An Exceptional Mother
My name is Vivien Koo, I am a mother of four children. Anthony is my third child. At age three, Anthony received a diagnosis of autism and began his pathway in Special Education. His rigidity and sensory integration challenges were prominent which impacted his daily living. However, his photographic memory is something that I rarely saw in my other children. By age 6, he could remember all the names of the US state capital, draw the world map and each individual continent free hand. He enjoys reading the dictionary and memorizing any organized and categorized information. Peculiar but amazing! Anthony grew up with two older sisters and a younger brother. Surrounded by loving grandparents and relatives, a caring community always rallying for his success, Anthony’s growth and development is never lack of love and support.
Anthony started in SNAPS, an ABA based preschool program in our local school district. The support helped him learned with his typical developed peers in an inclusive school setting. One fact that I have learned about autism is that it is a neurological disorder not a disease. A child will not grow out of it or be “healed” of autism. But early Intervention works, and all children with autism all make progress on their own timeline. Today, Anthony is finishing up his tenth grade at Redmond High School. In addition to his academics, Anthony is learning life skills and becoming an independent and contributing member of his community.
As Anthony continued to make progress in all areas of his development, my capacity as a parent also grew. Increased knowledge in autism, learning differences and special needs in children help us make informed choices and decisions. It takes a lot of patience and diligence in raising a child with disabilities. All our works must be grounded in love, unconditional love. We can only learn that love from our Heavenly Father who loves us just the way we are.
God led me on a new trajectory after I became a mother to Anthony. I am amazed at how my life is enriched through this parenting experience. My journey has led me to become a public-school special education teacher and now my role as the Child Development Director in a local nonprofit that operates public funded preschool programs.
After 15 years of working with parents and individuals in the Disability community, I am even more grounded in my faith and my belief particularly in this verse, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ... It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boasts in the Lord”. (1 Corinthians 1: 27-31) My eyes are open to the grace of God. When I look at the many lives I continue to marvel at the wonders of His work.
I came to learn about Rainbow Missions a few years age and am really moved by the work that they are doing among the disabilities community in China – a country that lacks systems of social welfare, early intervention and special education. The work of Rainbow Missions is so necessary for those families who face daily challenges financially and socially, discrimination and marginalization by society at large. Rainbow Missions has brought opportunity to the person who has disability and hope for their families. I plead for your continual support for RM, both in action and in prayers.