My name is Daniel McKinney and I have Down Syndrome along with the mental retardation diagnosis which leaves me extremely impaired. I was born in San Angelo, Texas and grew up overseas in Ramstein AFB, Germany. I then moved to the Panhandle of Florida in the Boggy County called Niceville, FL back in 1990 during my 5th Grade year. I attended the Special Ed program for Kids with Special Needs. I want to tell you why I have  down syndrome and how God changed me.

Growing up, I had a hard time communicating  with others because of my disabilities.  Many people either acted ignorant and oblivious to my existence, while others bullied, teased or spread rumors about me.  There were many times that I got angry and bitter and felt pressured to do things that I knew were wrong.  Even then, though I did not know God at the time, He was watching out for me.  It was during the one of the toughest times in my life that God sent me a friend, Michael Minger and he was like an angel to me.  Not only did he befriend me in my time of need, he also defended me against every bully and every person that mistreated me because of my differences.

During my Junior/Senior year I got invited to a Youth Organization called Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I joined mostly out of curiosity and thought it would be a great way to meet new people.  However, God had other plans.  It was during this time that I learned what it was like to give all your hurts and problems to Jesus and how important it is to accept Him as Lord and Savior.  One day, while attending church service at the First Assembly of God in Niceville, FL, I accepted Jesus Christ into my life for the first time- and it was at this point that everything seemed better.  That is until I got the terrible news that my friend, Michael Minger  was killed in an arson fire at the college dorm in Murray State University (Murray, KY).  Still not over the shock of his death, I was faced with an even greater loss- my mom, who had been suffering from leukemia for about 4 years, died.

I went through alot of difficult times with those burdens.  And although I sometimes felt like giving up, somehow God was always there and got me through it.

A year later me and My Dad moved to Pensacola and he got re-married and we decided to move to the Northwest it was The move was a great change for me and through it all, God was always present and always showing me, in little ways, just how much He cared.   I was so blessed.

I traveled from New Orleans, Louisiana to Seattle, Washington  on vacation to Washington State, Oregon, and California- It was strange to me how God showed me in that He was there with me- no matter where I went!!

Finally, I moved to the state of Oregon.  It was at this time that my dad decided for me to get associated with the Community Development Services up here in the Oregon Coast for People with Developmental Disabilities association called Shangri-La Corporation.

God then blessed me with my first job!!  I got employed working at 2 Shelter Workshops for People with disabilities here in Newport, Orgeon by taking advantage to get relief from Families and a year later, I started getting situated in the Brokeridge services for People with Disabilities.  God then blessed me by enabling me to overcome a challenge that no one thought possible….I was able to live on my own- independently.

This was such a huge deal for me and if it wasnot for my savior Jesus Christ, I would not have been able to have the means, the ability or the confidence that lead me to overcome such a great obstacle.

I began going to the Nazarene Church every Sunday and I liked it there.  I also attended Kiwanis Camp in Mount Hood, Oregon for People with Disabilities to get into social summer events. Boy, I enjoy the outdoors and God has blessed me then too by allowing me to do things that I always dreamed of doing.

By that fall, I was completely living on my own and doing things that I have always liked to do.  I then felt led to get involved in the community here in the Oregon coast with a group of People with Disabilities – I felt like this was what God had asked me to do.   It wasn’t long after that that my Dad and Stepmom divorced and this came as a major blow to me.  I didn’t not let these new and current circumstances keep me down as I had let every disappointment get me down before.  This time, I knew that God was with me and with Him on my side, who could be against me?This proved to be true because about 2 years later , my Dad married a wonderful woman and she became my Stepmother. I was so blessed!!

In November of that year, my father and new stepmother, helped me move  to a new location of the Oregon Coast and I got enrolled in the Mentor Mid-Valley Brokeridge services in Eugene, Oregon. And that is where I am today.  If if were not for God, I would not be at the place I am at today and would not possess the ability and confidence I have to write this spark now.  My advice to everyone out there is this:  There is a God and He helped me overcome many challenges- I know that there are many more to come, but I’m not afraid- as long as I have Him.