1994 Miracle Yearbook

A Testimony to Write Home About Around the time of December when thoughts are on the Christmas festivities and on happier thoughts of family, friends, and gifts, it seemsthatdeath would servenopurpose. How- ever, the Bortons cen- tered their thoughts around their sons Nathan and Jason. Ja- son,ajuniorelementary education major at Cedarville, was espe- cially concerned. The family wondered if this would bethelastChrist- mas Nathan would spend with them. Nathan lived like any other normal 18-year- old. Heloved radio-con- trolled carsand the Dal- las cowboys; he laughed,alwayssmiled, and worked hard. Nathan even graduated high school with a 3.85 GPA. But all this had a down side: Nathan suf- fered from leukemia, and his days were slowly leaving him. Nathan contracted leukemia in 1985 at the age of nine. "I was re- ally bitter toward God," says Jason. "Nathan was a fighter through the whole ordeal." Ja- Erin Wawro Rana Weaver Ann Weise Ruth Wenger Steve Whalen Jody Wiedemann Roger Wilhelm Stacey Wilkinson Jennifer Williamson Adam Wilson Carrie Wilson Chris Wilson Stephanie Wilson Kenneth Wilt Chad Wingert son spoke about how he needed his parents' attention because they had to spend so much time with Nathan. Jason tells how his brother handled the situation even during the hardest partsof leu- kemia. "He had his down times, but he al- ways had'God is Love' written in his Bible or on his wall." Nathan passed away on December24,1993at about4:30a.m.,with his mother by his bedside. Jason said that five or six hundred people cameto thefuneral and about eight hundred people came to the viewing,called,or sent messages expressing their support. When Jason came to Cedarville, God used the campus and many aspects of college to bring him back to the Lord. "The road was long and hard," hesaid, but now he is serving as a secretary for the Advisory Seven this year and using the tes- timony of his brother to encourage his friends and others around him. •Don Smith Lisa Winn Jennifer Winters Paige Wolfanger Lorna Woodard Ann Marie Woodman Jennifer Wright Mavis Wu Brian Wymer Marcella Yoder Jason Young Michelle Zehr Jennifer Zenner Daniel Zerby Mark Zuiderveen Student Life 77