| Our Vision for Selah's Home |
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A 2,800 square foot open floor plan, with everything on one floor. (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms)
Ramps leading to every exterior door (front, back and garage).
Wood floors throughout to elimate transitions and hard-to-navigate-on carpet.
Lower light switches and higher electrical outlets that Selah will be able to operate (in time).
Lower windows, so she can see out them when seated in her chair.
Doorways that she can fit through in her chair (each 36 to 42 inches).
A 36-inch hallway, so she can easily access every part of the home.
A roll-in closet in her bedroom, where she can choose and get out her own clothes.
A completely accessible bathroom, with a 5 foot turning radius, a roll-under sink, grab bars for transfer onto the toilet and an accessible shower.
A playroom, with a wheelchair-height counter where she can play with her siblings and friends comfortably.
A wheelchair-height breakfast bar that she can roll up to.
A universally-designed kitchen, where she can cook with the family as she gets older.
A garage, so we can park the van away from the elements for her to get out in her wheelchair.
A concrete sidewalk, encircling the house, so she can easily get around outside.
Eventually, a swimming pool, in which we can do therapy with Selah and allow for a recreational activity that she will be able to participate in on close to the same level as her peers (there are FEW of those!).
This home will cost approximately $300,000 to build, with us doing a large percentage of the labor. We are not fully able to provide that amount--to provide for our daughter the home that she would function best in.
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| Selah's Links |
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Selah's YouTube Debut!
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| Selah's Medical Updates Website |
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| The Story of Selah and Her Home |
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After our second child (Abram) was born, I got my tubes tied. A few years after the surgery, Luke and I both began having the desire to have more children. We have four nieces and two nephews who have been adopted into our family and we know that adoption is close to God's heart, so we assumed that was why He was giving us this desire. So, we started investigating adoption. It was very obvious, very quickly that there was absolutely no peace whenever we talked about, prayed about or researched adoption. It was not God's will for us to adopt at that time.
We knew that the only other option for having more children was to have the surgery reversed, which was very costly. Also, the surgery held no guarantees since I had gotten the most difficult type of tubal ligation to reverse. My tubes were cut, tied and burned. Even so, as we began bringing it before the Lord, it was very clear that this was what He had for us. We felt God say that if we went through with this surgery, the outcome would be successful. On my 30th birthday, I underwent the surgery, standing in faith on God's word. When I spoke with the surgeon afterwards, he said that my tubes were so far apart that he almost did not attempt the surgery but when he did, he was amazed that my tubes just came together beautifully!
After just two months, we became pregnant. We were excited beyond belief. But, 3 short months later, our excitement turned to dispair when we lost our baby to miscarriage. I don't have words to describe the depth of pain that I felt. I was deeply wounded and confused. This was a successful outcome? I went through a season of several months of questioning everything in my life, down to the foundation. It was the hardest thing I had ever been through. But, God was faithfully leading us through it all.
Several months later, we became pregnant again. This time, we were a litte more cautious. We spent the first half of the pregnancy “taking every thought captive” and coming against all the fear that was there at every turn. When we went in for our routine 20-week ultrasound, we found out that our baby had a birth defect called Spina Bifida. The next weeks were spent going to Genetic Counselling, a High Risk Obstetritian, scouring the internet for information and being told numerous times of the projected bleak outcomes for our daughter. We were encouraged many times to abort our baby. However, we knew that the choice was not ours to make. We stood on the truth that God formed this child in my womb and life and death are in His hands. We also had experienced the loss of a child and we knew anything was better than that. We wanted our baby, whoever and however she was. We just wanted her alive. The next several months passed in a blur. Our church held a prayer meeting for our unborn baby. We interceeded night and day for God to heal her. We felt like God said that His grace would be sufficient. We know that God can and will glorify Himself through Selah. We see that He does. Selah is a musical term found primarily in the Psalms that speaks of pausing, resting, gazing on and contemplating God's goodness. That is who Selah is. To us and to so many others. We see His strength in her weakness. We see His love in her trials. We see His faithfulness in her life again and again. The perspective that God has brought our family is priceless. The quiet whispers he's spoken, His nearness to our broken hearts has been so sweet.
We are so fortunate to live in a modernized country. Our city is relatively wheelchair accessible. Until you get out in a wheelchair. Every minute of our day with Selah, wherever we go and whatever we do, we spend our time figuring out how it will work with her chair. How can we position her or get her to where we're going? How can she play with her friends? How can she do what we're doing? Everything we do is a stark reminder that Selah is disabled.
Unfortunately, our previous 1,184 square foot home could not be made accessible. There was simply not enough space to work with. (In our home to remodel or even on our lot to rebuild.) After researching our options, it was clear that building a wheelchair accessible home is the only one that makes sense. We placed our home for sale in July of 2007 and it sold in February, 2008. We are currently living in the basement of my parent's home, where Luke built us a bathroom and 2 bedrooms.
Our desire for Selah is not mere accessibility, but for her to live in a home where she does not feel disabled. Where she can do whatever the rest of our family is doing. Where she can go to any part of our home without someone carrying her. Where she can learn to be independent. Where she can build confidence by learning to navigate her day on her own. Where she can explore and even get into trouble by touching what she shouldn't, as any other 3 year old. Where she can be and do all God has for her.
We know that God has not only provided us with Selah, but He will also provide Selah with what she needs to be who He's called her to be. We know that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Nothing is too difficult for Him. We believe it to be His will and we are asking Him now “how?” and “what?” we need to do.
We watch Extreme Home Makeover on tv and, like everyone else in America, cry tears of joy with families whose lives are forever changed. And, then we think, “Where is the church?” Why are those without The Provider without Love the ones caring for the orphan, the widow, the abused, the neglected, the handicapped?
After much prayer, we feel that God is leading us to do an “Extreme Makeover” of our own (without the EXTREME stuff they do on the show!). It's extremely humbling to ask for help in this way. But there is nothing that we will not do to get Selah all that God has for her. We are asking fellow Christians to help in whatever way they can. Some will be able to give financially, so that we can purchase the land, materials and labor. Some are skilled craftsmen or tradesman in the St. Louis area, who will be able to donate their time and physically help build the home. Some own companies and will be able to provide materials for the home at reduced or no cost.
Since we have stepped out in what we believe God is calling us to, we see His hand working. So far, we have had an architect (that we had not even met previously!) come forward and offer to draw up the plans for our home for free. (At a value of at least $2,000.) We have a plumber and three floor layers, who have all offered to donate their time to help build our home – FREE OF CHARGE! Luke is an electrician and he and some fellow electricians are comitted to wiring the house. We have someone committed to oversee the construction of the roof, he just needs workers under him. We are looking for more people who would be willing to donate their time, even if it's just one day.
We don't know exactly how this is going to all pan out. Just for the timing itself we need a miracle from God!
We are praying that God will bring each person that He has to be involved. We're praying that God would speak to you and that you can help in some way. Whatever you decide, we are grateful for your time and consideration.
God bless you,
Luke, Roben, Chloe, Abram and Selah Harris
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