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FROM THE FIELD

”No arms, no legs, no worries” – Australian speaker inspires Romanian children
02 Sep 2008 10:19:26 GMT
 Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO)
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"I cannot understand your pain and the things you are going through but I can empathise with you". Photo by Laura Runcanu
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"I cannot understand your pain and the things you are going through but I can empathise with you". Photo by Laura Runcanu
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org

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Nick Vuijcic, Australian motivational speaker, visited Romania at the beginning of August as part of his tour 'No arms, no legs, no worries'. In Bucharest he spoke to the parents of children with disabilities who participate in World Vision projects and visited children with disabilities from Saint Mary's placement centre.

At age 25 Vuijcic, who was born with no arms or legs, succeeded to complete a Bachelor's Degree in both Financial Planning and Accounting and then started his own foundation called 'Life Without Limbs' through which he's helping thousands around the world, motivating them and encouraging them to also live 'Life without limits'.

The children hospitalised in the placement centre that Vuijcic visited live with disabilities ranging from autism to cerebral palsy. Referring to them, Vuijcic said, 'I cannot understand your pain and the things you are going through but I can empathise with you. Each with his or her own disabilities.'

Many of these children, living in relatively confined worlds, are not often exposed to what is happening around them. Their reaction to this foreign visitor was genuine and totally sincere. For them, Nick Vuijcic was not another visitor, they saw in him a friend to play with. Looking in wonder and amazement at him, they didn't hesitate to take his shirt off and that he has no arms.

Talking about faith and the strength to go on, Vuijcic said to the children, 'When the doctors saw me for the first time, they told my parents I'd never walk, I'd never write or go to school. And here I am at 25 - I can walk, swim, type 43 words per minute and I have a Bachelor Degree'.

At the conclusion to his visit in Romania, Vuijcic said: 'Many people asked me during my visit 'how do you think your life would have been if you were born in Romania'? If I were born in Romania, I probably wouldn't be where I am now and I wouldn't have achieved all the things I have done in my present life. I would have probably ended up in a placement centre like other kids. It's hard to change people's mentalities regarding disabilities and people who suffer from them.

I've learned that here in Romania, a child with disabilities is viewed as a burden and a punishment for the family. Add the fear of rejection, the difficulties of integration and the lack of resources, and it's more understandable why parents are abandoning their children. I want to encourage the parents to keep their children no matter if they have disabilities or not.'

The young Australian is considering further collaboration with World Vision and plans to return to Romania next year.

In the meantime his foundation donated funds to the placement centre to install an air conditioner.

Vuijcic added, 'Through World Vision, we can make miracles, we can help children with physical and mental disabilities and give them the chance of a happy, fulfilled life'.


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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