For this month, I decided to interview Enid Appelget. She is a former missionary who is now a mother of four children, one of whom has Asperger’s Disorder. I met her on Christian Anime Alliance when she heard I had Asperger’s, and she decided to privately ask me questions. We eventually formed a great friendship.
1. Are you a convert to the Christian faith, or have you been a Christian since childhood?
“I can consider myself a nominal Christian since childhood because I have been knowing about the Bible, Jesus and what he did for us since I was a kid raised as a Catholic.But it was not a relationship of love and trust and open communication between us. Then, when I was 18 years old I was born again, like Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:1-18.”
2. What denomination are you?
“Non-denominational. Where ever I get to live I go to any church where the word of God is believed and preached and there is sound teaching about it. Where believers in Jesus Christ love Him with all their heart mind and soul and want to be honest in everything to each other and to God. I do prefer ‘Protestant’ churches.
3. Which version of the Bible do you use for study?
“Reina-Valera. Spanish is my native tongue and that is the most used version and the one I grew up reading and listening to. I think it could be the equivalent to a New KJV, but better.”
4. How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
J (10), D (9), J (7), M (4). And, yes, you can call me a busy mom, lol. (Note: she didn’t want me to give her kids’ names.)
5. Children with Aspergers and/or Autism are somewhat difficult to raise. What advice can you give to parents?
Do research and follow your gut instict as a parent when it comes to treatment, therapies or/and intervention. Search for all the posible help available for your child and your family as a whole. Do not compare your child or family to other families, you are not better or worst, is just different. Do not forget to take care of yourself in all areas (mental, spiritual, emotional and physical). You need to be in optimal conditions to be able to help your children and be a blessing for all in your family without burning out.
6. You said you were a missionary. What was that like?
It was AWESOME! I was able to see God working in people’s life in front row, sort of speak. I worked as a missionary with Youth With Missionhttp://ywam.org/ and God took me to many places working alongside many other Christians to take the God News to many and teach the words of Jesus to fellow believers, too. I grew a lot as a person with a lot more respect and admiration for my brothers and sisters in other countries.
7. What person in your life has shaped your faith the most? Why?
“That, is a hard question. I really never thought about it until now that you ask me. Let me think…Well, I think that more than one person was a group of teachers, during that year I was in a Bible School, in YWAM. They taught me how to think outside the regular mainstream Christianity and to search and investigate what I believe and why. I am still working on that. Learning and changing never ends.”
8. What is your favorite verse of the Bible?
Another hard question. I like so many bible verses. BUt I will go for the two that moved me to get closer to Jesus, to surrender my life totally to him: “If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9, and Luke 12:8 “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God”.
9. What do you think is the best thing about being a Christian?
Not being afraid of the future. Being filled with hope and joy. And getting to relate to God as my Lord, as my friend and as my father.
10. What is your reaction to the claim that Christians are often hypocritical and prejudiced towards those of other faiths? Have you met anyone who isn’t Christian in real life, and if so, have they treated you kindly?
Woah, those are three questions in one I will see how well can I answer them.
Hyprocrisy happens. And it is not just in people claiming to be Christians. It is the nature of man to say one thing and do other, because many times we want to fit in and not be seen for what we are. It is trigger by fear of rejection and other times because of pride. Prejudice is as ugly as Hyprocrisy but maybe more damaging. We are not to judge people in order to reject and condem them, that is not our goal or responsibility. We are to consider people where they are at and meet them there with God’s truth about themselves, and let them choose. We surely and lovingly can point out ANY wrong behavior or belief the way we would like others to point them in ourselves. Yes,I have met people that are not Christians and many have treated me kindly.
11. What advice would you give to married people?
Keep dating your spouse, preferibly once a week, even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood. Do not think that she or he knows what you want or what you are planning because they already know you well. Communicate ideas, feelings or plans in a timely way. Follow godly and biblical truth and advice in every aspect of your marriage.
12. You lived in other countries before moving to the US. What was it like there?
What was it like there?…It was hard, but I knew that we were where God wanted us to be at that time in life.
Would you like me to interview you for this project? Email me and I’ll interview you! My e-mail is:
rocklobsterjwt@gmail.com. You’ll notice when you click on that, the subject “interview” is in your subject heading. I will only accept interviews if “interview” is the subject.
Aspie Catholic 