An internal struggle that no one could see

Speech is a fundamental tool we use to communicate and build relationships, but for Eldio, it was a constant challenge growing up.

“I struggled a lot with my confidence because of my lisp. It made pronouncing certain words very difficult for me. Moreover, I had many complex self-esteem issues. 

I was constantly bullied and teased at school because of my speech impediment. As a result, I often withdrew from interacting with others in my class. I felt out of place and I longed for acceptance,” Eldio said.  

The isolation and insecurities grew over time, pushing Eldio to seek acceptance in the wrong places.

"I eventually joined a group of friends at school. They weren’t a good influence, but I felt accepted by them. Soon afterwards, they introduced me to alcohol and a life of partying. One day, things got so bad that I ended up in a fight and was left alone to defend myself.  My friends ran away. 

With all the pain and emptiness I carried inside, I started hurting others. I became a bully, even though, deep down, I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I didn’t know any other way of expressing myself,” says Eldio.

A significant change happened when one of Eldio’s close friends was given a newspaper by a member of the Universal Church who invited him to attend a service.

“My friend invited me to go with him. At first, my reasons for attending weren’t genuine, but over time, something changed. I started to enjoy the youth meetings. The people there were different.  They accepted me as I was. Gradually, I started appreciating myself and rebuilding my self-esteem.

Despite the struggles I faced, I understood that my speech issue didn’t define me at all. 

I eventually stopped drinking alcohol and partying, and left the wrong friends. In the church, I learned who God is and how to get closer to Him, and I discovered my identity in Him. 

I also realised that, for me to start this new chapter in my life, I needed to forgive those who had wronged me, and also myself, for the poor choices I had made. Doing this was both freeing and empowering,” concluded Eldio.