A Rainbow Omega Update
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these…,
you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
The Evans and Hamblens were out in full force Tuesday night at The Club as we gathered with other Rainbow Omega supporters for the 28th Annual Rainbow Omega Birmingham Fundraising Dinner.
Rainbow Omega is a faith-based residential and vocational program for adults with developmental disabilities. Established in 1995 by Stentson and Diane Carpenter, Rainbow Omega began with two houses serving 16 residents with intellectual disabilities. Currently Rainbow Omega serves 88 residents in eight group homes and two state-of-the-art medical care facilities. Rainbow Omega’s 640-acre campus also is home to nine commercial greenhouses, administrative offices, a wellness center, and a 25,000 square foot work center. A resident gymnasium and fitness center is also currently being built.
Rainbow Omega’s mission is “to glorify God by ensuring that adults with developmental disabilities have a permanent and safe home where their rights, abilities and potentials are respected and nurtured in a Christian environment.” Thankfully, Rainbow Omega has been James Bruce’s home since March 4, 2021. We’ve had a few bumps in the road with regards to his adjustment, but overall James Bruce is doing well, learning new skills, and making new friends.
James Bruce learning to “drive” the golf cart at the beach
A couple of weeks ago, Bruce and I took James Bruce to the beach for a few days. It was music to my ears and heart when James Bruce prayed nightly prayers for several RO housemates, “Miss Doris the helper,” and Wanda. It turns out that “Miss Doris the helper” is James Bruce’s classroom teacher and Wanda is the kind nurse who administers his seizure medicine every day. By the end of our vacation, James Bruce was ready to return to “Rain Mega.” Thank you for praying us through this difficult transition. We covet your prayers for James Bruce to continue to flourish and grow at Rainbow Omega.
Our guest speaker for Rainbow Omega’s Tuesday night event was Sarah Huckabee Sanders, New York Times’ Best Selling author and former White House Press Secretary for President Donald Trump. Sarah Sanders, a wife and mom to three young children, is currently campaigning as a Republican candidate for the 2022 Arkansas governorship.
Sarah Sanders was an engaging speaker as she recounted personal stories, not of politics and the Trump White House, but of her life as Mike Huckabee’s daughter. Mike Huckabee served two terms as the Governor of Arkansas and is a former Republican presidential candidate. Here are a few of the important life lessons that Sarah Sanders learned from her parents:
Good people HAVE to engage; If you don’t have good people in charge, bad things happen.
We need good people to step up.
Any opportunity we have, stand up for what is right.
Every life has value.
God created each of us to go to those in need.
God knew that coming to get us was worth it.
God creates each of us with a purpose.
There is greatness and value of every human life.
Sanders was at her best recounting two very personal life stories. The first was her trip to Israel and the Holocaust Museum tour that she took with her parents as an 11-year old girl. She recalled holding her father’s hand tightly as they watched the horrific videos, looked at the gruesome photographs, and learned of the horrors of the Holocaust. At the end of the museum tour, visitors are asked to provide their contact information and post a comment if desired. Eleven-year old Sarah Sanders wrote just one question: “Why didn’t somebody do something?” That’s a question many of us are still asking ourselves today.
My good friend Truc, another special needs Mom and RO supporter
Sarah Sanders concluded her remarks with a final challenge: Choose to be somebody who does something!
She then told her final story. As a college student, Sanders had a car wreck that sent her vehicle hydroplaning before flipping the car off a mountain in the Ozarks. Sarah and her fellow passenger were trapped in the car and had no cell service. Their descent off the mountain had been stopped by a single tree, but they were hanging upside down with little hope of anyone knowing where they were. Sarah described her eventual rescuers as “two good ol’ boys in a pickup truck” who stopped to help and risked their own lives in order to do something. Sanders’ passenger eventually became her sister-in-law and today they have seven children between them. All because somebody chose to take a risk and do something to help someone with a need.
Bruce and I are so grateful that Stentson and Diane Carpenter chose to do something 30 years ago. Out of their own need for a safe, forever home for their own son Chris, Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter began Rainbow Omega and God blessed their efforts. Their work continues to bless many special needs individuals and families today. More information about Rainbow Omega can be found at rainbowomega.org.
May all of us choose to be somebody who does something, not for our glory, but for His!