What people with Down syndrome and those who love them teach us about God

World Down Syndrome Day is March 21, a day when we focus attention on the dignity of people with Down syndrome.

One of the people who does this 365 days a year is Heather Avis, a mother of three children, two with Down syndrome. Avis is the founder of The Lucky Few foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Lucky Few, a national Down syndrome advocacy organization.According to its web site,

The Foundation ensures that family members, friends and loved ones of a person with Down syndrome have the opportunity to share what it means to be part of “the lucky few,” and everyone else has the opportunity to access it.

To that end, Avis and her family tell the stories of people with Down syndrome and those who love them in hopes of “shifting the narrative to create a more inclusive world where everyone belongs.”

Avis is also a best-selling author — her latest book for children and families is called Everyone Belongs.

Photo courtesy of Heather Avis

In the short talk below, Avis shares a poignant story about her dance-loving eldest daughter Macyn and what happened during a dance recital. It’s a story that invites each of us to think about how we are making room for people who are “different” from us, welcoming them into our spaces and communities, simply because they are children of God, like everyone else.

When we do that, says Avis, we begin to understand the heart of God.

Read more:The touching story of a father and his daughter with Down syndrome that has gone viral