Page 8 - WOTS_Issue_69

One Girl’s

M thought that my how I would do my studies since I was What is your advice for

y name is Irish. I was born During my entry interview, they asked
students that doubt their
blind. When I was young,
abilities?
I
blind. I understood the question
disability was normal and
that people around me could not see because it’s normal for people to For all students who
doubt their disability or
either, like me. I wondered why other who are experiencing
people would laugh at something I wonder. I replied, “You may doubt my financial problems, it’s
wasn’t aware of. That’s when my parents disability, but believe in God’s ability.”
told me that I was blind. Elementary not impossible to
school was difficult because the teachers shared the gospel with me. He told me continue because it’s not
were not supportive of my disability, and Bible verses about faith and the about you. It’s about God. Make sure
so I spent a lot of time at home. When I requirements of salvation. He gave me your purpose to study is to glorify God.
was in grade four my mother died. It was the verses Romans 1:16-17. The verse It’s okay to feel pressure because of
devastating because my parents were my that crushed my heart stated that the
worry, but remember that God does not
best friends. When my father and I heard righteous shall live by faith. I sang songs
like us to remain down with our feelings.
about the SPED center where blind at the mass, I memorized Bible verses –
Depend on God. Do your best and God will
students could learn brail, orientation, but I realized then and there that it was
and mobility, I enrolled there to continue all useless! I had thought religion could do the rest. Allow God to demonstrate his
my studies. save me, but it could not. glory by your witness.
Once I reached high school, however, I So, on January 1, 2012, I realized that
had to enter mainstream classes because no one could save me except Christ. He
that’s what the law required. In the had died on the cross for me, and He had
regular classes, I experienced a lot of risen again for me. That day I declared
bullying and discrimination. They treated that only Jesus is my Savior and Lord.
me as abnormal. Some of my teachers After that I found a church where I could
did not even accept me. Because I grow spiritually, and by God’s grace, I
wanted to go to college eventually, I learned about the Christian life.
enrolled with the deaf mute school my I graduated from deaf mute high
second year of high school just so I could school in Mandaue SPED school. Days
continue my studies. Since they were after that, I asked my pastor about
mute and I was blind, we could not Baptist Theological College (BTC) and
communicate with each other. That was enrolled in 2014. During my entry
funny and challenging. interview they asked how I would do my
Throughout it all, I learned to endure studies since I was blind. I understood
because I refused to let my disability the question because it’s normal for
become an excuse or a hindrance to stay people to wonder. I replied, “You may
in the house for the rest of my life. I doubt my disability, but believe in God’s
made myself learn how to walk along the ability.” I reminded them that education
busy streets because I didn’t want to is for all. I am now in my third year at
become dependent on other people. BTC. I’ve gone through a lot of difficulties,
In 2010, my father died. That was when I but by God’s grace, I continue.
asked if there was a God. If there was, I have actually thanked God for people
why did he take away the people who who have hurt me because my
loved me? I was active in Catholicism, but experience with them has led me to what
my heart was full of hatred and sadness. God is calling me to. If I had the choice to
In my third year of high school, there was live another life, I would choose this life
a program at Mandaue City Central again because God will be glorified
School that had a Bible study for the through my witness.
blind so I got involved. Someone there