![\"to](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/images_news-2017_to_be_special2.jpg\")
<\/a>It was a highly dynamic promotion. This allowed the youth to not only receive some information, but above all, to live some \u2018special\u2019 moments that would help them understand, to a small degree, what special needs really means. Participants also saw a very active team \u2018signing\u2019 for the deaf on the main stage.<\/p>\n\u201cThroughout the week, many young people participating in the congress approached our booth,\u201d said Taida Rivero, Spanish Deaf Ministries director and international partner. \u201cThey believed that they knew what they were going to find, but they were surprised.\u201d It was not what they expected! <\/p>\n
People who cannot walk, are blind or deaf, or are in challenging situations, are quite often considered as living a marginalised life, away from a \u2018natural\u2019 context. This comes, mainly from a kind of prejudice that results more from a lack of knowledge then real prejudice. <\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e16AlJ7ika8<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe looked for ways to help our young participants to break this assumption and \u2018live\u2019 an experience that would help change their mind-set,\u201d said Corrado Cozzi, Adventist Inter-European Region (EUD) Deaf Liaison and Special Needs Ministries director. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat we did,\u201d said Rivero, \u201cwas to provide some playful activities to emphasise the importance of helping friends with disabilities.\u201d <\/p>\n One of the tests that the youth tried was to play “football as if they were blind”. <\/p>\n Imagine two teams, with their eyes covered, playing with a ball that had many little bells inside (to make a noise) and trying to score goals. <\/p>\n It may seem easy from the perspective of a reader, but when tried in reality, it starts to be a little more problematic. Among the difficulties they experienced were enthusiastic spectators screaming encouragement and so masking the sound of the bells, disorientation as to where their opponent is, where there partner is, and even where the goal is, and a feeling of being defenceless.<\/p>\n Although, momentarily, it seemed funny to them, there were also times when we could see, in their faces, the desire to finish the game and finally remove the mask from their eyes. <\/p>\n The darkness, the overwhelming feeling of not knowing where the ball is, or the simple fact of being surrounded by many people who touch you to help orientate you without knowing who they are, these are feelings that no one likes to experience. But many blind people have to deal with this every day. But this was only a small test of a few minutes. It only gave a glimpse of what is a continued, never-ending reality, for many people.<\/p>\n Another activity was to invite youth to sit in a wheelchair and go on a tour guided by a blind person. Of course, they enjoyed it as a game, but most of the youth that experienced this trial admitted that it gave them some understanding of those who are not living it as a game, but as reality for their entire life. <\/p>\n \u201cThese emotions were analysed briefly during the workshop entitled \u2018Rise and Walk\u2019,\u201d said Cozzi. \u201cAs Christians we are called to work and serve all, including defending and assisting those with special needs, supporting their ability to live a life with dignity and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>The change of \u2018thoughts\u2019 came to their lives when young congress participants, who did not suffer from any physical disability, were faced with the real concept of disability. These young, physically able, congress participants changed their attitudes.<\/p>\n