I thought I was destined to be one of those people everyone pities, and then it hit me: we never felt sorry for Michael because he didn’t feel sorry for himself. We all have little things that embarrass us, be it a hearing aid, or weight, or perhaps something not even physical. Maybe we feel judged because we don’t drive as nice a car or own as nice a house. Michael taught me it only matters if it matters to me. We feel judged because we judge ourselves. If we can love ourselves for who God made us to be, then our imperfections become a way that we can turn our ‘disabilities’ around and bring glory to God.
Michael has the heart to serve the Lord, he is energized and focused. He has recently taken a position as a youth ministry at the Tyler Street Church of Christ in Sacramento California.
“Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Oh wait…
