Inspiring words close Christian gathering /
Unable to reach out with arms, Nick Vujicic embraced his audience with words Sunday at the conclusion of the 15th annual Break Forth conference.
More than 6,000 evangelical Christians packed the Shaw Conference Centre to hear the 29-year-old Australian, who was born limbless due to a condition known as phocomelia.
Drawing from his own physical, emotional and spiritual struggles, Vujicic has become world-renowned motivational speaker, using humour to help instil faith in those facing personal hardship.
“I’m trying my best to keep in the time given to me because I cannot exactly use the excuse that I left my wristwatch at home,” Vujicic joked in his Aussie accent.
After a weekend in which 15,000 attendees participated in sessions and workshops geared to bringing hope to the hopeless, Vujicic’s story capped off the Shaw Conference Centre’s largest event of the year.
People ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens smiled, laughed and even bowed their head in sympathy as they listened to Vujicic.
“My parents were not expecting me without 10 fingers and 10 toes. My mom when she first saw me, she said, ‘Take him away, I don’t want to look at him,’ ” Vujicic said as he shuffled back and forth along a table set up for him on stage.
“God never said, ‘Come to me all who are weary and I’ll do everything that you think needs to be done in your life and everything is going to be smooth,’ ” he told the crowd. “No. You have ups and downs, ups and downs.”
Vujicic, who now lives in Los Angeles, went on to explain how he told his mother he wanted to commit suicide when he was eight years old. At age 10, he actually tried it. “I went into a bathtub of 15 centimetres of water. It’s pretty scary trying to commit suicide,” Vujicic said. “But I rolled over, and I was saved by one thought, and that was seeing my mom and my dad crying at my grave and wishing they could’ve done something more.
“My parents, they did nothing but love me. And I loved my parents. They didn’t deserve that. That’s why I decided to stay. Man, am I glad I stayed.”
Vujicic, who speaks around the world for a living, gave his first talk at age 19, when he was asked by a friend to attend a small prayer group. He has now told his tale hundreds of times to crowds in 43 countries. In 2010 alone, he boarded close to 120 flights to give 270 speeches worldwide.
Doug Kramer, 38, and his son Michael, 16, had attended a number of workshops and sessions throughout the weekend, and left Vujicic’s talk inspired.
“His story is pretty stunning,” Doug said. “How far he’s come, my stuff kind of pales in comparison to what he’s gone through. ... There’s hope. I think that’s his biggest message.”
Vujicic’s talk was also a highlight of the conference for Natalie Grohmueller, 25, who was on her way back to her hometown of Innisfail.
“We’ve seen so many speakers this weekend saying great things, but to see somebody who has struggled like that have such a powerful message, it was very humbling,” Grohmueller said. “He kind of brought everything together for Break Forth.”