‘He will speak for himself’ (John 9:21) was the theme of a very special Bible study at St Barnabas Limassol yesterday, with Sander Strijthagen and his guide dog Olaf.

Reading John 9, the Reverend George Vidiakin reflected on blindness in the Bible being often used as a metaphor for “spiritual ignorance”, in stories focused on God who takes or restores eyesight. The voices of blind people themselves are rarely heard.

The group was honoured to hear Sander ‘speak for himself’, sharing his experience of losing his sight a few years ago due to a rare neurological condition, and of life as a visually impaired person in his home country of the Netherlands, and in Cyprus, where he has lived for the past six years.

“At the heart of Sander’s moving talk was a powerful message: do not be afraid,” said Fr George. “Life is beautiful and worth living, even when it brings pain and hardship.”

Sander’s talk was followed by a lively Q&A, with questions about his own experiences and the life of his faithful friend, his guide dog Olaf.

The evening was a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to people’s own voices and learning from their lived experiences. St Barnabas is deeply grateful to Sander and Olaf for sharing theirs.