Wonder What He Will Say?

Part One

Let’s do the math. I started playing disc golf on a regular basis when Ryan was only four years old.  He is now 19 years old, so hmm… he has been hanging out with his dad on the disc golf course for almost 15 years.  For the un-initiated --- disc golf (Frisbee golf, if you will) is played like ball golf, but instead counting how many times you hit the ball with the club, you count how many  times you throw the disc on its way to the hole (a basket-looking gizmo). 

Ryan would beg to go with me to play.  And “play” he did.  He would play with the sticks, the rocks, the water, and only occasionally he would actually join us on the tee box and throw his disc.  But, he loved the relationships.  “Dad? Going to play with the guys?” he would ask.  Why our friends put up with him slow-walking and tolerated me hollering, “Ryan, catch up” for all those years ---- I will never know.  But, they did. True friends indeed.

As the years progressed, so did Ryan’s love for disc golf.  Ryan’s challenges with timing, muscle tone, balance, and coordination had resulted in very few successful athletic ventures. But, not disc golf.  Ryan learned to throw; maybe not far, but certainly straight.  His skills grew, too. He paid close attention as I would instruct a group of scouts at a clinic and the following week he becomes the teacher as he shows his friends the proper way to grip a disc.  He started learning the rules; how to mark a lie, how to hold a proper stance, and how to be quiet while others are throwing.  He didn’t miss much.

Ryan began to join me as I played in the area tournaments.  The other players (and the tournament director) would always make us feel welcome as Ryan hung out with me.  They would even let him throw a time or two each hole -- just so he stayed out of the way.  And then last summer, my little disc golf tadpole became a frog.  He played with me at a local tournament, but this time he didn’t just throw once or twice each hole; he actually threw every shot and asked to keep his score.   And the men we were playing with were kind enough to slow down and let him do it.  Wow.

In August we traveled to Louisville, KY for a weekend tournament.  Four rounds of 18 holes spread over two days. Ryan signed up to play as a Novice.  He did great.  As far as we know he is the only young adult with Down Syndrome  to ever play in a sanctioned Professional Disc Golf Association event. (PDGA is the international governing body for the sport) At the end of the tournament Ryan was “holding court” with the tournament staff, wives, & girlfriends before the award ceremony.  The director said that he had laughed more in the last 30 minutes than he had during the last week. Ryan was adding to his fan base rather quickly.

When it came time for the awards the director started with the announcement that he had a special award for a young man who had just played his first PDGA tournament. The crowd goes wild as Ryan goes up to accept his prize.  And just like the tournament champion always does; Ryan raises his hand to quiet the crowd so he can say a few words.  This was new territory for both of us.  And while he was most calm, I was, well …not so much.  I kept the outward smile, but on the inside I had an OshiMoment and wondered “what in the world is he going to say?”

The ruckus dies down, and Ryan says, “Thanks guys. Come see us at Crockett Park” (our home course) and sits down.  I should have never doubted him.

Part 2

The church called again.  According to the secretary on the phone, Ryan has signed up to go on a mission trip to Peru. Again.  Third time. I can’t explain it, but God is calling this young man to go to Peru.  And he hears Him.

Last year, after the second sign-up phone call, Cheryl and I told him that we all would go to Peru after he graduated high school --just wait.  He did.  We are.

A few weeks ago we went to our first training meeting.  We got to meet our leaders and the other team members.  That is when we discovered there are several families connected with the mission effort in Peru that have children with DS.  I guess we could say, “wow, who knew?”, but I am convinced that in some way Ryan already knew that we belonged on this trip and this team.

We began the meeting with the expected introduction circle.  “Please tell us your name and tell about any prior mission trips”, instructs the leader.  As the introductions move around the circle, Cheryl and I realized that Ryan will be speaking before us.  Uhm… Wonder what he will say?  The far side of the circle was an impressive bunch; most had been to Peru before, some had been to Russia, one had a yearly trek to Honduras, and then, and then ---- it was Ryan’s turn.

He says, “Hi, I am Ryan”.  He tells them he is a senior in high school and names the school. And then, “I go to mission trip to help my Granny and PaPa after the flood got their house. The whole Pittman family mission trip”.  I didn’t think his answer needed any explaining then -- or now.