The Gascon Family

Friends,

It has been a little more than a year now since Juan Carlos had his accident.  Things continue to go well as the family has adjusted to a different kind of lifestyle.

Juan and Connie have a nurse who comes in several times a week to help Juan Carlos do the things he needs to do each day.  This also allows Connie to run errands and do work outside the home from time to time.  Juan is still making slow progress  – he can use his left arm and hand very well, and has some use of his right arm.

The boys continue in school.  They have taken on a lot of responsibility in the last year, and they’ve matured a lot because of it.  Jonathan went with the Kenbridge Baptist team on a mission trip to Mexico last summer, and JC will go with the team this summer (July 4-11).

Among their greatest concerns in the last few months has been their finances, as you might expect.  While their expenses for medical care and equipment have been mostly covered by medicare and insurances, their family income has been limited by the restrictions on social security and disability payments.

This is where the Gascon Fund has come in.  So many of you have contributed, and money still comes in from time to time.  All told, the Fund has gathered more than $40,000 to help the Gascons, and nearly half of that amount is still left and reserved for their needs.  The fund has been used to help with the purchase of a wheelchair, van, and other necessary equipment.  It is also used to meet their monthly expenses when the need arises.

Another important step in the last few months has been the renovation of their bathroom!  The bathroom in the parsonage at Jonesboro was adequate for a family without special needs.  But with Juan Carlos’ condition it was nearly impossible to use.  The space was cramped and completely inaccessible by wheelchair.  To bathe Juan Carlos, the Gascons would either have to use cloths and sponges, or carry him to houses of friends who had accessible bathrooms.

Thanks to the work of many individuals and the Department of Rehabilitative Services, their bathroom has been renovated and outfitted for Juan’s use.  J.C. sent an update recently, along with pictures of the old and new bathrooms.  I’ll quote his message:

The Old Bathroom

Dear Friends,

Greetings, from the Gascon Family. As y’all may see below a picture of our new roll in shower bathroom, which was completed March 11th.  There is also a picture of the bathroom before the renovation. In all it cost $15,000 which Dept. of Rehabilitation paid for.  Two men from Hanover came and worked on it [for about] a month. In the meantime we’ve been going to different places to shower – the hispanic church (Anastasis), and the homes of our wonderful neighbors ( The Williams’ & The Woods). We really are thankful to have such close and nice neighbors.

The New Bathroom!

March 11th was the 365th day since the accident, and all those days we have felt God’s Blessings and all your prayers.
Thanks for all your prayers, love and support. May God Bless Y’all MUCHO!!!

Our Love,
The Gascon Family:):)
<–eL UniC0 JC

The family has constantly expressed to me how much they appreciate all your prayers and support.  They remain in good spirits, and constantly praise God for the work he’s doing in their lives and in their church.

I haven’t been good about updating this site, as you’ve noticed!  If you have a question at any time about what’s going on with the Gascons, please feel free to email me (jon AT kenbridgebaptist DOT org) and I’ll see what I can find out.

The Gascons' new van

Just wanted to share some of the recent happenings with all of you who are keeping up with Juan Carlos and family.  After searching for about a month, they found a wheelchair-accessible van last week and Juan Carlos is elated to finally be able to get out and about.  Before this, he was limited to the house unless a friend with a wheelchair van took him somewhere, which was rare.  Hopefully, this will boost his spirits, which have gotten low of late.  (To the right is a small picture, which came from JC’s phone)

The loaner wheelchair Juan Carlos has been using is starting to have problems, so the time has come to order his new wheelchair.  They hope to have it ready in the next 60-90 days.

In the meantime, donations are still coming in for the Gascon Fund.  To date, almost $40,000 has been raised, and about $15,000 has been used to help pay for home health equipment and the van.  Further needs include the wheelchair and an expansion to their bathroom, which is currently too small for the wheelchair.

I know this is just a brief update.  As I get more news I will pass it along.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.

Blessings to you all!

Friends,

Anastasis church had a worship service at Jonesboro Baptist yesterday (June 29).  They held service there so that Juan Carlos and Connie could attend (it’s right next door to their house).  Leroy Bradshaw, the pastor at Jonesboro, left this comment about the worship service:

Jon: I felt I needed to comment on June 29 update with Juan Carlos: At Worship, Juan moved his right forearm and shoulder, for the first time for me. I was so excited. He does something new for me almost weekly. I don’t think the family notices these little changes, since they are with him 24/7. JC asked him to move his arm in Spanish, and he willingly moved his shoulder, and his whole forearm. This means that innervation is re-establishing itself as time passes. I don’t know if this will lead to total control, but he is now able to move the left foot, and right shoulder and arm. PRAISE GOD!

