Sophomore Landon Belcher spends his free time doing something most people would never think to attempt, juggling flaming torches.
Belcher said he learned this hobby from a man named Jeff Plake who attends The Hills Church of Christ in Belcher’s hometown of Keller, Texas.
Belcher said Plake put on a performance at his home church and picked him as a volunteer for one of his acts.
“I was really drawn to that,” Belcher said. “He rode around on his unicycle with me on his shoulders, and that was pretty exciting.”
According to Belcher, Plake uses his talent of juggling fire as an opportunity to give inspirational and spiritual lessons. Belcher said that is what he wants to do.
“It’s unique, so it’s a really great way to get people’s attention and talk about my faith,” Belcher said. “It’s really easy to just slip stuff in while you are performing.”
Belcher said he started by learning to ride the unicycle and then continued on by learning to juggle balls, clubs and then eventually torches.
Belcher has recently taken part in the Downtown Church of Christ’s project, “Investing in the Journey.” The church gave away money to church members to organize individual events or fundraisers to help the church raise more money to fund church-sponsored trips. He is using his talents by performing for children’s birthday parties for a fee that will go back to the Downtown Church of Christ.
“There was a long time that it was pretty much a selfish thing, and it’s still sort of tough pride-wise,” Belcher said. “But I think serving people is a great way to cut your pride down, so that is what I’m trying to do.”
Belcher occasionally practices his torch juggling outside on Harding’s campus. He said he tries not to draw a crowd but sometimes there is no way around it.
“It is a very strange sight but I definitely think it is cool,” onlooker senior Whitney Dixon said. “There is someone here on Harding’s campus just juggling fire.”
Sophomore Emily Nutt, who also saw Belcher juggling, said he had drawn a crowd of about 20 people when she found Belcher.
“It was so unexpected,” Nutt, said. “The things you happen upon at Harding can be crazy sometimes.”
Both Dixon and Nutt said they came upon Belcher during their club, Chi Omega Pi’s, “Hunger Games” scavenger hunt function.
They said they needed a picture of fire for the hunt and just happened to find him on campus practicing juggling flames.
