Issac Sanchez – A Child of Promise
By Sheryl Wilde
“Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.”
~ Galatians 4:28
“Why me, Lord? Why?”
It was a question Geliseth (Geli or Liseth) Sanchez asked God over and over for 12 years.
It had been a normal, full-term pregnancy and all ultrasounds had shown a normal, healthy baby boy. But when Issac emerged from his mother’s womb, the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly, too tightly, around his tiny neck, and he was turning blue.
Issac spent his first month of life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Even then, no one realized the extent to which he’d been affected.
“When I took Issac home, he began to have seizures. A lot of them. We were in and out of hospitals constantly for the 1st two years of his life.”
Today, Issac is 13-years-old. He has cerebral palsy, cannot walk or talk or see, and has the mental capacity of a 9-month-old baby.
“As a mother, it was really hard. I was a single mom with three other kids. I had no family support. I had no one. I’ve always worked full-time. I’ve always provided for my children.
“But as Issac grew, it became more difficult to take care of him. He was so big that it was hard for me to carry him. He grew out of his wheelchair and insurance said he didn’t qualify for a new one. After a year of going back and forth between insurance and doctors, I met a case worker who said I should put Issac in a home. She said it would be better for him. But what mother wants to do that? I had promised Issac I wouldn’t do that.
“I spent months thinking about what to do. I spoke with my uncle in Long Beach who is a pastor. He said, ‘Geli, you are so strong. You are such a great mom. I know you love Issac, but you must do what’s best for your son.’
“My case worker recommended Mountain Shadows. I didn’t know places like Mountain Shadows even existed.”
“Issac has been with us long-term,” says Shannon O’Reilly, Mountain Shadows, Riverside. “Liseth made the choice early to place him with us and that’s very commendable. The level of daily care her son needed was more than she could provide and maintain the quality. It’s very demanding providing total care for a child. And the decision she had to make is a hard choice for any parent.
“Liseth is like Supermom. She’s very passionate about Issac. She loves her son and all of the residents in the house. It’s good to have someone who cares so much.”
“I am religious,” says Liseth. “I believe God created us to serve, to love, to be compassionate. I truly believe that.”
Still, the burning question kept echoing in Liseth’s mind, “Why me, Lord? Why?”
Then, finally, the answer came from above.
“Last year, I was in a bible study class called Living Free, Learning to Pray God’s Word by Beth Moore. As I was studying I heard the Lord say ‘Why not you Geli? I gave you Issac because I didn’t want to lose you.’
“That’s when I realized I was given my son Issac to serve. I began to cry of happiness and sadness at the same time because I felt special but at the same time given a cross I could not carry on my own.
“Then my uncle, the pastor, said, ‘Consider it this way, the Lord is helping you by having the people at Mountain Shadows care for your son.’
“Now I realize that God really did bless us with Mountain Shadows. They have been great. They are family. They really care about Issac and that’s so comforting. Mountain Shadows is Issac’s second home now. And he’s very happy there.
“Mountain Shadows worked so hard and finally got Issac fit for a new wheelchair too! I’m so grateful for everyone there. They love Issac.
“Years ago, a nun once said to me, ‘Look at Issac. He’s perfect! You are blessed and you don’t see it. He was born with no sin, like Jesus. Your son is perfect. He will never sin. He was born flawless. People will see him as different, but it’s not true. He is perfect.’”
Liseth was brought to tears by the nun’s words. But, at the time, she still had questions.
Today she says, “I do believe God put these perfect children on earth to teach us how to serve others and teach us compassion.
“I am who I am thanks to my son. He has taught me so much. He taught me to love unconditionally. He taught me about compassion. Everything I am today is because of him. I never knew I could love someone so much, the way I love my son.”
In the bible, Isaac was born of a divine miracle to Abraham and Sarah to fulfill God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would seed a great nation. Abraham was 100-years-old and Sarah was 90-years-old when Isaac was born.
Isaac, son of Abraham, was blinded, some say, when the tears of angels, who were present at his impending sacrifice by his own father’s hand to God, fell into his eyes. Though blind, Isaac, God’s child of promise, went on to become one of the greatest leaders among the men of his time.
We believe that our Issac, and all of our Mountain Shadows children, are children of promise too. They teach us of love without boundaries, they teach us of service above self, they teach us not to lose sight of what is truly important in this life, and they teach us that all are perfect in God’s eyes.
These are the qualities of promise that seed greatness in us all – here at Mountain Shadows, and across our entire nation.
“Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.” ~ Galatians 4:28
We invite you to join us at the 26th Annual Fall Golf Tournament & Spa Experience on Monday, October 22nd, at the Santaluz Club to help us
continue to support Issac and all of our Mountain Shadows residents.
Please register today using the link below:
REGISTER HERE
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