This story comes from our good friend George Hage in Boise, ID:

Last week one of our events for Free Wheelchair Mission (FWM) was Kelly Odell's Idaho Youth Wheelchair Sports Camp.The FWM "Mobility in Motion" truck pulled up and 50 children, teenagers, and coaches gathered around in wheelchairs to see what it was all about. I couldn't help but think of some of the wheelchair distributions I had participated in in the Uganda bush. The types of disabilities were similar, but, the differences were obvious.

In Boise, they sat in sports wheelchairs built for racing, basketball, and tennis. They sat in lightweight wheelchairs built for strength, ease of mobility and comfort. They sat in power wheelchairs with hand controlled joysticks, head controls and tilt in space features for pressure relief. All came with families who had vehicles to transport them and homes and schools to accommodate their needs. In Uganda, those who gathered were on the ground where they lived. They came with no wheelchairs, no special accommodations and most had never been to school. 

I wondered if this small group from Boise, Idaho, USA, would be able to relate to the overwhelming needs of 100 million people in third world countries with physical disabilities. Then one young man wheeled forward, in the middle of Don's presentation, to help bridge the gap. Khanh, a refugee from Viet Nam, shared his story. Khanh has polio and crawled for the first 9 years of his life. In Viet Nam, he was always dirty because of crawling and a burden to his family, because traveling any distance meant his father must carry him. 

He never went to school and never played sports. He was limited socially, academically and emotionally. He got his first wheelchair at the airport when he arrived in America, and his first custom fit wheelchair shortly after. His life changed dramatically since getting off the ground. He is now working and going to college. He lives on his own, drives his own car, and coaches wheelchair sports. 

Khanh was so moved by Don's presentation that he went right home and watched all the videos on the FWM website. The next day he told us that he wants to be used by God to help lift people off the ground in developing countries.

Khanh, we welcome you to our fundraising team! You are one more reason why Idaho Believes . . . in the Free Wheelchair Mission, in lifting 20 million people off the ground, and in the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor!

The story this week comes from our own home here in Orange County, California. This past Tuesday we had our Magic of Mobility event. Many said it was our finest event - by far. Over 350 supporters came to hear Mugwanya Francis from Uganda. He melted all of our hearts when he described his childhood, living with Polio and without a wheelchair, how he had to crawl in the hot sun and muddy roads to school. Francis managed to get a wheelchair when he was 13. He worked hard in school, and it shows. He was delightfully articulate.

After identifying his potential in different areas, he worked at them with all his strength. “This helped me step up from being sorry for myself and the thinking that ‘I will never be able to do anything’ to a state where I settled for who God made me to be. I have learned to use all I have to the glory of God. The LORD has been faithful; He has used me to minister to many others.”

Through Francis’ words, we learned of the despair but also the hope in the lives of the physically disabled in Uganda. “It’s not uncommon to hear such parents say, ‘What will this child manage to do; this one is a useless child’.” He told us that there are 3 million physically disabled people in Uganda who need wheelchairs.

Our audience stepped up to help, and by night’s end, we had raised over $900,000 - enough for 18,600 wheelchairs! Some are already on the way to Uganda. Thanks to all who helped make this a memorable and productive evening!

Denier is 20 years old and lives in a town in the municipality of Masatepe, Nicaragua, along with his father Ronaldo and his grandparents. Ronaldo is a school teacher and is the only provider of his household. Yolanda, Denier’s grandmother is always attentive to his needs. “She’s there for me when I need her, but I have also learned to fend for myself as well, thank God” Denier commented.

Denier was a born with a dysfunction in his spinal cord that has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Despite this, he pushed himself in order to be able to get an education “I am a regular person,” he proudly stated, “I learned to read and write and all the basics. I just could not finish with school because I grew up and became too heavy for anyone to carry me.”

His mother abandoned him shortly after his birth. Denier has managed to maintain a relationship with his 4 maternal siblings “they live in Managua (the capital) but they come visit me every so often” he said, breaking a smile.

“I thank the American Nicaraguan Foundation and the Free Wheelchair Mission who help people in need like me. May God bless you all.”

The Friday Story: "Mother's Eyes Spoke Mountains!"

The CEO of Farmers & Merchants Bank discovered the gift of mobility first-hand through the eyes of a Peruvian mother.

Henry Walker lives in Aliso Viejo, CA, and keeps a busy schedule as the fourth generation CEO of the strongest bank in California. Traveling with his two daughters on a mission trip to Peru with Mariners Church, he witnessed the sacrificial love of a mother in the truest sense of the word.

Walker observed a mother cradling her son, and was surprised to see that her son was not a boy, but a debilitated 26-year-old man wrapped in a blanket. “The man’s face was so disfigured that it was difficult to look at him, and very candidly, cannot be described,” says Henry. Henry was speechless as he absorbed the reality that this mother had been carrying her son, serving as his sole means of transportation for 26 years. For the disabled man to even be able to sit, she would lay him on the dining room table and massage his back to loosen his joints; otherwise he was rigid, like a board.

