their WCK Backpack. Donors and visitors to the site can peruse the profiles and choose which ones they want to support. Donors will receive communications about when the cause is fulfilled, and they may choose to follow that person’s backpack journey long-term. It gives families a voice and donors and personal connection, ultimately building community, which is the heart of We Carry Kevan. “We love this new way for families to be seen and heard,” says Kevan. “I believe there is a sense of hospitality that can be found in our needs, if we invite people in, and this new family-specific crowdfunding platform is a perfect example. As families share their need for a backpack, community comes around them to provide and grow closer together. Our hope is that these fundraisers are just icebreakers for deeper fellowship to bloom.”
As this family and community of We Carry Kevan continue to grow, Kevan keeps in mind the story in Luke 5 that started it all: “[People with disabilities and their families] have stood ‘outside the house,’ knowing that something great was in there, whether they realize it is Jesus or not, and they needed someone to tear the roof off. The Lord has given us at least one way to do that and be a part of their lives. It’s not just that we give them a backpack, but we answer that second question by saying, ‘We’ll be your friend! We’ll carry you onto the roof, and we’ll lower you down!’” Kevan has experienced the love of Jesus through the compassion and creativity of his friends, and his prayer is that through WCK others will know that they are seen and loved, and that they will have access to the forgiveness and healing of Jesus, too.
THE MINISTRY OF FRIENDSHIP
THE INVITATION TO RESPOND
To answer the second question, “Where did you get these friends?” Kevan is investing his energy in offering friendship and connection to the people who receive backpacks - and in the spirit that defined his Europe trip, he invites others to help him. The board, staff, and volunteers of WCK seek to foster a culture of creative accessibility by collaborating with families with disabilities around the world. They do this by sharing Kevan’s story as encouragement and inspiration, distributing the backpacks, traveling to visit people in their homes and communities, and having ongoing conversations about new or alternative ideas for customized access. “For us it was not just a backpack; it was like a relationship was started,” says Santiago de las Carreras, a man in Argentina who purchased the backpack to carry his wife on their honeymoon trip. “We feel like family.”
You can contribute to the work of We Carry Kevan by becoming a member, sponsoring a cause, or giving a one- time donation: https://wecarrykevan.org/give. If you or someone you know could benefit from the WCK Backpack, you can learn about it and order it through the organization’s website: https://shop.wecarrykevan.org/. Invite Kevan to speak at your church, school or event, in-person or virtually: https://www.ambassadorspeakers.com/speakers/unique/ kevan-chandler. Subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter to receive updates about the ongoing and growing ministry of We Carry Kevan: https://wecarrykevan.org/contact. Connie Chandler is Kevan’s sister and is also diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is honored to serve as the Director of Family Engagement at We Carry Kevan.
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