A Minnesota dairy family will share a story of finding God’s love in the midst of tragedy at the Central Plains Dairy Expo Ag Prayer Breakfast.
The featured speaker will be Rita Vander Kooi. She and her husband, Joe, operate the Ocheda Dairy in Worthington, Minn., where they raise their four children: Vince, 11; Liv, 8; Ava, 5; and Violet, 2.
Many people followed the family’s story through Vander Kooi’s blog, “So She Married a Farmer,” which became a source of support when her daughter was injured in an accident on a utility vehicle two years ago this spring.
The accident happened when the family was preparing for a picnic on a beautiful April day just before corn planting was to begin. Riding in the back seat of a utility vehicle, Ava somehow unbuckled herself and fell from the moving vehicle onto the gravel. The fall caused severe damage to a bundle of nerves that help her right arm operate.
Ava had just turned 4 at the time, and she has spent much time in surgery and therapy since then. Now, Ava is on the road to recovery, and life goes on at the Ocheda Dairy, where Rita and her husband farm with his dad and milk 1,300 cows.
Ahead of the Ag Prayer Breakfast, Vander Kooi answered some questions via email about her life on the dairy farm and how Ava’s accident has changed her family.
Tell us a bit about your operation.
My husband Joe and I farm with his dad, Dave. Ocheda Dairy began as a small FFA project about 50 years ago. It has grown steadily over the years, due in large part to some wonderful long-term employees.
I grew up on a dairy farm in the central Minnesota town of Pierz. Although there are very few dairy farms in Worthington, my hometown’s main economic driver was dairy farming. Joe and I met while we were studying dairy science at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul.
What is it that you appreciate most about being able to raise your kids on a farm?
I know that a work-family balance is a very difficult piece for a lot of young moms, but I am 100 percent comfortable in my role currently. Having the opportunity for my husband to really focus on our dairy business because he is certain I have things sailing smoothly at home is what works for us. My husband loves to have a child or two working beside him for a bit, and my flexibility with our lifestyle makes it possible. There truly is no better place to raise a family than on a farm!
You’re in the middle of a construction project. How will that change your operation?
We are renovating the very first free-stall barn built in 2001. This change includes moving from natural ventilation to forced ventilation. We will also have the opportunity to change out some headlocks and water fountains from the original barn. This building project also adds new pens for continued growth in our farm.
So many people have followed Ava’s journey through your blog. Were you ever hesitant to share something that must have been so difficult for the family?
I am often overwhelmed by the support for Ava and our entire family. When I began my blog, I wanted to reach out to people to share with them all of the goodness that goes on at our dairy farm. By God’s hand, it has morphed into an opportunity to minister to others about God’s love, even in the midst of tragedy. I didn’t contemplate my decision to share our story on social media – I simply knew we were in urgent need of prayers for our little girl.
What lasting affects is Ava still working through today?
When Ava avulsed four of the five nerves that operated her right arm and hand, she instantly lost all sensation and motor function. She had a nine-hour surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital three months later, and we were told she would continue to make gains in nerve growth and function for 24 months. We are three-fourths of the way there!
She can now lift her hand up to her mouth, as well as apply enough pressure to keep a piece of paper in place as she is writing on a desk. She can also carry an item by securing it between her forearm and stomach.
There are only so many nerves that the surgeons can “steal.” A best-case scenario would be if she could gain enough hand function in the next half of a year that she could use it as a helper hand. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are huge parts of Ava’s life right now.
How has the event changed your family?
Ava’s accident has changed us for the better. It is hard to put my finger on the exact ways, but I know God has used a time of trial to strengthen us for his purposes.
What sort of message will you be sharing at the prayer breakfast?
I am hoping to hold back my emotions, stand strong and share how I know God is always at work, even in the midst of tragedy.
What do you hope people will take from it?
I’ll be honest – I’m not much for public speaking. I’m quite terrified of the thought of so many people listening intently to my part in the prayer breakfast. I’m just trusting that the Lord will use that morning in whatever ways he sees fit.
The breakfast buffet will take place at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls at 7 a.m. Wednesday, March 29. Tickets are $25 per person.
Source: The Tri-State Neighbor
