BLESSINGS FOR KIEFER

BLESSINGS FOR KIEFER
                                                                                T. Wieland Allen
      There is no way to even anticipate or design or plan the wonderful ways that God works in our lives.  My granddaughter Lindsey and her fiance Major have raised his brother Kiefer for two and a half years, rescuing him from an unpleasant home situation which was not conducive for a young man who is high on the autism spectrum to ever become self supporting and independent.  Kiefer went from making failing grades in high school in his former environment to making A's and B's under his new environment, was inducted into the vo tech National Honor Society and received a certificate of honor from the Masonic Society of Oklahoma for being Student of Today. The promise of living independently became more and more possible as time went on and Kiefer's real talents and determination were unleashed in his newly structured and love enriched environment.
   As graduation from high school came nearer, Major and Lindsey began to investigate further educational possibilities for Kiefer and decided that Job Corps might be a good avenue for training in a vocation and also training in independent living.  They were informed that Kiefer could not apply for Job Corps until after he graduated from high school.  As only God can arrange situations and circumstances, one of Kiefer's high school teachers took an interest in him, decided to help Kiefer with his application because the teacher had taught previously at Job Corps.  That teacher was God's first educational angel sent to assist Kiefer in being accepted into Job Corps. 
   Knowing that it would be at least two weeks before Job Corps classes began, after sending in his application they believed that it would be a few weeks after graduation from high school before Kiefer would begin classes there if he were accepted.  However, God had other plans, knowing that a student with certain learning limitations would need a more intensive orientation, God arranged for early admission into the Job Corps program for Kiefer.  Only a few days after applying, Kiefer received a phone call asking if he could report to the Job Corps residential campus at 8:00 the next morning.
   It was a complete surprise for all of them.  Sure enough, before 8:00 a.m. the next morning they were on their way to the Job Corps campus, transporting a very quiet and fearful young man into new surroundings and new educational training.  His guardians were also a bit fearful, not knowing if Kiefer would fit into the program and if he would find friends who would be beneficial to him in his time of living at the campus. 
   Another miracle awaited them.  When they took him to the admission office there were three students congregating there who immediately welcomed Kiefer to the campus and said they wanted to be his friends.  As Lindsey described it, they were all just like Kiefer, a bit nerdy but friendly and kind.  The new friends, provided by God for Kiefer, told him that they were going to go to the RA and have Kiefer changed from his assigned dorm into their room in another dorm because their quad in a dorm had room for another guy.  God had immediately provided new friends as well as new roommates, all perfectly suited for Kiefer.
   For years, since early childhood, Kiefer has always been fascinated with wolves, draws them, reads about them, researches about them, etc.  As only God could arrange it, at his first introduction to Job Corps, one of Kiefer's new roommates at Job Corps was wearing a tee shirt with a picture of a wolf on the front.  It was a tailor made reception for Kiefer, arranged by His Heavenly Father to make him feel comfortable and accepted.  Who else but God could do that?
   After saying a quick goodbye to Kiefer and leaving him at the Job Corps campus,  Major remarked to Lindsey, "Kiefer has his wolf pack at Job Corps."  They felt they had left him in good hands with kind friends and an attentive administration who had arranged the whole scenario. 
  It was still two weeks until classes began, but the administration had used the time to acclimate the students to the new environment.  They have taken field trips and just had loads of fun, which was necessary for those mildly challenged students to adjust to the new educational facility and new surroundings.
  God relieved Major and Lindsey, and all of us who love Kiefer, of any anxiety that he could adjust to his new surroundings and living conditions.  God provides all good things for His children.  Kiefer has a special relationship with God.  He enjoys the counseling from God that has allowed him to overcome bullying all of his life.  Kiefer is a special young man and He is special to God also.  Only God could arrange the entire transition from a protected home environment to a college type campus of learning for a young man who might be a bit limited in emotional and mental abilities but is hugely gifted in love, spiritual insight and kindness.
   It will be exciting to observe the other gifts from God for Kiefer especially orchestrated by Our Heavenly Father in the future.  God is certainly able!