The mother was overjoyed when Henry gave her and her son the gift of a wheelchair. Her son may not have realized he was being provided with mobility, but the reflection of unspeakable joy in his mother’s eyes spoke mountains. “This experience will forever be branded in my heart,” said Henry.

 THE FRIDAY STORY: Potholders for Wheelchairs!

Many ask us how they can use their talents and enthusiasm for our mission and help us fund more wheelchairs. Others just do what feels right.

Jean lives in Camarillo, CA. She retired a few years ago from teaching high school.  She taught disabled students, and she was well aware of the struggles they have, even in our own blessed country. “So the idea that people live their whole lives crawling in the dirt to get to work and then back really got to me,” she told a reporter from the Ventura County Star. Jean is a talented seamstress and decided to make and sell potholders to fund our wheelchairs. “No charity ever got me working like this before,” she observed.

Jean made a quilt and mounted on it 9 samples of her potholders.  She found a way to take photos from our website and have them duplicated on the fabric.  Each potholder has the image of someone in their very own wheelchair, their new chance for a better life.

She has a sales force of three: her daughter and a couple friends. The first year they sold enough to pay for a couple wheelchair. Each year the demand for her products grows. The next year she funded over ten wheelchairs ($500). The columnist for the Star asked her why it was so important to her to raise the donation from her own labor. “Anyone can send money,” Jean said. “This is more personal”. 

This past weekend, we were in beautiful Atlanta, Georgia for a National Leadership Convention hosted by one of our very own distribution partners, Network 21. Network 21 has distributed two containers (1100 wheelchairs) in South Africa and soon one will go to the Ukraine. They asked us to be a part of their convention so they could announce our partnership to all of their independent business owners.

Over 3,000 highly motivated and compassionate people were in attendance! Saturday night Alyson Roth, our Development Manager, and I stepped up on the stage and delivered a compelling yet realistic view of the need for wheelchairs in developing countries. The crowd was astonished after watching our video at how many people need a wheelchair, and how they spend most of their day crawling on the ground in the dirt and garbage. But what impacted them the most was our affordable solution, one gives back the dignity that was lost with these disabilities. We received a standing ovation! Afterwards, we were stormed with donations and commitments to help those in need. We couldn’t walk 10 feet without being stopped by people just wanting to affirm our mission and ask how they could get involved. 

We also met with a member of an Atlanta Barnabas group who was very interested in getting his group together along with helping us get into a very large church in the area. His passion for Free Wheelchair Mission became evident the longer we talked with him.

Big things are happening around the nation through amazing people like you who continue to spread the word of our mission. Thank you for your encouragement and support as we make our way closer to our goal each and every day!

THE FRIDAY STORY: Inside, Gratitude for Life!   

This story comes from Bob, a great friend who works with our partner in Viet Nam, Giving it Back to Kids (GIBTK). 

It wasn't long after our arrival at our Ha Nam province for a wheelchair distribution that the reality of why I am here became clear.  As I looked across the many faces I could not help wondering what their life has been like. What have these older ones lived through and seen?  I was brought to tears this morning.  The mere fact that our Father God has allowed us, and if I dare say called us, to this ministry of taking care of the ones He loves so much is overwhelming.  I am blessed to be part of this.

Allow me to share a short interview of one of today's recipients.

When I first saw Cong my heart was struck with compassion.  But to tell you truth there was some amazement and wonder.  Forgive me as I do not want to sound insensitive, but he was walking along the ground in a manner that reminded me of a crab.

I was a bit hesitant to talk with him, yet his demeanor and smile pulled me in.  He is married and has 2 children.  His condition began in 1973 with some type of joint disorder.

"Only pain at first," he began, "but then it continued getting worse till I am like I am now. I am a basket weaver and can earn 7000 dong a day (40 cents). My wife is a farmer and gets paid in rice. With my new wheelchair I will be able to move more freely. I will now be able to purchase the supplies I need to make baskets easier and have more time to make them. This chair will help build my confidence since I will now be able support my family better and pay for the school fees for my children.  I will even be able to go to the toilet alone!  I have dreamed of a chair since 1973! Thank you to Free Wheelchair Mission and its donors for making my dream come true. This is a very big thing for a disabled person. I can only say thank you once but inside of me will be gratitude for the rest of my life."

This story comes from our own database manager, Robert, who just returned from India:

The heat inside was stifling, but it could do nothing to dampen the excitement and the happy occasion about to unfold. A good hour before the ceremony would start a large crowd of soon to be recipients and their families had already gathered. Their faces spoke volumes, having endured lifetimes of hardship. I could see a look of hope and relief in their eyes as they stared at the row of wheelchairs in front of them.

There was a man who looked to be about in his late 40’s who had sustained a head injury that left him disabled. Now unable to walk or even speak, he relied completely upon his wife and son to take care of him. They explained to us that they had to do everything for him, including feed and dress him. The ceremony commenced and they placed him in his chair. It was unclear if he was even aware of this, though his family continually thanked us. One of the local Indian politicians who had attended the event asked me if I could pose with the family for a photo. As I went to put my arm around the man’s son, who looked to be the same age as me (perhaps in his late 20’s), he looked at me and his eyes welled with tears. He nodded his head as we looked at each other. We did not have to speak each other’s language for me to understand him. The life of his family changed forever because of that chair, and he was so very thankful for this miracle gift.

