Good News Florida

LOCAL 30 APRIL 2018 Good News • South Florida Edition Nick Vujicic: Brings Hope and Healing Lydia Hicks Good News Nick Vujicic: Hope, Healing and Church Legacy in the After- math of MSD Shooting “As a kid, I never thought that anything good could ever come from my broken pieces… .you know, I went to school and kids would look at me and be like ‘what happened,’ and I go ‘ciga- rettes’ (audience laughs),” Nick Vujicic, evangelist, author, speaker, and president of Life Without Limbs, said with comic relief. At the March 11 Church by the Glades “Hope &Healing” spe- cial event for the Parkland com- munity of first responders, teachers and students, Vujicic used his life experience and humor to help heal the pain still felt in the aftermath of the Valen- tine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Despite having no arms and legs, Vujicic’s humor, empathy, and Spirit-filled exuberance that characterized his speech testified to the wholeness of Christ that de- fines him. Perhaps, it is this relat- able quality that draws many hearts to Christ in his global min- istry and inspired Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and Church by the Glades to host him as a Church United effort to speak to our broken-hearted community. In a funny, personable ac- cent, Vujicic galvanized the con- gregation to laughter as he shared, “A lot of people say, ‘all you need is positivity’ (audience laughs), ‘just be positive’ (audi- ence laughs). I feel like head- bucking them in the face (audience laughs). Just be posi- tive, right?” As he expressed that there are times when one questions how God, in His goodness, can allow tragedy to happen, Vujicic stated that how we live affects others. “… I as one person who was once affected in school by bully- ing and isolation and feeling angry at this idea of there’s a greater purpose in life,” he said, “… first of all, condolences to those of you who lost or were affected by this tragedy here, and I will never ever compare any ounce of suffering by one person to another. “I will never forget …three people in my life, my first cousin had a baby and he only survived for three hours, my first cousin of 27 years old died of bowel cancer. My Dad at 62 died of pancreatic cancer last year. I nearly died three years ago. When you look at life being so fragile, the ques- tion is why are we here and where is God? And what am I going to do inmy life to find happiness and joy? We know that no amount of alcohol can ever drown the pain. We know that no amount of drugs can ever give you back what you’ve lost…what we need is real love.” Fayra Castro, volunteer at Church by the Glades who at- tended the “Hope &Healing” spe- cial event, echoed this point. “[Vujicic] shows us we all have different areas where we’ve all lost somebody or something,” she said. “There is hope for everyone one and every situation. We just have to hold on to that, stick together, communicate bet- ter…stay strong. You will get through this with hope and with faith.” But could the relief efforts of the church go beyond Nick Vuji- cic? Executive Director of Church United Edwin Copeland pointed out that the current generation of leaders need to build up the next generation, considering the spiri- tual decadence and brokenness in South Florida. Church United stated, in its invitation letter for the “Hope & Healing” event, that through its Mercy Fund, it has garnered “close to $100,000 to meet the long-term spiritual and social needs of those affected” by the shooting. One of these efforts was the Nick Vujicic “Hope & Healing” event at Church by the Glades. Agencies such as the Broward School Board have also allocated the money to initiatives such as enhanced school safety, teacher training, and reinforced windows, and armed guards, Copeland said. Other events include a meeting of the largest campus ministries, with the vision to “change one classroom at a time, one sphere of influence at a time. That’s what makes lasting change,” Copeland said. But the journey does not end here. Copeland also noted that the Church will remain after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas story has dissipated. With the funds generated, Church United has been rallying the Church and para-agencies such as First Priority and One- Hope to bring about this long-term change, Copeland said. 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