JourneyOnline
By Alison Cox, Manager at Wesley Mission Queensland.
Sometimes God needs to strike us blind so that we will see. God gives us sight and forgives us. God can change and transform. And what should we do? Forgive others and do God’s work – based on the story of ‘Paul on the road to Damascus’.
The young people who come to The ORCA Project have incredible strengths. Morgan is one of those young people.
Morgan brings different abilities from any other participant we have seen at ORCA.
Welcoming Morgan to ORCA has caused us to rethink everything we do, and say, and present in our work skills training. Morgan is blind, and it is astounding to recognise how often we rely on visuals for information and cues and demonstrations.
It’s been an important journey for our team to undertake. We’re doing our best and are not there yet. But we continue to learn and grow and make the space a safer and more inclusive experience for Morgan.
The challenge is not Morgan.
The challenge is the limits we place on Morgan because our space is not as blind safe as it could be. It’s a little like someone who uses a wheelchair who doesn’t see themselves as disabled. They are only dis-abled or limited when the places they go are not accessible or able to welcome them.
Surely the time has come when we need to change the way we look at one another.
In the story of Saul on the road to Damascus, he experiences blindness in order to be able to see. We regularly experience blindness without being aware of what we can’t see. We miss so much in life. We miss how challenging we make life for others. Perhaps we have an opportunity to pause and consider what we are missing.
What might it mean if we are given new vision?
Vision for life.
Vision about life.
Vision that changes life. For ourselves and, more importantly, for others.
Whenever Jesus encountered people who asked for healing, he often chose to heal the community around that person. He helped them to see and to change their vision.
As a church, we have the same responsibility – to change our vision. And to change the experience of those around us.
It’s time we recognise that every person we meet has value. Every person has worth.
And on the journey, we continue to learn and grow and make the space safer and more inclusive for everyone.
