Persistence Pays Off
By: Lynne Conley
Scripture Text: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (1Corinthians 9:24 KJV)
Rachael Scdoris was born on February 1, 1985. Her parents noticed she had some visual problems. After all the testing, it was revealed that she had a rare disease called congenital achromatopsia. She was nearsighted, farsighted, and colorblind. Her vision was 20/200, and she was declared legally blind. She was so determined and persistent not to be disabled. Rachael Scdoris is a great example of a persistent person. The definition for persistent is: existing for a long or longer than usual time or continuously (Merriam-Webster) Her dad was a musher, and she often went with him on his sled. When Rachael was a toddler, she loved dogs, and her childhood dream was to participate in the Iditarod. The biggest obstacle she faced was not being able to see along the way. In 2002 and 2003 she went to the Iditarod Trail Committee to see if they would let her have a visual interpreter in the race. The interpreter was only to tell how to go; he wasn’t allowed to help her in any other way. But the board turned her down both times. Rachael was determined to race in the Iditarod. She traveled from her home in Oregon to Alaska to meet with the directors of the Iditarod in person. This time the vote was in her favor and allowed her to have a radio-equipped interpreter who with another dog team would go ahead of her and be her guide, but she had to meet the other race qualifications. Rachael did meet all the qualifications, and she did a race in the Iditarod. On March 19, 2006, after twelve days, ten hours, and forty-two minutes on the trail, she became the first blind athlete to complete the famous Iditarod. No matter what our obstacles are, we have to be determined to make it to the end. Persistence Pays Off! Remember, it’s not about us my friends, it’s all about Him. Stay Encouraged!
