I am always amazed on September 30th. It is not a national holiday. It is not anyone’s birthday. The date never even held significance for me until a few years ago.
September 30th is Microcephaly Awareness Day. This date is important to me because our daughter Bekah has a condition known as Microcephaly. My husband writes, “A little over four years ago, our course was forever altered. Rebekah was born and, though we wouldn’t know it for a few more months, we were thrust into this world of special needs. Microcephaly affects over 2% of the population and yet very few know it even exists (we didn’t until we found out Bekah has it). Today, we and many many friends (some who we would never have known without Bekah to open those doors) wear yellow to support her and raise awareness of Microcephaly.”
Bekah has many diagnoses and certainly Microcephaly is not the most dramatic of them. It is the first diagnosis that we received though, and so we’ve chosen to help raise awareness.
Around the time of Rebekah’s birthday, I begin asking friends and family to wear yellow (the color of Microcephaly Awareness) and to tell at least one person about Bekah and her friends on September 30th. Every year, I am amazed by who participates and just how many notes and pictures we receive. Of course, my mother and Chris’ parents participate and all our Aunties are so gracious to wear yellow even though it is not a color that looks great on any of us. But, I am just floored by the folks I’ve never met personally, parents who plan their children’s outfits for this day, and people who purchase clothing just to participate. And then there are the ones who sent personal notes, text messaged, gave Bekah a shout out on FaceBook, messaged from vacation, and even dedicated a song to Bekah.
And so, you see, that by wearing yellow, by telling one person about Rebekah, by however you participated in Microcephaly Awareness Day, you are not just appeasing a mama’s wishes. You are a bearer of God’s love. This journey we have been on for the last four years has not been easy. But God stepped in and strategically placed people in our lives to remind us that we are loved with just a little yellow.
I am so sorry if I missed including you into this post if you sent me a picture. Would you please let me know so that I can correct my error.
Thanks for all the great support for Bekah, everyone!