Disabled Florida Man Inspires Special Needs Children in Africa

ORLANDO, Fla., July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Murray's disability doesn't hamper his work in Africa. Instead, it makes it all the more powerful.

The Florida resident, who was born with cerebral palsy, just returned from his second trip to Africa, to the tiny country of Malawi. On this journey, as on the first, in 2011, Murray helped lead a summer camp for children with special needs. It was on that first trip that he met Grecious, a young man Murray now considers his brother.

Grecious was also born with cerebral palsy and, like Murray, was told he would never walk. The two young men connected immediately, and before heading back to Florida that summer, Murray decided to sponsor Grecious through the Children of the Nations (COTN) child sponsorship program. "If our roles were reversed, I know he would do the same for me in an instant," Murray says.

Over the past two years, Murray and Grecious have continued to correspond, encouraging each other to reach above and beyond the limitations placed on them by others. Both young men have long since learned to walk, despite earlier predictions. And this summer, against all odds, Grecious graduated from high school—a once-impossible accomplishment for a young man in Africa with his condition.

Grecious hopes to go on to college next, and Murray looks forward to sharing in his journey. "I am excited to congratulate my brother and hear what his plans are for the future," Murray said before his recent trip. "All I know is that God is going to change lives through Grecious' faithfulness."

Children of the Nations is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising children who transform nations. The organization currently serves in Sierra Leone, Malawi, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, providing care for orphaned and destitute children. For more information, visit cotni.org.

Media contact:

Annie Hoftiezer, Communications Manager

360-698-7227 / Email

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Children of the Nations