Gifting for a Cause Dear to Karen’s Heart
Meet my friend, and “sorta daughter” Mandie. She and my daughter Kenna became fast friends at summer camp in high school, and she quickly became part of our family—almost single-handedly running all my children’s graduation open houses. She is one of the most servant-hearted people I know.
After my fall last summer, I had a hard time sleeping and would find myself awake at all hours of the night. Due to her chronic health conditions, Mandie is no stranger to middle of the night wake ups. And she is no stranger to suffering. For the better part of the last three years, she has been confined to her childhood bedroom because of her condition. This summer, we found ourselves connecting over text. “Knock, knock” I would text, “Hi Mom E” she would text back. We would text each other prayers. Or funny videos. Often between 2 and 4 AM.
Mandie’s health conditions leave her bed-bound, unable to function from the chest down. She relies on her tablet/computer to connect to the world outside her bedroom. Despite her own discomfort and struggles, she would pray for and encourage me. Through the dark, lonely, and often painful nights, Mandie would remind me that I wasn’t alone—and that, ironically, the two things I could not do, which were lie on my back and sleep comfortably, were the only two things she was able to do. And the things I could do, although with great pain, were stand so my back wouldn’t hurt from my injuries, or sit down, so my feet and legs would stop hurting. She wants nothing more than to stand and sit, and I still dream of the day when I can lay flat on my back and sleep more than four hours at a stretch. We each want what the other one has, but there is no envy, only cheering each on, prayers, and encouragement. So, when she mentioned in passing that she needed a new computer, I knew that I wanted to do something to help.
This is where you come in: From November 25th – December 5th, I will be auctioning off a selection of Mandie’s handmade amigurumi creatures over on my eBay account. All sales will go directly to support Mandie. These adorable creatures make the most fabulous Christmas gifts for your loved ones.
*IMPORTANT!!! If you don’t need a critter, but want to support Mandie and her quest to buy a laptop, you can also send a donation using the donate button below. Even a small amount will be so appreciated by us both!!
Please select “Friends and Family” or “Sending to a Friend.”
Now, on to Mandie’s story!
Hi everyone! My name is Mandie Hendrickson. I am a 35 year old wife, crocheter of adorable animal friends, and chronic illness warrior.
I first met the Ehman family when Karen’s daughter and I volunteered together at Camp Barakel in 2006. That fall I visited her, met her family, and immediately “adopted” them as my own—“Mr. and Mrs. Ehman” quickly became “Mom and Dad,” and it’s been that way ever since.
Camp Barakel changed my life in other ways too. The same year that I met the Ehmans, I met my future husband. It was also there, two summers later, that I was bitten by a tick.
Camp Barakel sits deep in Michigan’s woods, so ticks aren’t unusual, but this one carried a nasty mix of infections: Lyme, Bartonella (cat scratch fever), and Babesia, and I picked up Babesia in spades. Babesia is not well known and is tough to diagnose, treat, and get rid of. Though I was bitten in 2008, the next several years were mostly “normal,” interrupted by mysterious symptoms, misdiagnoses like MS, and exhausting treatments. Still, I went to college, got married, and taught piano lessons to adorable young students for many years.
In 2016, on a road trip to a medical appointment, I brought along some yarn to pass the time. I’d crocheted for years but mostly blanketsand mug cozies. Scrolling Pinterest, I found a pattern for a small crocheted octopus—an amigurumi (ah-mee-goo-roo-mee). I made one, posted it online, and soon friends were asking for giraffes, elephants, and even manatees. That’s how Mandie’s Amigurumi Zoo was born.
I’ve always seen these cute little animal friends as a gift from the Lord. That same appointment marked the start of my toughest treatment yet, leaving me couch-bound for hours. Crocheting gave me purpose during that season—something cheerful to make while I rested, each little amugurumi smiling up at me and making me smile too.
After nearly ten years of relative stability, everything changed in 2021 when I began having bouts of paralysis and was hospitalized. During that time, I nearly died several times. Since then, I’ve lived with my parents, who care for me while my husband works out of town. I have been completely bed-bound since 2022, though we remain hopeful that I will get up out of bed and walk again! It’s been a difficult, confusing time—but through it all, the Lord has sustained me with peace and joy. People often say I’m the most positive person they know (I joke that it’s because my blood type is B positive). Truly, any light in me is His gift—He wraps my spirit in a golden mantle of peace.
Meanwhile, my little Zoo keeps growing. My room is filled with cheerful handmade animals, and I share them whenever I can. As my husband says, they’re “little drops of Mandie light—radiating dollops of positivity, going out and inspiring the world.”
If you would like to continue to follow my story, you can find me on my Facebook group called “Mandie’s Babesia Chronicles”. (When prompted, mentioned that you found me through Karen Ehman.)
And if you would like to be a part of a mailing list where I might sporadically announce flash sales with more friends from the Zoo, please email me at [email protected].
