HOW TO THANK A WHOLE COMMUNITY FOR ITS KINDNESS

Yvonne and Gary Lossing want to write a thank you note for the countless kindnesses their family have received over the past year, but they don't know where to start.

Gary and Yvonne Lossing's 12-year-old son, Kevin, has Becker's muscular dystrophy. The disease has attacked Kevin's heart and he has been at Children's Hospital in St. Louis for almost eight weeks awaiting a heart transplant. He is third on the list of children there waiting for donor hearts. In the past month, two children received donated hearts designated for them by persons from their home town -- one from St. Joseph and the other from Tulsa, Okla. Kevin remains on an IV and is too weak to return home until a transplant is complete.

The story of quiet, thoughtful Kevin and his family's struggle struck a chord in this community.

The Lossings wonder how they could possibly thank literally thousands of people who have contributed in so many different ways to the well-being of their family. The best thanks, they believe, would be for Kevin to receive his transplant and get well. They remain confident that is exactly what will happen.

"God works things out in mysterious ways," Yvonne said. "Just when you think people don't care, you see how much they really do. I could tell you story after story of kind things that have happened to our family that would make you cry. You know, Kevin is on prayer lists all over town. That shows me Kevin is going to be just fine."

The Cape Girardeau family learned that Kevin had muscular dystrophy when he was 6. They decided not to tell him to give him a chance to live as normal a life as possible. But the heart is a muscle, and nine months ago the disease hit Kevin's heart.

Doctors decided Kevin needed to see specialists in St. Louis and made plans for him to fly by helicopter. When the Lossings learned that Kevin would have to fly without one of his parents along, they pleaded that the youngster go by ambulance. Doctors agreed.

Dan and Donna Tucker of Marble Hill drove the ambulance. "She drove and talked with me," Yvonne recalled. "I was scared. I had been praying for so long for Kevin to be well, and now this." She told Donna how thankful she was for the support of her church, Cape Bible Chapel, and it turned out that the Tuckers attended the Marble Hill Bible Chapel. "She told me, `I know God's going to be with you,'" Yvonne said. Those kind words help brace Yvonne for the hospital stay in St. Louis. When they arrived home from the hospital that first time, instead of a bill for the ambulance trip the Lossing received a donation of $250.

Stories of kindness continue.

Yvonne works two days a week with handicapped children at Jefferson Elementary School. Gary works two days a week as a manufacturing salesman. They spend alternating days in St. Louis with Kevin. The couple has four children, Kristy and Keith, two older children who live at home, Keely, who is 10, and Kevin.

Their family schedule is very hectic. Members of the Lossings' church stepped in to help. Someone from church or friends prepares dinner for the Lossings each and every Monday and Thursday.

"It's not just my church that has done something," she said.

Kevin is on prayer lists. Churches have organized fund raisers and other events to help the family.

Before Gary started his job as a manufacturing salesman, he sold insurance in Cape Girardeau. Clients have followed Kevin's story and offered their support and donations.

Earlier this year, Kevin was able to attend school two hours a day. Yvonne wanted a tutor to help Kevin keep up with his classes. After she applied for a tutor through the public school system, Kevin's principal, John Eck at L.J. Schultz School, said he would do the job. Yvonne thought it was part of Eck's assignment as principal but later learned that Eck volunteered his time to help Kevin. All of his teachers worked with Eck to make sure Kevin was keeping up with his classwork.

Children at L.J. Schultz, Central High School, Alma Schrader, Jefferson and Clippard elementary schools and many other schools have collected money through bake sales and other events to help Kevin, a boy most have never met. Southeast Missouri State University speech and hearing students delivered pamphlets for Imo's Pizza and donated the money they raised to Kevin. Then the students gave Kevin a pizza party.

Sharon and Leonard Dryer with the Make-a-Wish Foundation helped grant Kevin's wish for a computer. When they brought computer, they also brought pizza, donated by Breadeaux Pizza in Jackson. The Dryers also visit Kevin at the hospital.

Yvonne had worked for a time at JCPenney. The store sponsored a garage sale. She worked at the Christian School for the Young Years. The pre-school collected money from parents and staff. Friends Forever pre-school also collected funds. Papa John's Pizza and the Girl Scouts teamed up to raise money.

The list goes on and on and more fund-raisers are being planned.

Yvonne said living through this bad situation has shown the family clearly how good God can be. "I know God has a plan to bring all of us together and Kevin is part of that master plan."