Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Congratulations Alyson Roth, Ms Wheelchair California 2009
"Alyson grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and attended church every time the doors were open. She was actively involved in Sunday School, mission trips, and various ministries both at church and in school to help bring others closer to a relationship with Jesus. The Bible became a source of stability and comfort to her through her adolescence and teenage years.
The summer before her senior year in college following a missionary assignment in Northern California, Alyson was involved in a near-fatal car accident that left her with a spinal cord injury and paralyzed from the waist down. Within a matter of seconds, her life went from planned out to completely chaotic and unfamiliar. The God that she had relied on for strength and support her entire life was all of the sudden no where to be seen. The life she knew was completely gone, and her hopes and dreams were completely shattered. That morning in July, she went from walking around just hours before at a gas station to lying in the middle of the desert - paralyzed.
Though trying desperately to hold on to the life she once knew before the car accident, Alyson slowly started questioning not only her friendship with her best friend and driver of the car at the time of the accident, but also the omnipotence and provision of God. Where was He that morning as she lay in the desert? Why did He allow this to happen to her?
God has promised us in Romans 8:28 that "all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." Through her own pain and struggles, Alyson has learned that God will take care of those who suffer as He did with her and that all the years of hurt will be restored in the Lord's time for a better purpose in the end. In the meantime, she feels compelled to live and exude excellence in the name of Jesus and be a voice for those who desperately need mobility in developing countries.
Alyson currently resides in Southern California and speaks to community groups, churches, and schools around the country. In her free time, she enjoys photography, spending time outdoors, reading, and enjoying time with friends and family."
You can watch the pageant on the news:
http://cbs13. com/local/ miss.wheelchair. california. 2.976430. html
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Februrary 6-8th, Quad Rugby Portland Invitational
During the weekend of February 6th-8th, Portland was holding an invitational game for Quad Rugby. Although I have done and seen several wheelchair sports, I have not had the chance to witness a Quad Rugby game live. Therefore, I was excited to make an appearance as Ms Wheelchair America 2009 First Runner Up at the event. On the first day, I was surprised to find myself to be the only girl in a wheelchair. It was not until the next day when I saw a female athlete playing for the British Columbia team. She was a great player. I also met many wonderful teams from Portland Pounders, British Columbia Bandits, Northridge Kings, Michigan Storm, Seattle Slam, and Western Rovers. Some of them have even played for the Paralympics Games in Beijing. The players’ discipline, determination, and strength were amazing. They got right back into the game even though they had just fallen backwards on the court. The game was both fun and intense to watch as the players crashed into each other trying to get the ball behind the line.
Since Oregon does not have a Ms Wheelchair state program, many people at the event were interested and asked me questions about Ms Wheelchair America. I shared with several of them about the pageant and the advocacy work titleholders have done in the country. It would be wonderful if Ms Wheelchair Oregon was established to empower the women with disabilities in that state. On the last day, I had the honor of presenting awards to some of the most talented players. Although Portland Pounders won the game, it was clear that all the teams were winners. I hope the next time I watch a Quad Rugby game; I will see more female players on the court. My appearance in Portland was very memorable.
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