Actress and advocate speaks about gifts
More than 100 people from the Erskine community as well as from nearby cities and towns gathered in the Bowie Arts Center to hear Lily D. Moore—an actress, model, and advocate for people with disabilities—speak about “The Gifts of God” Thursday evening, Nov. 30.
“The first gift I am going to talk to you about tonight has slanted eyes, a short stature, and an extra chromosome,” Moore said. “Hopefully you have figured out that I am talking about myself! If you couldn’t tell, I have Down Syndrome.”
Expressing her faith in God and his purposes, she read a portion of Psalm 139, beginning with verse 13—“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Moore said, “I recognize that God gave me an extra chromosome for a reason. And he gave me a gift just like he does for each of his followers.”
As she introduced her story, she told the audience, “Some people might think that people with Down Syndrome cannot accomplish much. Listen and see what you think.”
Moore, who has appeared in a variety of movies and television series, said, “Acting is my passion, my love, my friend!” but she has learned that hard work and perseverance are required to sustain an acting career, including enduring the rejections that are part of the audition process.
“I thought I had it in the bag—instant stardom, instant success, but boy, did God want to teach me some lessons along the way!”
A sophomore in the ClemsonLIFE program who serves as a manager for the cheerleading squad and is active in FCA, Moore says her passion is not limited to acting.
“Another thing I am passionate about is helping homeless people,” she said. “That’s why I started my own homeless ministry seven years ago.” Her ministry is known by the acronym H.E.L.P.— “Helping People with Love and Passion.” So far, she has handed out some 2,000 bags containing snacks and toiletries.
“When God places something on your heart, you should act on it,” she says of her ministry.
Moore said that God gives his people spiritual gifts as well as talents, challenging her audience to discover what those gifts and talents are and to use them to help others. “Let your light shine for the world to see,” she said.
In keeping with her theme, Moore spoke of the highest gift of God—salvation through Jesus Christ. “This is the greatest gift,” she said. “Giving my life to Jesus was the best thing I have ever done.”
Lily D. Moore has appeared in a variety of movies and television series, starring in Color My World with Love, playing a recurring role on Never Have I Ever, and being interviewed for the Emmy Award-winning show Hope Givers on PBS.
