The old adage, ‘Life is not fair’ has been a song to a lot of people who have once or more than twice said this statement when things fell apart in the journey of life. People are used to smooth operations of life and when life turns dark, the statement, life is not fair comes into one’s mind. There are people out there longing for help and to some, help has no classified form, but any way of assistance can take one to another level. The much-awaited visit to Chivu community where the PVDs operate at various workstations to earn a living. ‘The best way of helping is to identify with us’ said one Mr Nyathi [53], a chairman of the Chivu community of the blind, who is visually impaired and passionate about elevation of the PVDs to various levels of society regardless of their status.
For a long time, PVDs were not being accorded an equal space in the community, church and also business fraternity. There is always a talk that those who are not sighted must move around in the buses, singing and begging but life should be fair always because all were created in God’s image. Some are recognized in Church but after Church the recognition and attention fall away. The coming in of Bible Society of Zimbabwe with the Shona Braille Bible and White cans will take us a long way as we are now able to read the Bible on our own. Sometimes when it is read to you, there is no much attachment as compared to now where we now have our own Portions which is in the language that we can easily understand.
Asked on the use of a wooden log in place of a white can, the PVDs shared that when one sees you with a thick log and ask for help, someone will mistake my wooden log to a weapon. This and other risks that we encounter have created a gap between the sighted and the PVDs. Having a white can of your own is a great achievement to a visually impaired person and it aides in the movement from point to point. There has been a double impact as we received the Shona Braille Bible and white cans. The most important tools to a visually impaired person we received today will go a long way in nurturing our spiritual life as we can now engage with the Word of God on a daily basis. Some of the memory verses that we shared in our Bible study were the ones that we learnt from our early childhood days.
The future of PVDs in Chivu area will remain bright especially when we are remembered by organizations like Bible Society of Zimbabwe who from time to time come to give us hope and encourage us to break the record in society by being industrious while basing on Christian principles. Going forward, we aim to challenge assertions that the PVDs are always for begging and with God, all things are possible and when God blesses you, He uplifts one to a level where even onlookers will only say ‘this is the Lord’s doing and it is good in our eyes.