Byd Mawr y Dyn Bach

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-God put me on this earth.

-I'm here because he wanted me

-the way I am.

-He made me the person I am

-for a reason.

-We all have things

-we want to achieve.

-I have plenty of missions

-I want to accomplish.

-My name is James Lusted...

-..and I live in Rhos-on-Sea

-in North Wales.

-I am 23 years old.

-I have a condition called

-diastrophic dysplasia.

-It's a rare form of dwarfism.

-There aren't many of us out there,

-particularly in the UK.

-The doctors weren't sure

-of his condition at the beginning.

-They asked around other hospitals...

-..and we found out it was genetic.

-Dave and I share the same gene.

-They said it's a one

-in a million chance...

-..for two people with

-the same gene to get together.

-My brother, Phil,

-is four years older than me.

-Despite having the same condition...

-..we have very different

-personalities.

-He's also a different shape to me.

-We decided to have a second child...

-..because there was a chance

-it wouldn't happen again.

-Money for the church, James.

-Money for the church, James.

-

-Yes.

-When I had the scan with James...

-..I noticed that the nurse

-was taking her time.

-I told her that I already

-had a child with dwarfism.

-That's when I was told

-that James had the same condition.

-I broke down.

-Yes.

-We went to the hospital...

-..because they wanted to ask

-whether we wanted to abort the baby.

-I told Dave

-he had to come with me...

-..because I knew I'd have a fit

-if they mentioned an abortion.

-It wasn't an option.

-They both had club feet which meant

-that their feet pointed inwards.

-They had surgery on their feet...

-..which left them in plaster.

-James also couldn't use his arms.

-He couldn't lift his head correctly.

-We took him for an X-ray.

-Two days later...

-..I had a call to go immediately

-to Gobowen hospital near Oswestry.

-There was a problem with his neck.

-His third and fourth vertebrae

-had disintegrated.

-The consultant said

-something had to be done...

-..or there was a chance

-he wouldn't be able to move...

-..and that he'd need

-a ventilator to breathe.

-We almost lost James.

-The consultant said, "If we don't

-do something, we could lose him."

-Don't panic! Don't panic!

-We have different ways

-of doing things.

-I can't reach the floor

-while standing up.

-I have to use a table or a chair

-to help me do that...

-..so Phil sometimes helps me

-to put my shoes on.

-Phil often struggles

-opening bottles or cans...

-..so he'll ask me

-to open them for him.

-I have trouble with my fingers.

-I can't bend them like most people.

-It's difficult

-to use controls for the Xbox.

-I'm slightly taller than Phil.

-He can't always reach

-to put on the television...

-..or to get something

-in the kitchen.

-I often help him, or, if I can't

-reach either, I'll pick him up.

-We double-up in size!

-We have a sink

-which moves up and down.

-The toilet and shower have been

-especially adapted for Phil and me.

-Because of our height, we have two

-small chairs in the lounge.

-My legs have caused me a lot

-of problems over the years.

-I had Ilizarov frames fixed to my

-legs for three and a half months.

-They were extremely painful.

-Dad had to use a 10ml spanner

-to adjust the rods...

-..to lengthen the bones...

-..and straighten them out.

-He did it once

-and I heard the bones crack.

-They heard it too.

-I had to go straight

-to the hospital...

-..to get a new rod

-fixed on to the frame.

-It was a painful time...

-..but I had plenty of paracetamols.

-Despite my condition

-of diastrophic dysplasia...

-..I have a shot at everything.

-That's how I live my life.

-I try anything.

-If I can do it, great.

-If it's something I can't do,

-then it's not the end of the world.

-I've been playing badminton

-for around twelve years.

-Over the past few years, I've been

-playing it around twice a week.

-I'd like to be able to swim,

-cycle and play tennis...

-..but unfortunately,

-I can't do those.

-I'm a competitive person

-both on and off the court.

-I don't know why,

-it's just who I am.

-If I lose,

-I'm angry for thirty seconds...

-..but then I congratulate

-my opponent.

-I competed in the 2009

-World Dwarf Games in Belfast.

-In the last game,

-my opponent hit a great shot.

