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Lynell Dangarembizi: My Perspective
Many reasons have been attributed to the stigma attached to disability in some societies. Some link disability to witchcraft, others say it is a punishment from the ancestors, while others yet think it is a sign of God’s disapproval.
Whatever the belief, stigma causes untold suffering to both the parents and the disabled child. Stories have been told of how in our African culture a mother and her child are chased away from a village when such a disabled child is born.
Cases of parents hiding their physically challenged children are not uncommon. But who can judge them?
The demands of taking care of a physically challenged person are enormous. In some cases they require round the clock assistance in everything they do. To top that up the shame and marginalisation from society leaves a lot to be desired. Most people cannot handle such pressure, they succumb, never to recover again.
The question to ask is, where is God in all of this? How can He allow such levels of suffering?
The answer to that question is the reason for this article. We get to see God’s perspective on disability, yes why not hear thoughts from the Creator Himself. In dealing with disability society has responded by creating orphanages and children’s homes, though commendable this has failed to remove the stigma associated with disability.
The appeal for funding and donations for orphanages to take care of disabled people has also created an image of weakness. Any time that you look for funding to take care of someone you are literally saying they cannot take care of themselves and therefore a burden to society.
What if I told you that it was never God’s intention for disabled people to be viewed as a burden to society? In Gods eyes being disabled is not a curse but a blessing. Yes you heard me correctly, disability is a BLESSING . . . If you read the Bible you will discover that some of the most famous and powerful characters were disabled.
Most biblical scholars and preachers have placed these characters in a league of their own because of their great accomplishments. I am talking here of Daniel, Moses, Mordecai, Samson, Jacob, Leah, Paul, Nehemiah, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist), and so forth, the list is endless. Moses suffered from a severe speech defect called stammering and remained like that for the rest of his life.
In God’s eyes no one is born disadvantaged, everyone is born equal and with a purpose. In fact the physically challenged person can actually have a slight advantage; God actually compensates them for their lack in a certain area.
Haven’t you heard of blind people with an above average hearing capacity? They can literally hear sounds that most people miss. In fact their higher than average hearing senses actually eliminate the necessity to see. How else would you explain the accomplishments of Stevie Wonder? Musically few can match his talent and ability.
Able-bodied musicians flock to his door step to be taught by the genius. I can even bet that some of you reading this book are struggling to put food on the table even though you are able bodied, but not Stevie, the guy is a multi-millionaire, dining with the who’s who in society.
Does anyone ever think what would have happened to Stevie Wonder had he not been born blind? We would certainly not have heard of him. His greatness was packaged in his disability and he could not have one without the other.
He found his purpose, and with purpose, one becomes LIMITLESS.
Every physically challenged person has a “rare diamond” hidden within and to access that diamond their whole attitude has to change. They have to learn to see themselves the way God sees them.
Lynell Dangarembizi is the president and founder of Rare Diamonds Network, an organisation established to celebrate God’s Gift of disability. Feedback: [email protected]
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