Friends,

I’m so bad at getting news out in time.  Forgive me!

I just wanted to give you a brief report on the reception held for Juan Carlos, Connie and the boys last week.  They had a wonderful time seeing several friends for the first time since the accident, and so many people brought and/or sent gifts.

According to Sylvia Bradshaw, at least 125 people came – probably more.  Two large tables were packed high with gifts, groceries, and supplies.  A money tree at one end of the table was full of sizeable bills.  It was a time of laughter, catching up… and good tamales and other food!

Here are a few pictures from the recption:

Friends,

First off, my sincere apologies that it’s been so long since the last update!  If any of you have visited any of my other blogs/sites, you know it’s not just this one that has suffered in the busyness of the last month!

Another reason for the slow updates is the simple fact that, now that Juan Carlos is home, things are changing less rapidly than before.  In those first weeks, the situation was changing on a daily basis – medical conditions, hospital rooms, staying places for the boys… everything moved rapidly there for a while, and the future was very uncertain. As much as it was to report, you can imagine how stressful this was on the family.

Needless to say, they are glad to be HOME (they made the move, as expected, on May 16).  In fact, in a recent visit with them, that’s the thing that Juan Carlos seemed to stress most often – he is so glad to be home.  It’s quiet, peaceful, and not nearly as hectic as the hospital, his home for more than two months.  He was calm and at ease, and seems to be adjusting to the changes as well as any of us could expect.

So here, in a very long update, is some recent information about what’s going on with the Gascons.  I am keeping somewhat regular contact these days, but my summer schedule means I will be out of pocket a bit.  If any of you visit with

First, you saw the photo above, with Juan Carlos and Connie at home (that’s my daughter Abigail with them).  Juan Carlos is still using a “loaner” wheelchair, but now has a bed and lift at home, among other things, that make it easier to meet his needs.

To the left and below are two photos of the new ramp that made it possible for Juan to even return home.  MANY THANKS to those who worked to make this ramp and other changes at the house, including (but not limited to): Mike Clay, Bob Smith, Jack Roberts and Kenbridge Construction, Luther Reynolds.

While some of the doors have been widened to allow access with the wheelchair, some challenges still remain.  The biggest is probably the bathroom, which needs to be extended so that they can use it to care for Juan Carlos – at the moment, his chair is not even able to fit in the bathroom.

These changes and supplies have been made possible by many of you, who have donated generously to the Gascon Fun in the last six weeks.  To date, the Gascon Fund has received more than $33,000 – and more checks are coming each day.  Praise God for his provision!  And thanks to so many of you who continue to give.

Besides hopefully purchasing a new wheelchair, a portion of these funds may also be used to purchase a van that can carry Juan Carlos and his wheelchair.  More information on this will be available soon.

I know it’s late notice if you aren’t in our association, but a special reception and old-fashioned “pounding” will be held this Sunday, June 22, from 3:00-5:00 pm.  The reception will be held at (and sponsored by) Jonesboro Baptist Church, which has provided faithful support to the Gascons since they arrived nearly 10 years ago.  A list of suggested items to bring can be obtained by contacting your church office (if you’re an SBA church), or at the Association office itself (434-696-2252).  You can find a map to the church by clicking this link.

As far as prayers go, please do not give up!  Here are some needs to pray about:

• First, offer continual thanks to God.  He has done so much already!  Among many things, he’s spared Juan Carlos’ life, given him mobility, saved Jonathan from all but a few scratches, moved people to pray and give on the family’s behalf, and provided more physical needs (big and small) than any of us can count.
• Give thanks that God has given this family remarkable strength to persevere in the midst of this crisis, and pray that he would give them even more strength.
• Pray for Anastasis Church and for the Southside Association, as we look to the future of ministry to Hispanics in our area.  Juan Carlos hopes and plans to return to his ministry, but right now, no one knows what shape that ministry will take.
• Pray for the Gascons, and those working closely with them, as they try (with little or no map) to navigate the turbulent waters of social services, disability, and insurance.

As always, thanks to God, and to all of you again for all you have done.  If you have any updates or questions, please let me know by email (jon AT kenbridgebaptist DOT org) or by phone (434-676-2455 at the church).

Blessings,

Jon

Just a few short bits of news for you today, along with some pictures!

