If I had to choose between my wife and my putter... well, I’d miss her.
Terezinha Guilhermina
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved Acts 4:12The Paralympics began in Rio this week. I want to introduce you to someone who will be running in her home country.
Terezinha Guilhermina is a blind Brazilian sprinter who runs with a guide. Born with pigmentary retinosis, she describes herself as having 5% vision. She has 4 brothers and sisters who also have visual impairment.
She has won medals in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Paralympics - 6 Paralympic and 10 World Championship medals in all. She said of the 2012 London games, where she took gold in the 200 metres: “London was the most special competition of my life. I prepared myself real well physically, psychologically and spiritually for it. It was a present of God for me, that competition, the Games in London, in all aspects”.
She had a life-changing experience when she was 19: “I met Jesus. I turned every aspect of my life to Him and until today He has been in control of everything. I can only be thankful to have such a wonderful God. The only difference between me and the worst of human beings is that I have Jesus. That I am happy today as an athlete and fulfilled as a human being, I have no doubt that it is because of Him”.
But what about not being able to see, does she blame God? “No, I don’t believe that God made a mistake when He made me blind. He simply gave eyes to other people, so that when I need them I could borrow them”.
What an inspirational person who personifies Paralympic sport!