Wortlegat:
Not sure if that is how you spell the name, but that is
where I spent last week. We had the amazing opportunity to head over there from
Nordhoek, Cape Town and work with a organization called “Higher Grounds”. The
organization helps disabled people get out and experience some life. This last
week was blind camp.
Going
in, all I knew about the place was that it was a blind camp and heard rumors
about taking blind people kayaking and teaching them archery… I couldn’t help but laugh at the picture in
my head. Blind people shooting archery, that’s just crazy!
Well,
the next thing I know we have a 76 year old Sarah, blind from birth, sitting on
a kayak for the first time in her life. As we paddled around the lagoon, she
stuck her wrinkly old hands down off the sides of the kayak and felt the cool
lagoon waters rush through her fingers. She smiled and laughed and just enjoyed
her time.
Truth
be told, it was a truly eye opening experience. I never in a million years
would have thought that I could fall in love with people so quickly. It was not
out of pity, but it was out of all they were that caused me to love them. They
have more spirit in them than you can imagine!
I watched as a 25 year old man
named Dewald, blind since 10 years old, climbed to the top of a sand dune and
make a leap of faith as he jumped 6 foot forward and about 6 foot down. I
watched in awe as he landed on his feet hit the sand and he fell to his butt.
He stood up with a smile and said “it was good”.
I
watched a man Andre in his 50’s maybe 60’s, pull back on the string of a bow,
arrow in hand, release and pop a balloon some 30 to 40 feet away. I heard the
pop of the balloon and the cheer of the crowd. No one saw what happened, but
they heard it and knew.
I heard
a young man named Arne, who owns his own recording studio; say to us that he “needs
this camp”. He needed to be poured into, and needed a break. He wanted or
craved the adventures he got, but mostly he just wanted fellowship. I watched
Arne and Len and Merinda would all just sit around and talk for hours upon
hours, and it touched me.
You
see, people are people no matter where they are or what they look like, or if
they can see or not. They are true people who love to joke, love to laugh, love
adventure, and thrive off relationships. My eyes have been opened just a tid
bit more, and I love those guys at Higher Grounds for helping me see.
P.s.
Len, an awesome man and talented singer, beat me in chess! Not just beat me,
but creamed me! HAHA Len, if you ever read this, I give you mad props bro!
To Emma
and Kerneels, thanks again for the good times and the good laughs! Keep on
keeping on and don’t get tired, don’t grow weary, don’t lose site of what this
place means to so many, including me!!!!!