- Juan Carlos and Connie are still scheduled to come home from the hospital this Friday, May 16. If all goes according to plan, they will be able to come back to their home in Jonesboro, because…

- Several people (who I’ll name in a later post) worked hard this weekend to provide the lumber and labor needed to get a ramp installed to their front door (which was a little more than three feet off the ground… a long way for a wheelchair). Jonesboro Church has graciously allowed the Gascons to remain in the house, and make the needed changes, until they figure out what direction they’ll go next.

- By all accounts, Juan Carlos Gascon day on May 5 was a huge success. Envelopes have been coming the last several days from many churches and individuals who have given to the Gascon Fund. If the postmarks are any indication, people across Virginia and the Southeast were united in prayer and concern for the Gascons that day.

- As a result of all those gifts, the Gascon Fund has currently received donations of over $22,000!! This will be a tremendous help to the family as they begin to figure out what life will be like after they return home.

Finally, I visited for nearly two hours with Juan Carlos and Connie last week. We talked about the many decisions they need to make – disability insurance, Social Security, Medicare, the continuation and shape of their ministry at Anastasis. I left the hospital room feeling encouraged in my own ministry because of their faith.

As we discussed the many obstacles they face in life and ministry ahead, Juan Carlos told me the following (I’m paraphrasing):

“All through our ministry – in Mexico and in Virginia – we have had to learn to trust in God. Without our faith in God, we could never do anything. We have to do what we can, and trust in God to do the impossible. When we have trusted him, he has not let us down. As hard as this is, we know that if we could trust in God in the past, we can trust in God now.”

They hope and plan to continue their work at Anastasis and in Southside Virginia. I had doubts about the possibility of this before I spoke with them last week. But after that visit, I, along with them, trust that God can do what is necessary to make up for any “disability.” After all, as God told Paul:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9, NIV)

Let’s continue to pray for Juan Carlos, Connie and the boys as they make yet another transition in life, and as they look forward to seeing how God will use them in the future!

PS: There is another very specific need that you might consider. Before any of these events occurred, Jonathan Gascon had been planning to go with Kenbridge Baptist on a mission trip to Mexico. The team will travel to Piedras Negras, Mexico, with Constructores Para Cristo, to build a house for a family in poverty. His parents have discussed this in light of recent events, and they want him to proceed with his plans to go. Jonathan has latched onto this, and is very excited about participating.

The trip is scheduled for July 5-12, and will cost $1,200-1,500 for him to go. The mission team has discussed whether it would be appropriate, considering the family’s status, to ask for money from the Gascon Fund for his trip – but I’m sure you can see why we’re hesitant to do so. If you feel moved to do so, you can contribute to Jonathan’s account for this trip. You can send a check to the same address as the other donations, but mark the check “Mexico Mission Trip” and add a post-it note to say it is for Jonathan Gascon.

I know that you have been in prayer for this precious family, and we now have a more specific direction we can pray. We continue, of course, to pray for complete healing – we always ask in faith, knowing that God is able, even if he sometimes has other plans. But there are new ways we can begin to pray.

It looks as if Juan Carlos and Connie will be leaving the hospital as early as May 16. While this is both exciting and encouraging, it also means that challenges lie immediately ahead.

While they’ve been in the hospital, the family has focused solely on caring for Juan Carlos, and rightfully so. Now that they are preparing to go home and resume their lives, they have a lot of questions to answer. I cannot give too many details right now, but you can guess what some of those questions may be.

They’re coming home, but where will “home” be for the foreseeable future, and what needs to be done to make that home ready? Where can they live until that home is prepared? What kind of care will Juan Carlos need, and who will provide that care? Juan Carlos will be able to draw money from some sources, but will that be enough to meet the family’s needs? And to what extent are they able and willing to continue their ministry here in Southside?

These are tough questions, but they are questions that -ready or not – are upon us. Each question took only a few characters to type, but each answer will involve and affect many people. Please pray for God’s peace, wisdom, and guidance for the Gascons, for Southside Association, for IHBA/Anastasis Church (the Gascons’ mission church), for Jonesboro Baptist (which owns the parsonage in which the Gascons currently live), and for many others who are involved in the decision-making process.

Friends,

I’m aware that a week has passed since the last update. Tonight’s update will be in two parts – first, news about what’s going on, and second, a new way we can begin to be involved.

At the Hospital

Things continue to go well at MCV! They are still scheduled to come home on or after May 16, depending on how therapy is progressing. PLEASE NOTE: Juan Carlos is now on the 1st Floor North, room 33A. A couple of folks have mentioned getting letters/cards returned from the hospital – please remember to include Juan Carlos’ patient code in every correspondence – TRD ROSE.

