Stacey Gagnon knows that her son, Joel, looks different. She’s used to enduring the strange looks, audible whispers and brutal questions about her son who was born with a craniofacial impairment. As a result, he’s missing an ear and some bone structure in his face.
She knows her son looks different, but being different has yet to become easier. And on this particular day, it actually “hurt.”
The “Ransom For Israel” Blogger recently penned a post about her experience at a new church, and she has a plea for all parents on behalf of her son.
“The church dismissed for children’s church and I walked my three youngest back to the meeting room for children,” Stacey writes. “As we walked in the room, there were four tables set up filled with kids. The minute we walked inside, the room became silent and every child stared or pointed at my son, Joel.”
As she stood at the front of the class, Stacey could see every eye on her and every mouth wide open at the appearance of her son.
“I stepped in and was about to address the entire class about differences; but then I stopped. I stopped and looked to the back of the room where my son had fled to hide. He had buried his head in his arms because you cannot hide in plain sight. My heart sank and the room remained silent as I walked back to Joel.”
As she touched her son’s shoulder, his teary-eyed face looked up at her “with shame.” Stacey knelt down next to her son and asked him if he’d like to leave. Relieved, he replied, “yes,” and fled the room.