The Dumas Fund
Our team at Showcase Photographers is raising money to buy our paralyzed co-workers and friends (Kevin and Kerry Dumas) a new custom van. Currently, they are driving a van with no seatbelts and that continually malfunctions. In Kevin's words, here is their love story, their faith story and their struggles! We hope you will be touched enough to help!
"Kerry and I married on Sep 7, 1991. We were both paralyzed when we were 18. ...
Complications during a medical procedure in August 1981 left Kerry unable to move from her shoulders down. She guides her wheelchair with her chin. Her eyes are radiant blue and she is full of life. Don't feel sorry for her!
On July 11, 1982, I dove into a river and broke my neck. Since then I have been paralyzed from my chest down. My arms are half paralyzed and my fingers are floppy.
In the fall of 1989, Kerry was looking for a van with a wheelchair lift. The car dealer told her that he knew a man who had a minivan with a ramp. These vans were new at the time. I was that man, so Kerry called me at work and asked me to show her my van. I went to her house as soon as I got off work. At about 10:00 pm she still hadn't mentioned the van. We were married two years later.
About a year after we married I began having health problems and eventually had to retire on disability from the Corps of Engineers.
Medical expenses kept increasing. The cost of home health care was consuming our savings. We have always been frugal. I struggled to make enough money in the stock market, but over $100 a day, day after day, in home health care was relentless. Still, God provided and we made it until 2008.
By this time I had gotten more risky with our remaining money in order to increase our potential return. Otherwise, I knew we didn't have a chance. I decided to put all our eggs in one basket and watch it very closely. Then, the fall of 2008 came. We lost almost everything.
We borrowed money to pay our healthcare expenses.
We cried out to God. We asked our pastor to pray for us. Our whole church prayed earnestly. God tested my faith and I struggled with doubts and regret over every decision and circumstance.
I couldn't leave Kerry at home to go to work because we had no one to stay with her. If we hired someone I'd have to make enough to pay the caregiver, too. It was difficult to find a job I could do from home. I tried selling home security systems for a local company a friend owned. I sold cell phone service, and air purifiers.
We began eating at Kerry's parents' home because we couldn't afford to pay someone to cook for us or even buy many groceries.
Finally, our money was gone, and our credit cards maxed out. In debt to my dad, Kerry's parents giving us monthly support they couldn't really afford, and nothing left to pay our daily caregivers, I called a nearby nursing home during business hours, but no one answered. I called again. No one ever answered.
Not long before this time, however, in the summer of 2009, I called my younger brother Steve who pastored a church in Gulf Shores, Alabama and asked him to pray for me to find work I could do at home. After we got off the phone he was passing by his secretary's office and overheard her asking someone on the phone, "So you're looking for someone who can work from home?" Steve said "Wait! Let me have that phone!"
A new family in his church had moved to Gulf Shores to expand their real estate photography business, Showcase Photographers. The Holy Spirit had begun prompting them to call the church and ask if they knew someone who could work from home, especially if they were disabled or couldn't work outside the home. At the same time I was on the phone asking for my brother to pray I find work, the owner of Showcase Photographers was on the phone with Steve's secretary asking if the church knew someone who needed to work from home.
God answered our prayers in such a way that we would know He heard us and answered so that we would never doubt Him again.
Kerry and I spent a day with Dan Raper, the owner of Showcase Photographers. He offered to pay me to make Youtube videos. It was just enough to keep us from going bankrupt. Then, on the day after Labor Day, 2010, (literally a week away from having no money left to pay our caregivers), I started working as a virtual assistant for Showcase Photographers, answering the phone, scheduling photo shoots, and such.
Since 2011 I have been editing photos and I love it. Our Lord Jesus Christ had answered our cries and the prayers of our family and church through Dan and Sandy Raper and the Showcase team.
We give all glory to God! Still, He uses people and they deserve to be honored and recognized, too.
It gets better!
We started attending Church of His Presence on March 25, 2012 where the pastor speaks a blessing over all the tithers. In his blessing he called forth jobs, not just any job, but jobs with raises, bonuses, and benefits...for all who need them. The next week we brought our tithes and offerings. On April 9, two weeks later, Showcase offered to hire Kerry. Kerry hadn't worked for over 30 years since she worked for Revco Drugstore as an 18 year old.
Finally, we were able to start paying off our debt.
So many people have been a blessing to us. Our greatest desires are to bless others and to glorify our Lord, to be completely and permanently healed in Jesus name, to be debt free, and for all of our family and friends to know our Lord Jesus and how wonderful He is.
This all began with the search for a wheelchair van. Now, we desperately need a new van, but we don't want to add to our debt."