That moment meant everything to me. The 2 years of working on staff, all the travel arrangements, the inoculations, the 9 airline flights, and the 60+ hours of travel to get there and back – that moment made it all worth it. Those tear filled eyes told me how much our wheelchair would change his family’s life forever.

The Friday Story: "Not Lost in Translation!"

This story comes from our partner, John, down in Costa Rica:

At today's event young Ivan was the first in line. Waiting patiently in his father's arms, he gazed at the wheelchair that would soon be his. Ivan is 14 yrs old and suffers from multiple sclerosis. He has difficulties with coordination and balance as the muscle spasms progressively get worse.

The family's daily routine is a constant emotional and physical battle. After all the speeches were made at the ceremony and the thanks were given, everyone was getting situated in their new wheelchairs. Ivan was helped into his new wheels and the safety harness was carefully adjusted. Ivan's parents embraced him as tears rolled down their eyes.

Nothing was lost in translation....everyone got it! Something as simple as a wheelchair will help the three of them alleviate some of the struggles that they encounter each and every day.

Back in November, we met Chancellor Drake from University of California Irvine (UCI). Chancellor Drake wants to help us, and one way was to involve some mechanical engineering students in a summer program they call Engineering Design in Industry. 

We at FWM are developing a new wheelchair design. Our hope is that it will be more versatile, more durable and better suit users with special needs. As engineers, one of the challenges we face is minimizing cost while creating things that can stand up to stress, wear and tear of use. The traditional approach is to make test models and expose them to accelerated wear testing. Only a few laboratories do this testing. They have methods to compress what a wheelchair would face over 5 years of use into a few weeks of accelerated testing. This testing is expensive and time consuming, so much so that once a design passes, there is great resistance to change it. Thus, further cost reduction ideas or other improvements are seldom considered.

This is where Professor McCarthy and ten very talented UCI engineers make a huge contribution. They created a computer model of our new design, and they learned how to simulate the traditional testing on their model. The good news is our model passes all the standard tests by a large margin. The great news is we can use this simulation model to carve off steel and other expensive materials that have no benefit to the strength or function of the design.

The ten weeks these engineers spent this summer could improve the lives of millions of the poorest of the poor. Thank you students and Prof. McCarthy! Thank you UCI! What an unexpected blessing!

The Friday Story: "Tell Them to Smile!"

You may recall a story we ran the end of Dec. 28, 2007 about Quinn. One of the many tasks Quinn did to get his Eagle Scout badge was raise the funds for a container of wheelchairs. Well, he succeeded, and he and his family just returned from India where they helped distribute these 550 wheelchairs! Here is one story:

We drove along a dirt road to a village with thatched roof homes. One by one, the disabled arrived to receive their new gift of mobility. One old man used wooden sandals on his hands to shuffle along slowly. As we lifted him into his new wheelchair, his stoic face fought back the tears that flowed so easily. Another old man left behind his old wooden crutches. They sat proudly in their wheelchairs, and as I began to take pictures, I asked our interpreter to tell them to “smile.”

I imagined the interpreter's request to smile was a reminder that today God, and others, loved them so much to give them better mobility and more dignity. I imagine they are used to that stoic, perhaps sad face for most of their lives. They are poor beyond description compared to us in America. Imagine if you lived like them: no permanent home - just a shack or thatched roof structure, disease surrounding you, struggling to drag your physical body along the ground while wearing sandals on your hands, contaminated water, wondering where your next meal will come from, and the extremities of weather affecting the comforts of life. Yet despite all of this, I saw a fantastic sense of village support and happiness for the blessing they do enjoy, and now they have their very own wheelchair.

What a great day!

"I used to be short and looked up to people, but now I'm really short. I know what it's like to lose a lot. I know what it is like to not know if you’re going to live or die. It scares you. Then after everything happened, it made me value life more."

Michelle was on a break with fellow students. An off-duty security officer had a handgun in his backpack. The gun discharged when he put the pack on the floor. The bullet severed Michelle's spinal cord. 

But in a split-second, her life changed totally. "I can't believe her attitude,” her pastor says. “That doesn't mean she hasn't had bad moments -- who wouldn't? But she's been an example of Christ in us, not only to our students but to our whole church.”

Michelle’s attends Big Valley Grace Community Church in Modesto, CA. They raised funds for a full container of wheelchairs, and last May Michelle traveled to the Philippines to help distribute them, to people just like her. "People over there don't have chairs," she said. "They're stuck in their homes. I showed them how I live and how I transfer out of my chair and how I prevent pressure sores. I was born in the Philippines. My parents were missionaries there, and I remember when we lived there that people with disabilities were put out on the streets to beg because that's all they could do.This wheelchair trip is the main thing I'm working on in my life."