"Break the Barriers" Proves Anti-Gravity in Xiamen, China!

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Break the Barriers Demonstrates Anti-Gravity in Xiamen! (click images for larger photos)

Xiamen’s Spook Hill, near the Island Ring Road, has stumped everyone from local highway maintenance to visiting German engineers. Put your car in neutral and it will roll up the little road on the right of this photo! Every day, people in cars and bikes roll up the hill! I’ve photographed it from top, bottom, and side, and it is spooky—but explainable, and some day I’ll share the secret. But two months ago, Xiamen people witnessed genuine anti-gravity!

Break the Barriers (BTB) In May, 2007, thousands of Xiamen people were moved, some to tears, by the courage and love of a very unique team of high-flying abled and disabled athletes from Fresno, California. They gave us a foretaste of what it means to “mount up with wings as eagles.”

BTB was founded in 1972 by Steve and Deby Hergen-rader in their backyard. Today these “pioneers of inclusion” work with over 3000 students each week, and their team has performed all over the U.S., and twice in Romania, where the National Congress in Bucharest was “amazed” by their courage and commitment as they challenged audiences to reconsider who is really disabled?

Everyone is Disabled, and Abled! Some of the BTB team members are deaf, or mute, or lack legs, or have Downs’ Syndrome, but they made it clear to the audiences that all of us have disabilities and abilities! One shared that his “ability” was a giving heart, but his disability was not his Downs Syndrome but his quick temper. Zack, of USF, said his disability was not being born without legs but tricking people (when surfing he screams “Shark!” and people think his legs have been bitten off!). Sarah shared it wasn’t her wheelchair that separated her from people but her gossiping. And then several asked the audiences, “Who is disabled?”

“Who is disabled?” A person who can’t talk but who is a friend to all, or a person who can talk but uses their words to hurt others?"

Whois disabled? The blind who don’t see differences between people or those who see only differences?"

"Who is disabled? A person who can’t go up stairs but will try anything and give 100% effort, or the healthy person who never uses their abilities to try anything?"

"Who is disabled? A person with mental challenges who is open-minded or an intelligent person who is close-minded?" These are the barriers that blind from seeing how far or how high we can fly with the gifts that God has given us!”

Many Venues BTB performed at schools, parks, churches, the YMCA, our Xiamen International Christian Fellowship (XICF), and businesses like Meixia Glass, which hires many handicapped workers. (Click Here to read more about Meixia in “Through a Glass Brightly"). But for the broadest impactBTB needs to do more than demonstrate; it needs to duplicate! And maybe it's first offspring will be right here in Xiamen?

Xiamen’s own BTB? Xiamen has led China in helping the disabled, so it is no surprise that our city gave BTB more media coverage than any other foreign group that has visited us. Vice-Mayor Pan was delighted by BTB, and now Xiamen wants to start its own program, probably working with the Xiamen YMCA/YWCA, which the government has just helpd build new facilities right downtown. (Click here for more info on Xiamen Ys). Let's hope that Deby and her team will return to Xiamen to help.

Some of Xiamen’s disabled students also performed. I was amazed at the beauty and precision of a team of dancing deaf students. Their ears may have been deaf but their hearts and bodies were not!

Visit BTB's website: www.breakthebarriers.org