It is said that man can only bear so much weight upon his shoulders before things begin to feel heavy. It’s said mankind can only carry that weight for so long before our feet get stuck in the mud—and the journey to make the expression, “Make something out of nothing!” valuable and worthwhile becomes its own mountain to climb.
It’s one thing to say or quietly assume these things, but it’s an entirely different thing to wait and watch them be conquered. By the same token, it’s at this very moment when two things matter the most: what is said and what is actually done. One can argue that it matters most in politics or in a war of words—and in some aspects, they may be right—but the human spirit is one entity that cannot be denied.
When you’re only given so much—to live, survive and thrive on, you learn how to be self-reliant. You learn how to work for what you want or what you need. If you do it right, you earn respect along the way. That’s the path that Jeison Aristizábal has taken, and it’s changing the way natives of Columbia look at disability.
According to a recent article published by CNN.com, the 32-year-old has cerebral palsy and lived in Cali—the poorest, most underprivileged area in Columbia—as a young boy. His family provided him with the support and care he needed to live a full life, despite doctors telling his mother that her son “would amount to nothing.” However, Aristizábal quickly realized there was more to this than just looking out for himself—or his family. He saw that there were thousands of children with physical and mental disabilities living in his community who were not as fortunate as he had been growing up.
“Many families are misinformed. They think that it’s [God’s] punishment,” said Aristizábal. “There are children who spend years in bed–because their families don’t know how to care for them.”
From that moment on, he knew he had to do whatever it took to change that. At the time, it seemed like a monumental, almost impossible feat in a country that did so little for the betterment of its disabled population. However, it was a promise that Aristizábal made to himself—a promise that led to the launch of a nonprofit organization known as The Association of bDisabled People of the Valley (ASODISVALLE) in Columbia.
The organization, founded by Aristizábal, provides a range of services to children with disabilities. Since its inception 15 years ago, nearly 3,000 kids and their families have been given the tools and support they need to live active, fulfilled lives—all free of charge and all thanks to this young man’s leadership and compassion.
Today, Aristizábal, is being hailed a hero for his initiative and willingness to help others in need. CNN conducted an in-depth interview with him in addition to their June 24 article. He was asked what motivated and inspired him to take disabled, often underprivileged children under his wing. His answer is a call to every member of society, far and wide:
“I met a child in a very poor house, a boy who grew up on a bed for eight years, and I think that boy really touched my heart because he reminded me of when I was in that same situation. I started collecting and donating wheelchairs so that boy and many other children could at least move,” he said.
He continued, emphasizing on the influence of his family:
“My next goal was to provide physical therapy. I asked my parents if we could work from their garage. I got a ball, a mat, and I found a girl who was finishing up her last year of physical therapy training. We started off with 20 kids, but children kept coming and coming. Eventually, we literally took over my parents’ house. Now we have our own center.”
Real change comes in leaps and bounds. It’s not meant to be quick or temporary—nor is it pleasing to everyone at first, or maybe not at all. However, one will never know how they feel, or how change will affect them, if they don’t give it time to work. In these trying times, that’s what mankind desperately needs—and it’s refreshing to see that there are generous souls like Jeison Aristizábal out there in the world, still doing what they can to fight the good fight.
It may take a lot change laws, rules and regulations, but it takes even more to change hearts, minds and perspectives. Jeison is not doing that effectively, but he’s doing it in a bright, beautiful way.
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Photo Credit: Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash