Emmanuel’s Dream

This book explores the themes of discrimination, empathy, perseverance, resiliency, and achieving goals. Emmanuel is a baby born with a physical disability in Ghana. His father abandons the family soon afterward under the assumption that it was a curse. Emmanuel’s mother Comfort even name shim Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us”. She also encourages her son to be self-sufficient in life. Emmanuel uses her love and encouragement to use teach himself to crawl, hop, run, and eventually to get a job shining shoes. Disabled children were often unable to attend school, but Emmanuel went anyway. Along the way, he made friends who encourage him to ride a bike for the first time. After his mother falls ill, Emmanuel moves away to earn a living in Accra, Ghana. He faces discrimination and is told to become a beggar because of his limitations. Emmanuel rejects this prospect and eventually gains a job and sends money home to assist his family. After two years away, Mama Comfort dies. Emmanuel grieves the death of his beloved mother by vowing to show the world that people with disabilities are capable of anything they set their minds to. Emmanuel eventually completed a 400-mile bike ride through Ghana in ten days!