Meet Katie

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Although Csehy is over, I want you to meet one of the remarkable young people that we work with.  Katie is a young woman whose life has literally been transformed by God’s grace. With her permission, I'd like to share her story with you. Katie has been a camper for the past seven summers, and was always happy and fun to be around. Two winters ago, Katie was involved in a life-threatening ski accident. I’ll never forget receiving the message that Katie had been air-lifted to the hospital and had doctors working around the clock helping her fight for her life. She had broken many bones, punctured a rib, and could possibly be paralyzed for life. As the days and weeks passed, friends and family prayed diligently for Katie, but things did not look good. Friends from camp and home visited Katie, and helped as much as they could. Her best friend Nancy never stopped praying for, visiting, and encouraging her. Despite many treatments and surgeries, doctors did not give her much hope of ever being able to walk again. Her parents had the house completely remodeled to accommodate Katie’s wheelchair. Katie would live, but it seemed she wouldn’t lead a normal life. In spite of all of the discouraging facts she was being given, however, Katie refused to give up hope. She wasn’t supposed to be able to move from the waist down again, but only 26 days after the accident Katie moved her toes. Soon she began to move her legs. When Katie tried walking, one doctor told her that she wouldn’t be able to walk more than 50 feet. “I walked 500, just to spite him,” says Katie, with a spunky grin. In summer 2010, Katie returned to Csehy in a wheelchair, but with high spirits. She desperately wanted her independence. This past summer, Katie again came to Csehy. This time, she was able to walk up to me and give me a hug. God has literally raised her up and set her back on her feet. Her walk is still a bit shaky, but knowing Katie, she will likely keep getting stronger. The most beautiful part of this story is that Katie readily acknowledges God’s hand in all of this. She even shared with the girls on my hall that God used this accident and the journey following it to draw her closer to Himself. 
Katie freely talks about the events related here, and when she does, she glows with God's grace. She knows that He saved her life for a purpose, and what I see in her is a unique courage that will meet whatever difficulty she meets with Godly strength. She is an example for me of trust and faith in the God who created us. I am excited to see how God will continue to use this remarkable young lady.

Simply Trusting,
Lauren

Katie and me at Csehy
PS: I am safely back in Germany, and will be posting again in the next day or so about the happenings here. Thanks for your prayers!

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