Alex Sparkes is an active 7-year-old boy. He loves the things a young boy loves. Alex wants to play games, explore the outdoors, and go fishing. Alex has done these things and much more. He has a wonderful family who helps him to enjoy life to the full. Alex had done all these things with one significant obstacle to overcome. Alex was born without his right arm.
Not long-ago Alex’s parents attended a demonstration by Open Bionics. They witnessed tremendous advancements in medical technology. It was their hope to get a new arm for their son so that Alex could experience life with both hands. The only challenge is that a new bionic arm would cost around $16,000.
Soon a crowd funding page was launched to help reach the goal and help Alex. Many people responded to help, but when the story reached James Anderson, he decided to fund the entire purchase so that Alex could fully enjoy life. James knew this was something that would truly change a person’s life.
Alex recently received his arm. He chose a Black Panther-themed arm. The technology is amazing. Alex can do amazing things with his new arm, and for the first time in his life he is able to do things that require two hands. He is now learning to tie his shoes. Perhaps the thing that excited me the most is that he recently went fishing with this dad and learned to cast a rod with two hands.
There are many wonderful people in this story. Alex’s parents, James Anderson, the people of Open Bionics and more. Each of them helped to bring life-changing technology into Alex’s life. When so many wonderful people combined their talents and resources, and person’s life was transformed.
This story reminds me of the wonderful verse, found in the book of Romans: “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…” (Romans 12:4-6) When we do our part, use the gifts God has given us, we all can make a difference in the lives of others. We can change our world when we work together in love.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
