Today Beth interviews Shonda Caines, the Head of Exceptional Education and Head of Lower School, about her experience of having a child with Down’s Syndrome and autism having to undergo open heart surgery as an infant. Shonda explains how her faith has been both challenged and strengthened, the questions she has for God, and her ongoing wrestling match with Him for control. One of her favorite Bible passages is Psalm 139. Her grief and concern for her son’s struggles and pain and her sense of helplessness to fix it were the hardest parts. She’s learned that in some of the hard things are also the really good things… knowing that we live in a fallen world but sometimes wondering “why did God let it fall?” Although Shonda doesn’t think she was initially equipped to handle a disabled child and thereforeGod can equip you to handle the hard. Two good books on God and suffering are:“Where is God when it hurts?” By Phillip Yancey and “The Problem of Pain” by CS Lewis. You celebrate the little triumphs along the way. A very shocking document about how disabled kids were treated was by Geraldo “Willowbrook: the Last Disgrace. ”

In terms of inclusion, Shonda is trying to make a difference , still “in a place of kicking down doors” and barriers to disabled kids. You can put people in a box. We need to give everyone an access to good places. How would Jesus treat disabled children? He would “open the door.” And he would serve them. There is so much work to do to take care of others who need the help and support. The poor the alien the widow the orphan the sick.

Never Perfect: S1E28 "Unpacking Intelligence with Shonda Caines"

Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast

Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices