Evangelist brings down house at Judson University
"The scary thing about hugging so many people is that anyone can pick me up and take me home," said Nick Vujicic in his opening quip Monday night to a packed audience at Judson University in Elgin.
The Serbian Australian evangelist brought down the house while sharing how he overcame his physical challenges - being born without arms and legs - through faith as the inaugural speaker for Judson's World Leaders Forum Inspirational Series.
"I can't imagine having a more inspirational and powerful message than we had tonight," Judson President Gene Crume said. "His story is one that everyone can relate to. We've all had troubles and struggles. It puts our lives in a different perspective."
Vujicic, 33, talked about his struggles with depression and loneliness throughout childhood, but said he knew God had a plan for him.
"That was the beginning of my relationship with Jesus," he said. "My hope and prayer is that God indeed inspires you to be all that you can be."
Since giving his first inspirational speech at age 19, Vujicic has shared his story with millions worldwide. He established an international nonprofit ministry, Life Without Limbs, in 2005. He also is an author, musician and actor, and he likes to fish, paint and swim. He now lives in Southern California.
"My parents, my doctors, Lady Gaga don't know why I was born this way," Vujicic said.
Vujicic was born with phocomelia - a rare birth defect that wasn't caused by genetics. Yet, he can do a lot with his little left foot, he said.
"I can do the peace sign," he said. "I can type 42 words a minute and make a cup of coffee. With the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains."
His ministry's goal is preaching to 7 billion people, and he is well on his way having given talks in 26 countries, he said.
Amid putting the crowd of 600 people at ease with one-liners - such as "they say I run so fast I leave my legs behind" and "we did 1,749 hugs in an hour ... my arms fell off" - Vujicic wove in messages of hope, faith and redemption.
"I think it's worse being in a broken home than having no arms and legs," he said.
He said one of his most humbling messages was speaking to 650 teenage girls who were sex slaves at a brothel in Mumbai, India. Some of them had babies and felt like there is no hope, he added.
"These girls already finished their slavery, but they had nowhere to go and they feared that this was the end for them, and this was their future," he said.
Vujicic said with $1,400 his ministry bought the freedom of two girls.
"I've seen these girls who have gone through rehab, found redemption, healing, Jesus in their own lives ... they earn $700 at a time to set another girl free, and bring her to Jesus. Without fail, every single time these girls go back to the pimps and madams who beat them up and abused them and tell them, 'I love you because Jesus loves you, and I forgive you because Jesus forgave me. You don't know what miracles await you. And even when a miracle doesn't come, you can still be a miracle for somebody else."
Just before getting on an airplane for his appearance at Judson, Vujicic said his 60-year-old father was admitted to the hospital with stage four pancreatic cancer.
Vujicic's parting words were, "Dad, if I don't see you here, I'll see you up there."
"I say thank you, Jesus, that your plan for the world is full of hope," he said. "It's not just about knowing God in your mind. It's not just about going to church on every Sunday."
Christians need to address the problem of teen suicides and bullying in schools, he said, adding "4,300 teenagers in this country every year commit suicide."
Vujicic said his own unscientific surveys showed 40 percent of teen suicides are due to dysfunctional and abusive homes, and another 40 percent due to bullying and teasing.
He also charged Christians to spread the message of Jesus far and wide.
"How cool would it be to be given, miraculously, arms and legs?" he asked. "Would it change your life? I would hope so. It would definitely change mine. I can put my arms around my kids and throw them in the air, and grab my wife and throw her in the pool."
Vujicic said he keeps a pair of shoes in his closet "just in case" God answers his prayer for arms and legs, "but I'm not waiting for it."
"Whatever you are looking for, if you put your happiness in temporary things, your happiness is going to be temporary," he said. "You've got to think in the perspective of putting God first. There was a better plan that God had than giving me arms and legs ... no one can argue with that joy, and that peace, and that strength, and that purpose, and the story of how God continues to transform lives one day at a time."
Vujicic's message of hope and change in the face of adversity resonated with many in the audience.
"He's such a nice person," said Kendall Getzinger, 19, of Grayslake, a Judson graphic design student among a select few who got to meet Vujicic in person. "He makes you feel like you belong ... so welcoming. And it's an honor to have such a strong Christian speaker to talk to our university."