Born in Temple, Texas, just south of Dallas, in 1995, Levi’s early childhood was uprooted when his parents divorced and had shared custody. His stepmother was in the Coast Guard, and Levi has lived in more than 20 states, but “the main places where I grew up were Sylvan Lake, Illinois, and Monument, Colorado.”
Fast forward four years, where a baby named Elliana was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and at two months she and her family moved to Orenhofen, Germany, where they lived until Elliana was eight years old. “My parents work with The Navigators, and at that time were a part of the Military Ministry branch of the organization,” explains Elliana. “Our house was always filled with United States Air Force Airmen and Airwomen whom my parents discipled. They had Bible studies as well as fellowshipping and celebrating holidays with us.”
In contrast, Levi’s growing up years were rough. “I came to faith at age three,” he recalls, “mainly to appease my mom and grandma. But it was hard for me to believe in an invisible God to whom we ascribe masculine pronouns with a lack of a father figure for so much time.”
Elliana also came to faith as a child at the age of six. “It felt like the right thing to do,” she said. “Although I did it in earnest, my faith didn’t make much of a difference in my life, especially since much of my life was already wrapped up in my parents’ ministry.”
Her family moved to Colorado Springs two years later, her parents continued to work with The Navs Military Ministry at USAFA and Fort Carson and her father reenlisted in the Army.
Though Levi truly accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at age 13 “this change of heart didn’t affect my behavior at all, and outwardly I remained the same.” Life, however, changed radically for Levi.
One week before his high school graduation, Levi was involved in a traumatic car accident and was comatose for 15 days and hospitalized for a total of 40 days. “Due to damage to the occipital lobe of my brain in the accident, I lost the majority of my eyesight.” Instead of walking in his high school graduation, Levi spent the following months in rehab as his friends began their freshman year of college.
Immediately after the accident, Levi’s mother told him about a worldwide prayer chain for him. “She told me that the Lord had spared my life for a reason. It was this realization that mobilized my faith and prompted me to truly follow God’s calling on my life. “
With his initial college plans scraped, Levi applied to Moody Bible Institute, not knowing what would come of it or what he wanted to study. “My testimony spoke to the admissions department, and I was accepted and moved as a blind man to the third largest city in America with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It was there that I discovered my passion for speaking up for the marginalized and for ministry.”
Back in Colorado Springs, Elliana rededicated her life to the Lord in high school and decided to do a gap year right after graduation with Mercy Ships—a Christian charity that provides free surgeries and healthcare to third world West African countries.
Just before Elliana left for Mercy Ships, she met the pastoral intern at her church in Colorado Springs. A student at Moody and his name was Levi Anderson. The two began a long-distance relationship when Elliana left for her gap year. For five months, she worked as a cook in the galley of the Africa Mercy in the Canary Islands (Las Palmas specifically) and the country of Cameroon in West Africa.
“Upon my return from Mercy Ships, I finished my gap year working full-time at Sam’s Club, and then moved to Chicago to attend Wilbur Wright College for occupational therapy assisting and to be closer to Levi,” says Elliana.
A year after Elliana moved to Chicago and once Levi had graduated from Moody, they were married in Colorado Springs and moved to Portage Park in Chicago. Initially, Levi struggled to find work, but a month into their marriage, he began work as a swimming teacher in Wilmette. A few months later he found a position as a paraprofessional at a therapeutic school in the city and began working there.
Enter Dawn Clark. “She was one of Levi’s professors at Moody and did our premarital counseling,” explains Elliana. “She told us about the Community Builder position at Kenny’s Home. It was the height of the COVID shutdown in the city and we were not expecting a new job or a move, but the position really aligned with our passions and skills.”
But they knew God wanted them to pursue it. “And that’s what brought us to Kenny’s Home. We both are highly invested in working in the disabled community and feel that God has blessed us with the hearts and abilities needed to work with the residents at all three of the homes,” Elliana declares.
Sums up Levi, “The best thing about living at Kenny’s Home is the true fellowship and family that we have with the residents and the other staff members. There is no judgment, always generosity and a lot of love. Being blind myself, I have noticed and greatly appreciate the accommodating aspects of the home as well, but the genuine love is the best part, even on those challenging days.”
Levi and Elliana know that God has never failed in providing for their every need, and in his providence has closed some doors only to open better ones than they ever could imagine.