Jeshurun Vincent: remains an optimist despite life\'s hurdles

This is the story of Jeshurun Vincent, a Kajang national, 32, who is a travelling musician with the aim to share a message of hope and peace across the world through music, his specialization being the guitar. In 2017, Vincent launched his first book, “Into the Potter’s Hands” and has amazed the world by travelling 79 countries within 60 months.

Having started in August 2014 from Asia, Vincent has covered the entire Asian continent, South America, a couple of countries from Europe and South Africa as well as some in North America.

Recalling his first step into the world of music, Vincent laughingly shared that he was never born with the skills that are required to play the flute, an instrument students in Malaysia are required to learn in schools at a young age.

A young Vincent was told that he was too “small” for music by a music school upon which he waited four years to get enrolled. When he did, he was asked to choose an instrument. The instrument he chose, the base guitar, was his height at the mere age of 14. He was poked fun at and people asked him whether it was him playing the guitar, or the guitar playing him.

Despite the mockery, Vincent got through and focused on practicing more.

At the age of 19, Vincent’s life took a drastic turn when he woke up one day, partially deafened. The turning point in his life became the day he got hearing loss on one side.

This was a big discouragement and Vincent soon fell into depression, he lost his self-confidence and although he was able to walk, he was never the same music enthusiast that he used to be.

He faced immense difficulties at home and words of discouragement from everyone surrounding him was adding to the weight on his shoulders.

At this point, Vincent began wondering how he may become an inspiration to people with disabilities like himself. With the cause to bring a change, Vincent and his guitar set out on a journey in August 2014, to travel one country after another.

With guitar in hand, Vincent had a message for everyone who was imprisoned by their own uncertainties “hey if I can do it, you can do this in your life as well.”

Juggling a full-time job at a financial firm where he works five days a week, Vincent began his journeys during the weekends.

Now, Vincent plans to make trips with his guitar, longer, with just three goals.

1. Never ask anyone for money

2. Never create sympathy within people by showing a “sad” face

3. To travel with whatever amount of cash he has in his bank account at the time

Some of the challenges Vincent has faced while travelling is language barrier, which has got him in very ill-fated situations.

Speaking on his positive experiences, an enthusiastic Vincent shared some eye-opening experiences he has had nation-wide.

The music enthusiast went on to share positive things he has learnt through some of the people he has met across the world and he believes that “I am not just giving, but also learning new things from people”. As such, he learned how nationals from different countries eat their food, how they wear their clothes and how their culture shapes them.

The solo traveler does not play his music for anything in return, he said that his pure intention is to tell his story “even if it is to just one person”.

When Vincent began his journey, he drew criticism from his family and friends who told him he was crazy for wanting to “waste” his money for people who wouldn’t care. But the 32-year-old said that once he shared his experiences and what he has seen from these new places, his family had told him to go forward and chase his dream. When finally he began going on national television on interviews, people began getting a perspective on why he was doing what he was doing.

In this regard, Vincent encourages everyone to not get influenced by the world and to just continue holding on to goals and run towards it without letting backlash hold them back.

As someone who suffered depression due to the hardship he had to face following the hearing loss, Vincent wants to tell anyone who suffers similarly, that depression or a certain illness is "not the end of life".

Vincent who uses music as a tool to connect with people said that he no longer plays for competitions and rather to connect to people and share a message of love and hope.

Also a vocalist, Vincent stopped singing and focused on instrumentals as he found it the perfect way for people who do not understand one another’s language to connect.

Vincent believes that music can actually bring a message of hope as he was approached during one of his world tours, where he was told by someone who used to have suicidal thoughts that he was "moved" by Vincent’s story.

The musician who keeps Maldives very close to his heart, said that he believes the beauty of countries is not defined by landscapes or places but rather by the beauty of the people.

Saying that it is important to come out of one’s comfort zone in order to achieve great things, Vincent said that even if it is hard, one must take the first step in order to get somewhere.

Vincent’s last trip was to South America which he describes as one of the “most interesting trips” of his life. In 39 days, the musician stopped in 21 countries. Most of them were the first time he had been to the country.

A flourishing survivor and a mark of hope for everyone who believes there is nothing more to life, Vincent also has a message to the Maldivian people.