-I hit it, then he came back

-with a fairly simple shot for me.

-But I missed it!

-I slammed the racquet on the floor

-and it broke in half.

-I couldn't believe it.

-That's how angry I can get.

-In July 2003, I had an appointment

-for my annual MOT.

-I was told that I wouldn't

-be able to walk again...

-..because my spine had altered

-quite dramatically.

-It was a shock for the whole family.

-We were upset because I was so fit.

-Eight months prior to that...

-..I'd won the Welsh Junior

-Sports Personality award.

-When I got the news,

-I couldn't believe it.

-Three weeks after hearing the news,

-I returned to the hospital.

-It was three weeks of intense worry.

-There were more doctors

-at the hospital this time...

-..and one doctor said that

-what I'd been told was incorrect.

-I'm grateful to that doctor

-for being open...

-..and telling us my initial doctor

-had made a mistake.

-I'm 23 years old now

-and I'm still walking around.

-I like playing football.

-I played for the Abergele All Stars

-when I was nine years old.

-I admired players such as

-Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen.

-I wanted to be like them.

-That's why I enjoy playing football.

-I usually go shopping for clothes

-with my parents or with friends.

-It's tough to find T-shirts

-or trousers which fit.

-I often choose something

-which fits me across the chest...

-..then take it home for my mum or

-my gran to alter it for me to wear.

-I get disappointed sometimes...

-..if I can't get football boots

-or trainers to fit.

-But I just get on with life.

-It doesn't bother me

-if people stare at me...

-..but it does bother

-my friends and family.

-They notice it a lot more than I do

-because I don't look for it.

-I don't think they

-necessarily look for it...

-..but they constantly see people

-looking at what I'm doing.

-If someone is really staring at me,

-then I'll say something.

-But that doesn't happen very often.

-Children usually stare at me

-and ask questions.

-That's fine.

-What I don't like...

-..is when parents shout at

-their children for looking at me.

-They should explain

-to their children...

-..that I'm different

-and I've been born differently.

-I was glad I was able to go to

-Ysgol Bod Alaw and Ysgol y Creuddyn.

-The only difference with me

-is that I'm short.

-My brain is no different

-to anyone else's brain.

-It works in the same way.

-I had a very difficult year

-when I was in Year 9 at school.

-Someone threw a knife at me and it

-hit the back of the wheelchair.

-I was glad I had a back

-on the wheelchair...

-..or the knife would've slashed

-the back of my neck.

-That was a big shock.

-I thought I had good friends.

-They were probably just a bit

-immature and I was an easy target.

-I came home crying.

-One day,

-I decided it couldn't go on...

-..and I made the decision

-to stand up for myself...

-..and speak out about it.

-I've been a Liverpool supporter

-for around twenty years.

-I go out with my friends

-to watch the games.

-The atmosphere is great here today

-at the Red Lion in Old Colwyn.

-We have a lot of fun together

-every time there's a game on.

-We have a bit of a banter

-with the other supporters.

-I've known him

-for almost twenty years.

-He's one of the lads.

-I don't look at him any differently.

-Yes! Come on!

-He's a big, small man.

-Despite his short height...

-..his heart and presence

-are worth far more than that.

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-Come on up. Here he is. Awesome!

-This man is my favourite Welshman.

-He is one of our students.

-An awesome man.

-Here he is.

-I'm James from Wales.

-James from Wales.

-We are a religious family.

-I have faith in God.

-If it weren't for God,

-I wouldn't be here now.

-I'm on this earth

-because he wants me as I am.

-I believe that he made me

-for a purpose.

-Let's just lift our hands.

-Father, we just thank you

-for this wonderful night.

-We're alive

-and you're alive inside us.

-Father, we thank you that you are

-a healer, that you are a restorer.

-You are a deliverer.

-We thank you that you are right

-with us in every situation.

-Father, place a blessing and favour

-upon every person in this place.

-Father, give them a fantastic wake,

-in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

-Amen! Come on! Hallelujah!

-Back in 2007, I went to a conference

-at Hillsong Chapel in Sydney.

-The place affected me so much...

-..I wondered whether Hillsong

-College would be an option for me.

