Nick is a 25-year-old Australian who was born without four limbs. His mother is a nurse and his father is a Protestant pastor. They were informed of Nick's condition when she was pregnant but still decided to keep the baby.

When Nick was 8 years old, he thought of committing suicide because his classmates were ignoring him and he felt that there would not be any future for him because it would be difficult for him to find a mate. Even if he were to marry, he would not be able to hold the bride’s hands in a dance. Then if they had a child, he could not hold the baby in his arms. Just when his thinking and mood hit the bottom, a girl of the same age said to him, “I like you because you are the most beautiful. I like you the way you are!” He then regained confidence and realized this: “Although I cannot hold my lover's hand with my hand, I can hold my lover's heart with my heart.”

Nick said, “Life's worst tragedy is not having no hands and legs, but having no hope. Hope is not based on how much suffering one endures; it is based on our ability to forgive and our ability to work with other people.” “I have prayed and I have dreamt that I would get up the next day and had hands and legs. At the same time, although I don't have both hands, I can embrace tens of thousands of my audience members; although I don't have legs, my footprints spread over 24 countries." "If God has not granted you the miracle you wish to have, it is because God wants you to become other people's miracle."

Nick keeps a smiling face all the time when he is in front of people: this is his way of dealing with people. He said, “If I show my sadness, other people will feel sad with me!”

Nick will be visiting the earthquake survivors in Sichuen on the 28-29th of November. He will be celebrating his 26th birthday in Hong Kong on the 4th of December.

Let’s hope that wherever he goes, he can become an effective tool of God’s.

(Disclaimer: Quotations of Nick Vujicic's words in this piece are based on translations of the Chinese translations of his speeches.)

(Forwarded from the web page of the Church of the Annunciation at www.annunciation.catholic.org.hk)