Y@H September Dysphemia 4 October 2020

I wonder how many of you know what Dysphemia means?

According to Wikipedia it means stuttering or stammering.

In Exodus 4:10 God tells Moses he has to go to Pharaoh and tell him to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. Moses replies, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Some scholars suggest that Moses stuttered. Others suggest it was a different problem, possibly one which made him speak very slowly and at times incomprehensibly. So Aaron became his spokesperson.

The adults among you may well be aware that King George VI, the father of the current Queen Elizabeth had a very bad stammer and was helped to manage it by Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language therapist. I quite deliberately say ‘manage’ not ‘overcome’ as he never fully overcame it.

This is the subject of the 2010 film, The King’s Speech.

Recently we became aware of Harrison Craig. He lives in Melbourne and has just turned 26.

At a young age, Harrison found that singing was a remedy to his stutter, becoming a place of peace and contentment. When he sings his stutter disappears.

In 2013 he won The Voice and since then he has enjoyed more and more success. If you look at his website you will see his many performances scheduled outside Victoria from now on. He may even be performing in the Hamer Hall December 31, Covid and lockdown permitting!

Harrison has written a children’s book called ‘Harrison’s song’.

He is also the ambassador for United Way, Australia, an organisation promoting early learning and literacy in disadvantaged communities. This role takes him to many schools.

“I feel I was given an incredible opportunity to follow my dreams. But today in Australia, there are too many children stuck in a cycle of disadvantage, making it hard for them to believe in themselves or a better future.” Y@H September Dysphemia 4 October 2020

He continues: “If I can help United Way get more books into the hands of children throughout Australian communities, then I’m doing my part to help kids overcome adversity and have the chance to follow their dreams too.”

I think there is much to be learned from people like Moses, George VI and Harrison Craig. Moses accepted the provision of someone who could do what he couldn’t.

King George and Harrison Craig managed their disability so that they could speak in public, and in Harrison’s case sing. God has promised us that ‘His strength is made perfect in weakness’. When we receive help it is then our responsibility to help others.

Christine Bradbeer