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My 50th Anniversary T-Shirt and a Prayer on the Plane

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I feel compelled to share a story about my flight home from the Africa Leadership Academy 2017 in Lusaka, Zambia.

As part of the Academy, all delegates received a special 50th Anniversary T-Shirt to market the movement’s forthcoming celebrations.

Wearing my eye-catching T-Shirt to the airport, I got into the plane to take my seat and two gentlemen saw me and cried out “Special Olympics!” I then began to read my 2016 Special Olympics Annual Report. I didn’t get far as my neighbor was so excited to talk about Special Olympics when he saw my T-Shirt!

This gave me an opportunity to polish my “pitch”, as we’d learnt at the Leadership Academy. After the hour long flight to Harare, he was touched by my stories of triumph for our local athletes. He asked for my card to assist Special Olympics Zimbabwe into the future, and as the plane was landing offered to pray for me and our work… this was so uplifting!

I am so hopeful and l am so glad l wore my Special Olympics SO50 T-shirt on this flight!