Mason Atkins

My experience as a caregiver did not start until the year 2019. I had just started my Bachelor's degree for Industrial Engineering at Texas A&M University Commerce but was commuting from Bonham, Texas for the first year living with my parents . After I finished my first year my parents decided to move back to our home state of Oregon to serve in ministry. I decided to stay in Texas and finish my degree but needed a place to rent out. Luckily my friend TJ (our current President), referred me to a house with rented out rooms where I could stay for cheap. This was my first in-depth experience as a care-receiver as the property manager had a condition known as Cerebral Palsy that kept him in a wheelchair. 

I am a person who likes to keep to myself for the most part, so getting to know him was slow for the first couple of months, especially with the actually care providing. At first I was just helping him get things he couldn't reach of, lift him in and out of the chair, etc.. However, as I noticed the amount of needs being met decline over those months, I couldn't just stand by and watch. I knew that even though I was nervous doing the wrong thing or doing a certain thing the wrong way, I would want to have my needs meet as well. So, I began to take a bigger role in his care giving by providing basically anything he needed that I could fit within both my work and school schedule. To this day I never regret the chance of getting to know him and we have many hobbies in common such as board games and watching movies.

This overall experience is what really opened my eyes to the importance of the need to help caregivers and care-receivers. It is shocking honestly how many things we take for granted. Others like my friend have to wait for others to assist them just to get basic things done or basic needs met. I have always had a passion to be the gentle spirit of the world; the voice of calm and to give as much kindness as possible, but I never knew I would use it in this way. Everyone knows the famous golden rule of treating others how you would want to be treated and that rule is why we are doing what we are. Myself and everyone on our board sees that people need help and the that help is widely unmet in the United States (and of course all over the world). We wish to follow the example of Christ and to help those individuals bear their burdens. In doing this we will love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39); making life more enjoyable. Its hard work, but as Christ loved us we owe that same love to the people who need it most.