I had the chance to visit with Juan Carlos and Connie at MCV last Thursday. I showed up just a few minutes before they were scheduled to go to physical therapy. Juan Carlos was in his new motorized wheelchair, with it reclined all the way back while he watched a movie – it looked like he was sitting in a La-Z-Boy!

They were in good spirits, and I walked with them down to therapy. The therapists pulled Juan Carlos out of the chair and stretched his muscles, as well as doing exercises to strengthen them. Besides working to improve mobility in the areas he is able to move, they are also working to increase sensitivity and flexibility in the other areas in hopes that he will regain use of those areas in the future. I could tell the process was painful, but Juan Carlos took it all with his normal humor and patience!

That is their routine these days: Breakfast, therapy, lunch, and then two kinds of therapy sessions. No leaps and bounds are being made, but baby steps are being taken everyday.

Outside the Hospital

While it has not been a very momentous week at the hospital, it has certainly been a momentous week for those supporting Juan Carlos OUTSIDE the hospital. First, any of our Virginia Baptists must already know that an article about Juan Carlos appeared in last week’s issue of the Religious Herald. The article, skillfully written by Ted Smith at Ash Camp Baptist, summarized the news about Juan Carlos so far, and gave information on how people can help. From this article, I have already received a handful of phone calls asking for more information. Thanks for Ted for his work to summarize all of this in a brief but very powerful article!

Second, the Gascon Fund continues to grow! Prior to this weekend’s activities, we had more than $11,000 in the fund! A huge MUCHAS GRACIAS to so many of you who have contributed to this fund!!

Finally, Sunday was dedicated as a day of prayer and giving for the Gascons – in the Southside Association, as well as at other churches around the state. On Saturday night, Ash Camp held a benefit supper and concert, which (together with their Sunday special offering) raised at least $1,700. I’ve already received packets of donations from two churches totaling over $1,300. It’s obvious that many people and churches were moved to support the Gascons on May 4. I’ll give a report soon as to the amounts we’ve received.

Again, thanks to all of you who have helped in so many ways. Let’s continue to pray and to support as God leads us.

More in the next post…

Greetings!  I hope your weekends were filled with rest and meaningful times of worship.

I received two emails from folks who visited Juan Carlos and Connie this weekend, and wanted to share them with you.

Sylvia Bradshaw writes:

Leroy and I spent the morning [Saturday] with Juan and Connie.  It was SO good to see them.

They were watching a movie when we arrived, just needed some popcorn!!  Connie had rented movies and was using the laptop computer.  His room is much better, a semiprivate, but does not have a room mate, so lots of space and privacy.  We carried Connie’s medicine and a pair of tennis shoes for Juan.  They are so appreciative and continue to thank everyone for prayers.

The projected date on the wall is May 16 for coming home.  Juan is ready, so anxious to get home.  His spirits are so good, is not depressed.  The therapists are working with both of them on the changes that need to take place before he can get home.  We will be talking with the therapists on Mon or Tues to begin to get specifics on the changes needed at the house, in addition to the 2 ramps which are a must.

God still has a ministry and a purpose for Juan, we just need to join him in His plan.  Continue praying,

Sylvia

And later in the day, Ted Smith wrote:

Just wanted you to know that I visited Juan Carlos & Connie today, i.e., Saturday. I found them both in good spirits and enjoying the weekend, that is, no physical therapy.

You may already know – Leroy & Sylvia Bradshaw took shoes for Juan Carlos. Both were grateful. Connie would like to do some shopping for clothes (loose pants & t-shirts) and other personal needs for Juan Carlos. She wanted to go to a WalMart. But tne only one I know of in Richmond is just past the 288 on Hull Street, a location better visited on the way to Richmond not from MCV. I feel certain though there is a WalMart somewhere else.

Perhaps, if someone is planning to take the boys to MCV on Sunday, the boys could get a list of things from Connie that anyone could pick up on the way, i.e., deorderant, etc. Connie said she was going to call Barbara Bowry (formerly chair of Hispanic Task Group) to take her, though she didn’t say when & I wonder whether Connie will bother Barbara. Granted, Connie wasn’t certain if anyone would be able to bring the boys on Sunday. And she certainly wasn’t assuming anyone would go tomorrow. I just thought that, if someone was going, they could pick up a few things for Connie…

God Bless!
Ted Smith