{"id":345,"date":"2010-08-25T13:25:32","date_gmt":"2010-08-25T13:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/thinplaces\/2010\/08\/perfectly-human-an-open-door-by-blair-metcalf.html"},"modified":"2010-08-25T13:25:32","modified_gmt":"2010-08-25T13:25:32","slug":"perfectly-human-an-open-door-by-blair-metcalf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/2010\/08\/perfectly-human-an-open-door-by-blair-metcalf.html","title":{"rendered":"Perfectly Human**: An Open Door by Blair Metcalf"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n\"blair<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Three years ago, I was working at a bank, but it left me
\nunfulfilled. <\/span>I longed to do
\nsomething with more purpose. <\/span>I
\ndiscovered a YMCA-sponsored mentoring program that partnered with churches to
\nprovide literacy training for children in low-income neighborhoods. <\/span>With the goal of advancing
\nelementary-aged students several reading levels, adult volunteers were paired
\nwith the students for literacy instruction each week. <\/span>The program’s major focus was building lasting relationships,
\nand after visiting with students and mentors, I was so inspired that I joined
\nthe leadership team.<\/p>\n

Initially, I met Mike while he was greeting at the YMCA
\nwhere we both worked. <\/span>He opened
\nthe door for members, kids, and counselors each day. <\/span>He was the first face everyone saw when they began their
\nworkout or camp and sometimes the last person they saw as they left the
\nbuilding. <\/span>He was a joyful and
\nconsistent presence. <\/span>When I didn’t
\nsee him, I wondered where he was.<\/p>\n

Mike is 34 years old. <\/span>He graduated from high school in 1993 and spent the next year at a
\nWilderness Bible College in Wisconsin. <\/span>While working on applications to transfer to another university, Mike
\nwent for a routine physical exam. <\/span>Doctors found a dangerous tumor at the base of his skull. <\/span>Mike’s family knew surgery was the only
\noption and they were assured that he would be back in school taking a light
\ncourse load within one month. <\/span>Mike
\nsuffered two strokes during the surgery and fell into a deep coma after the
\noperation was completed. <\/span>He
\nsuffered significant brain damage. <\/span>The first months after his surgery were very difficult and required
\nfeeding tubes, constant medical care and threats that he wouldn’t make it
\nthrough. <\/span>Doctors told Mike’s
\nparents three different times that he might not live. <\/span>Many prayers were answered as Mike slowly began to eat
\nagain. <\/span>Even after it had been
\npureed in blender, Mike recognized his momma’s cooking! <\/span>He began to walk with a walker and was
\nfinally able to return home. <\/span>Now
\nMike is able to eat anything he desires, walk without assistance, hang out with
\nfriends, and greet at the YMCA. <\/span><\/p>\n

I began to observe Mike more as the days and weeks
\npassed. <\/span>Mike’s smiling face
\ngreeted every member and his high fives touched the hearts and hands of many
\nkids. <\/span>He was loving, positive and
\ndid his job well. Though I found Mike’s speech challenging to understand, he
\nwas very able and incredibly helpful. <\/span>He offered towels to folks beginning their workouts and also kept
\nmembers from accidentally walking away with those same towels as they
\nleft. <\/span>One of my favorite things
\nabout Mike was that when he got excited, his volume increased. <\/span>I am exactly the same way and it made
\nme happy to share enthusiasm with my friend. <\/span>To hear him say “Oh yeah!” or “Cool!” when I mentioned
\nsomething he might be interested in brought me great joy.<\/p>\n

I thought Mike could be helpful as a greeter at my after
\nschool site because I had seen him doing a great job greeting for the Y. <\/span>We needed someone to fill the role and
\nI also felt it would be good for my students to get to know him. <\/span>My students had their own needs and
\nwere from under-resourced neighborhoods. <\/span>I felt it was important for them to interact with someone with a
\ndisability. <\/span>This was a perfect
\ntime for my students to get to know Mike and realize we aren’t so different
\nafter all.\n<\/p>\n

Mike began greeting at the site in January 2009. <\/span>He was bundled up at the door and he
\nwas excited, but at first kids looked at him and went on into the room to do
\ntheir work. <\/span>Volunteers greeted him
\npolitely and church folks who were coming and going thanked him for being
\nthere.  <\/span>I wondered how things would
\nprogress and if kids would make fun of him or make inappropriate remarks. <\/span>Mike didn’t seem to worry or be
\nintimidated. <\/span>He simply held the
\ndoor and was himself. <\/p>\n

Over time, Mike’s presence changed everything. <\/span>Shy kids talked to him. <\/span>One girl shared her snack and reward candy with him
\nweekly. <\/span>Mike gave high-fives, and mentors
\ngreeted him and looked forward to seeing him each week. <\/span>Every week a wide array of people
\npassed through “Mike’s Door,” including kids with emotional, educational and
\nfinancial needs; mentors stepping out of busy lives as professionals and
\nparents; Y staff; church staff; church members and college students. <\/span>And in the midst of it all, there was
\nour amazing greeter, Mike.<\/p>\n

I am grateful for the richness that has come from knowing
\nMike. <\/span>In this, I have seen a
\nglimpse of the Kingdom of God. <\/span>Mike showed me that we each have a special purpose and even now I am
\nthanking the Lord for his and for mine. <\/span>The Lord has stayed close to Mike and given him amazing opportunities in
\nspite of much difficulty, pain and change. <\/span>God helps us move beyond hurts and into places of healing
\nand purpose. <\/span>In different ways, He
\nhas done that for me and for Mike. <\/span>I am blessed to know Mike and call him my friend.<\/p>\n

Blair Metcalf is a North Carolina native who has recently relocated to Nashville, TN. Blair is a lover of people and a stay-at-home non-mom new to Music City and looking for a challenge.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The photograph was taken by Jessica Russell. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

**Read more “Perfectly Human” posts by looking at the box in the upper right-hand corner of this blog, and submit your own posts by emailing amyjuliabecker [at] gmail [dot] com<\/span>
<\/i>
<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three years ago, I was working at a bank, but it left me unfulfilled. I longed to do something with more purpose. I discovered a YMCA-sponsored mentoring program that partnered with churches to provide literacy training for children in low-income neighborhoods. With the goal of advancing elementary-aged students several reading levels, adult volunteers were paired with the students…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-disability","category-faith","category-perfectly-human"],"yoast_head":"\nPerfectly Human**: An Open Door by Blair Metcalf - Thin Places<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/2010\/08\/perfectly-human-an-open-door-by-blair-metcalf.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Perfectly Human**: An Open Door by Blair Metcalf - 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Two major life experiences have shaped her writing and her faith\u00e2\u20ac\u201dcaring for her mother-in-law as she battled cancer and welcoming her daughter Penny into the world after she was diagnosed at birth with Down syndrome. Both experiences expanded and enriched her understanding of what it means to be human and to receive each and every person as a gift.\u00c2\u00a0 A graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary, she is the author of Penelope Ayers: A Memoir, and the forthcoming A Good and Perfect Gift (Bethany House). Her essays have appeared in First Things, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Century, ChristianityToday.com, and Bloom, among other online venues.","sameAs":["http:\/\/amyjuliabecker.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/author\/amyjuliabecker"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/88"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=345"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thinplaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}