OPOL, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – “Since I can remember, I was never able to see. All I could discern was light and the blurry images of objects near me,” said Noel Terez. “Even with my disability, I was productive as I learned “hilot”, therapeutic massage, and drew water to deliver them to neighbors, to support myself and my now 77-year-old mother. But 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes and totally lost sight. It sapped me of the strength of my arms and legs rendering me unfit to massage or deliver water. I now rely on the expressions of kindness from my family and from loving fellow worshippers.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6 people globally live with a significant disability, which may include dementia, blindness, loss of a limb, or paralysis. On Dec. 3, 2023, nations around the world will observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, instituted by the United Nations in 1992 to “promote an understanding of disability issues.”
The WHO explains that “health inequities arise from unfair conditions faced by persons with disabilities, including stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and barriers faced in the health system itself.”
“Sadly, the neglect of disabled persons is nothing new,” said Arnel Salape, spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Northern Mindanao. “The Bible reveals that, even thousands of years ago, those with disabilities were exploited and abused. But, out of love for these disadvantaged ones, God made it illegal to mistreat them. What is more, he encouraged his people to act compassionately. True worshippers of God today strive to do the same.”
The global education work of Jehovah’s Witnesses highlights the Bible’s message of hope for a future when disabilities will be no more.
“The Bible offers many beautiful promises of perfect health,” said Noel, who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Among my favorite verses is Matthew 15:30, 31 which talks about the time when Jesus cured the lame, maimed, speechless and blind, who approached him. That is why I follow Jesus closely and glorify Jehovah God so I can enjoy the healing that is promised soon. Jehovah’s promises bring me much comfort and joy that I love sharing them to others that I encounter in the ministry.”
More than just preaching about a better future, Jehovah’s Witnesses also offer practical suggestions on how to endure successfully with disabilities now. Visitors to jw.org, their official website, can consult a vast library of resources in a section titled “Coping with Disabilities.” Among other information, it contains numerous online articles and videos featuring persons who have found purpose in life despite being disabled. For example, in the video “Living by Touch”, James, who was born deaf and later went blind, expressed, “Finding out who my Creator is, and that I can have a relationship with him, gave my life a sense of purpose. I feel like I’ve gained much more than I ever lost.”
The public is invited to visit jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses. All content is free, and no registration is required.
