Communities and churches are beginning to recognize and accommodate children with disabilities. However, what happens when a child doesn’t fit into or ages out of these programs? What about their families?
For Chrissy Schubert, founder and executive director of Ady’s BiG Army, developing a program that addressed these issues was a result of desperation. Her daughter Ady showed some developmental regression at 17 months old after having an illness with a 105 degree fever. Schubert suspected something was very wrong but was told by those closest to her that she was imagining it. She was told things like because Ady was beautiful, she couldn’t have autism. Some even said, “If you say it, then you’re claiming it and bringing it into existence.”
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Shubert hoped that when Ady recovered from the illness, she would be okay.
But she wasn’t. Schubert finally quit talking about it and grieved alone. After Ady was formally diagnosed, her parents found a school that specialized in teaching students with autism.
Ady’s autism worsened when she was 3 years old. She began having major sleeping problems and started self-injurious behaviors. She tried to escape her home. Because several therapists had to work together to get Ady dressed, Schubert had to take her to school without Ady having any clothes on and wrapped in a blanket.
“I was sleep deprived,” Schubert said. “I was up all night holding her hands down so that she wouldn’t hurt herself at 2 in the morning. It was a level of what I would call combat-type trauma because you’re constantly hypervigilant trying to keep your child alive, and you’re doing all of it with no sleep.”
School tuition for Ady doubled, but friends held a fundraiser that paid the tuition, which was a huge relief. On the flip side, Schubert’s marriage was “hanging on by a thread.” Then her husband thought it would be a good idea to start a nonprofit.
‘Let’s do this’
“I remember being really angry and thinking, ‘You want to save the world and our house is on fire?’” she said. “A few weeks later we were sitting in church, and our pastor at the time talked about turning pain into purpose. He talked about how hard it is to be depressed when you’re actively helping someone else when you’re going through hell. Something in my heart resonated that day and I said, ‘OK, let’s do this.’”
In 2015, they started Ady’s Army. Its mission was to serve God through serving families who have members with disabilities. Motivated and informed by their own struggles, they helped families by providing respite nights, swimming lessons for children and adults and fences for families who couldn’t afford them so that their children could play safely in their yards.
Even with the outward focus, life with Ady was still a huge challenge — until 2017. God impressed Schubert to take Ady to as many worship experiences as possible to get her in the presence of God. She did a full reset with Ady’s medications and therapy. She hired a specially trained tutor to teach Ady age-appropriate academics, although she doubted the outcome.
“This is a kid who smeared poop on the walls, and you’re talking to her about science and art and history,” she said.
Then, during a history lesson the day before her 9th birthday, Ady spelled her first poem. Spelling was Ady’s way to communicate.
“So, music really plays as the American eagle soars./ I can send new errors to air, never to have my soul care./ Me, God, open my mind, steady my heart, His need will call./ Are some still lost? I am autistic and free.”
Schubert began almost convulsing with shock over this progress — and the awe of God. It was too much to handle.
“Ady saw my reaction and she looked at me — never broke eye contact — and spelled, ‘It’s OK, Mom. I’m in here.’”
At 10 years old, Ady spelled to her parents, “It’s in God’s will for you to build a place for my people.” Though circumstances didn’t improve, God reassured Schubert that He was in this so she pressed on.
‘Ady’s people’
Ady’s Army became Ady’s BiG Army, based on an organization near Austin, Texas, called Brookwood in Georgetown (BiG). For four days a week, Ady’s BiG Army serves Citizens who are 22 years old and older, called such due to being citizens of God’s Kingdom as well as the vocational community. The Citizens make “beautiful things” — soap, dog treats and blueberry cream pies to name a few — that are sold at pop-up markets. However, their main goal is to build “Ady’s people” — a community with housing.
“Today when people meet Ady, they almost always use the same words — regulated, full of self-control, a joy, a delight. Every time I hear it, it still makes me want to cry. Looking back at where she once was, it is a living reminder to me that God is faithful and that He is still very much in the miracle-working business.
“Ady has friends. She loves deeply. She is an incredibly hard worker. She is the first one to jump in at Ady’s BiG Army to create, bake and help wherever she is needed. I am so proud of her.
“And now, we are able to give each and every one of our Citizens that same spotlight. We make sure to see them, to love them, to believe in them and to gently push them into all they are capable of. We are watching them thrive in the very same way.
“It’s giving me a piece of heaven.”
To find out more about Ady’s BiG Army, go to https://adysbigarmy.org/.
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