Intern Kevin Discovers an Honorable Cause…

By |Published On: January 17, 2013|Categories: News|

Kevin and JoniKevin Natale, a vocational intern at Joni and Friends, is a recent graduate of Biola University. He’s also been a quadriplegic for 19 years, after a senseless shooting. After rehab, Kevin turned to drugs to numb the pain of living life in a wheelchair. But after 10 long years of substance abuse, Kevin turned it all over to Jesus Christ – his pain, his disability, his future. In return, God has taught him deep truths about forgiveness, about dependence on Christ, about trust. Today, Kevin is serving others and giving away what Christ has given him. “I’m doing a vocational internship at Joni and Friends with their internship program,” Kevin said. “I have the opportunity to use what I’ve learned and experienced as a quad to help people who are newly disabled. I speak on the phone with people just like me – men who are quads. I have a connection with these guys because they know I’m in their shoes. Our conversations are about real-life stuff. They trust me because I understand what their life is all about. I live it, too.” Kevin’s internship isn’t just about helping other men with disabilities – it’s bringing new understanding and freedom to him, too. And it’s advancing the mission of Joni and Friends. “I used to think I was at Joni and Friends to bless others. Now I know I’m the one getting blessed! It’s a privilege to be a disabled person who is part of the movement of disability ministry. I am the ministry.”

Want to hear more? Listen as Joni interviews Kevin about quadriplegia and addiction:
Part 1: Kevin’s Testimony
Part 2: Overcoming Addiction

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