-I looked around the Bible colleges

-in Britain...

-..and none of them

-really appealed to me.

-I went on to the Hillsong website

-and everything stood out for me.

-I knew then that it was

-the right thing for me to go there.

-I think it's the best choice

-I ever made.

-After spending a year

-in Australia...

-..studying a pastoral

-leadership course...

-..I came home to Wales knowing

-this is the field I want to go into.

-I want to be a preacher

-and motivational speaker.

-Good morning!

-Ysgol y Creuddyn is my old school.

-They've asked me to come in...

-..and speak to pupils

-about my experiences.

-I'm very thankful to have

-this opportunity this morning.

-Good morning to you all.

-I'm small. Yes.

-I was born small. That's how God

-wants me to be, I think.

-But I had to believe

-and step out with confidence...

-..believing that I could do

-everything any of you can do.

-It's up to you to make that choice

-in your own lives.

-Get out of bed in the morning,

-put a smile on your face...

-..and think about

-what's in front of you that day.

-I hope to become

-a motivational speaker...

-..and build up people's confidence.

-I want them to understand that they

-have a chance like everyone else...

-..whether they're different

-from others or not.

-When I speak...

-..I feel a shadow of peace

-come over me.

-I feel that's the reason

-I'm in the world.

-To talk about my experiences.

-We're put on this earth once.

-We have to live the dream,

-that's what I say.

-Thank you very much.

-When I was small...

-..well, I'm still

-small, but when I was younger...

-..I wanted to be on the stage.

-I came here with my family.

-We came every Christmas Eve

-for 20 years...

-..and I thought that one day,

-I might act on that stage.

-When I got a call

-from the agency this year...

-..asking if I'd like to be

-on the stage in Snow White...

-..I was very pleased

-to get the part.

-Smiler, Twitcher, Sneezer...

-..Kip.

-Sneezer, sir.

-It's the first day

-of rehearsals today.

-When I arrived this morning,

-I was quite nervous.

-But I've had a chat with the others

-and had a good time.

-We've been doing blocks from the

-show, particularly the first scene.

-It's a scene with the dwarves.

-I've been given the part of Sneezer.

-I'm looking forward

-to playing the part.

-Getting the tissues out

-and blowing my nose all the time!

-I'm looking forward to that.

-I didn't know any of the other six

-except for Laura Whitfield.

-I met her at the National Dwarf

-Games about eight or nine years ago.

-I haven't seen her since then.

-I'm looking forward to spending time

-with her in the pantomime this year.

-This show is great...

-..because I'm working with people

-who have a different condition.

-That condition is achondroplasia.

-I'm looking forward

-to working with them...

-..because we can all help

-each other and work as a team...

-..to make an excellent show.

-We're extremely proud of him.

-We're looking forward to the fun

-we'll have seeing him in the show.

-I'm sure he'll have fun

-taking part too.

-# Let me tell you about a place

-# Somewhere in the forest today #

-I hope that this pantomime will be

-a springboard to working more...

-..onstage

-or in films and television.

-Don't forget to lock the door

-and all the windows.

-Alright, Sneezer.

-I hope to build up my confidence

-more through this experience.

-It's different

-because I'm performing...

-..in front of lots of people who

-know me such as family and friends.

-This a local show for us.

-I find it more difficult...

-..to perform for people I know.

-I think that will help

-my confidence...

-..in doing things onstage...

-..and in talking to people

-in the future.

-I'm looking forward

-to building up my confidence.

-# Colour my world #

-I'm very lucky

-to have parents who are so...

-..I can't think of the word.

-There are no words to describe

-how good and supportive they are...

-..to both Phil and me.

-They're absolutely amazing.

-I'm very thankful to them...

-..for the support they've given me

-during my life...

-..and the support

-that they still give me.

-I'm very grateful

-for everything they've done.

-Regarding the future...

-..all I want for both of them...

-..is for them to do what they want

-to do and to be happy with that.

-I have a motto for my life...

-..and that's to love God,

-love life and love people.

-That's my attitude

-and it works so well.

-It helps me to love everything.

-That's what I want to do.

-I love life.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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