When you’re expecting a child, you don’t stop and think what might go wrong.
Instead, you think of all the happiness that is about to flood your life. At least, that’s the way it was for me. It took three years before my husband and I were able to conceive. The doctors told us we would be lucky to have just one child. But, by God’s blessing, we found ourselves welcoming our first healthy baby girl Danielle, and life was good. We were satisfied with one child. But the Lord, through His timing and plan, gifted us with another beautiful baby girl, Erica just 17 months later. Life was busy and good. It wasn’t long before I desired a third child, maybe a boy this time. And it came to be. I would be having this baby when the girls were four and three years old. Perfect. Life was good.
Because I would be 35 at the time of delivery, the doctor decided that, because of my age, we needed to do a test to make sure all was well with the baby. The test was run, and the results were not what we had expected. There was a detection of an abnormality resulting in a defect. I always thought of doctors as helpers and healers. I didn’t think of them negatively or that my doctor would advise me in the way that he did. Upon delivering the results of the test he told me that I didn’t have to have this child. He told me that if this baby did anything in life, it would be because I did it for him/her. Not have the baby that I had prayed for? Not have the baby that God had granted us? My reply to him was, “You may think I don’t have to have this baby, but I want this baby.” Another test was completed that gave more detail into what abnormality we were facing. The results delivered two things, the baby would have Down Syndrome and the baby would be … a boy.
I remember telling God that I had no idea of how to raise a child with Down Syndrome. I also started thinking, “What if the child can’t do anything on his own? How was life going to look for our boy?” I went to church that Sunday with such a heavy heart but I trusted God. I knew He was going to walk with us, but I was also scared. When it came to the time in the service for prayer requests, I stood up. I told the congregation what the test results were, what the doctor had said, and I asked them to please pray for our baby. I felt such a peace after that, and I knew no matter what, it was going to be ok. My church family began their prayers for our unborn son then and there and they have continued to pray for him to this day.
Trevor Lavonne Chaney was born on October 29th, 1993. He was 5 lbs 8oz, 17.5 inches long. He was born by emergency C-section because I had begun to hemorrhage that afternoon and he was in a breech position. He was small, a little pale looking, and quiet. The adventure had begun.
Early intervention was a key part of Trevor’s life. Not just the physical, occupational and speech therapies but the early intervention of prayer. Trevor has been prayed over for so many things and at so many times. There are people, still in our congregation today, that remember that Sunday when I stood up and asked for prayer. They continue to pray for him now. I wish the doctor that offered me the solution of termination, who has since passed away, could see who Trevor is today.
Trevor graduated from Piedmont High School with a certificate. While in school, he was the “manager” of the boys basketball team where he would provide towels, water and a good pep talk. He takes part in Special Olympics Union County where he competes in basketball and track. He’s also a member of the Sons of the American Legion. Right now, he attends South Piedmont Community College’s Compass Ed Class where he takes literacy, math and current events classes. Trevor is employed by Wendy’s in Monroe, NC where he works two days a week, Wednesdays and Fridays. He is in charge of the dining room, keeping it clean along with the drink station. Trevor has been employed there for six years, and this coming December will mark his seventh year. He loves this job and looks forward to the food he gets to bring home at the end of his shift. Another thing that Trevor enjoys so much and looks forward to every year is camp. We have both served on the kitchen crew for Piedmont Camp for several years. Trevor enjoys keeping the dining hall clean for campers and has carried many a load of trash to the dumpster. He will also tell you that he is a pro at arm wrestling. I believe Rev. Jim Lee (Lenoir, N.C.) and Trevor have come up against each other several times at camp.
Trevor will tell you that he has another job also: “Working for Jesus.” Though Trevor can only read a few words, he will sit for hours copying out of the Bible. During Sunday worship, he will sit in a pew and copy the scripture that Pastor Travis is preaching from that Sunday. He proudly will show his work off to several people after church. He will do this same thing in Sunday school and bible study. Trevor loves his church. If you visit Shiloh, you will hear him singing hymns on the front row. He is not always on key but that doesn’t keep him from singing loud and from the heart. Trevor will sing specials in church from time to time. He will tell me afterward that he has the voice of an angel. (There are times we have to have a talk about being humble). Trevor has been deemed an honorary trustee at our church. He is in charge of turning lights off and locking the doors on Sundays. He has no time for people who stand around and talk after the Sunday service. He wants to get things turned off and locked up so he can go get his lunch, which is almost always Taco Bell.
Trevor may not be able to write a sentence, but he can hold a conversation with you about the Bible. His two favorite people from the Bible, other than Jesus, are Paul and Peter. He loves the story of Paul and how his life was changed. Trevor tells me from time to time that God changed his life just like he did Paul. And about Peter he says, “Peter, he say he not know Jesus, but he really did. I tell everyone I know Jesus.”
Trevor is always asking Pastor Travis Hutcheson and Rev. Justin Nash questions about things from the Bible.
Trevor likes to help in many ways. Trevor cares about me and he’s always doing things for me. Often I come home from work, and he has done my laundry, washed dishes, swept floors and emptied trash. I appreciate him doing those things and he does them well. I once hurt my foot and had to be in a boot and was sitting at the kitchen table with my foot up in a chair. Trevor came out of his bedroom in his bathrobe over to the table and laid his hands on my foot and prayed. I said, “Trevor that was very sweet of you to pray for my foot.” He looked at me and said, “I am Jesus, that what I do.” Well, we had to have a conversation about the difference between Jesus’ power to heal and his power to pray. Trevor does like to pray and he likes to be prayed for. Anytime he gets frustrated and I tell him things will be ok, he will say, “Pray for me” and I do. If you ask Trevor to remember you in prayer, he is going to stop what he’s doing and pray right there for you. I so admire that about him, praying on the spot, unlike myself, waiting until later to pray.
It’s only right that prayer is important to Trevor. Because of prayer, Trevor is who he is. By the time this article is printed, Trevor will have celebrated his 30th birthday on October 29th and he does so much on his own. This is possible because God, in his grace and love, has answered prayers said on Trevor’s behalf.
