This story comes from St. Samaan El Kharaz Church in Cairo, Egypt: 

Our friend Maher became disabled when he fell from the second floor of a building. The fall broke his spine and he became paralyzed from the waste down; now he is a paraplegic. He had to give up his regular job. Fortunately, we had just the right position available for him, and he is now the telephone operator assistant in our church. He is a very good believer and teacher. 

Maher had a very old wheelchair that we all knew would not last much longer. We brought him a new GEN_1. He was so pleased. He shared with us this story. 

“Two years ago, I made a personal commitment to save from my paycheck to buy a new wheelchair. After two years I had enough! Then I heard an announcement about the new church in Upper Egypt that needed money to complete its building. They really need to finish that building, I thought to myself. God is good and honest and He will satisfy all my needs. So last week I sent my savings to the new church.” And now, a new wheelchair has been delivered.

Maher’s story made us all very happy, but we could not match his happiness with his new wheelchair. “Praise the Lord,” he said. “You are looking after me. This is so clear to me.” 

This story comes from Jennifer who works for FEDES, our partner in Chile. They have distributed over 31,000 wheelchairs for us:

While attending an event to distribute hygiene kits to low-income families here in Santiago, we saw a beautiful little girl coming down the street in one of the wheelchairs we distribute in partnership with Free Wheelchair Mission, quite a while ago actually. Her name is Atalia. She has a form of epilepsy that causes her to have many seizures throughout the day. Atalia’s mother, Gladys, virtually bubbled over with enthusiasm about the wheelchair. 

“Atalia goes to school every day and eats all her meals in the wheelchair,” Gladys told us. “She feels both comfortable and safe, since the shape of the chair and armrests serve as protection when she has a seizure, so she doesn’t fall and hit her head. This has been such a big blessing to our family.”

It was encouraging for me to see the impact that this gift, provided by a  generous donor in some other country, is having on Atalia’s life over the years.  

When we visited Armenia through the support of distribution partner Pyunic, our very first stop was just outside Yerevan, the capital.  Rudik is 12 years old. When he was 18 months old, he came down with seizures. His family took him to the hospital. Eventually they diagnosed encephalitis, but were too late to do anything about it. Rudik lives with his mother and two sisters. His father was wounded in the war between Nagomo Karabakh and Azerbaijan. He suffered from these wounds until last year when he passed away. The family lives on a very modest pension provided by the Armenian government for veterans. They live in subsidized housing built by people from Denmark.

Rudik received a wheelchair from the government, but he stopped using it four years ago as it was too small and worn out. He spends his life watching the TV. He has never been to school. Teachers stop by every month or two with home-schooling materials.

When I first saw Rudik lying in his bed in the living room, I thought there was someone else lying next to him, hiding under the covers, perhaps a younger brother. His legs did not line up with his torso. This was but one outcome of this encephalitis. His disability affected his speech. His family had learned how to understand his greatly distorted speech. He had limited use of his hands. He is essentially paralyzed from the lower chest down.

Rudik was afraid we came to take him to the hospital. It took some persuasion, but we managed to convince him this was not our plan. His mother lifted him out of the new GEN_2 wheelchair, we proceeded to make adjustments, and soon we had an excellent fit. The chair held his spine straight. This seemed to please Rudik – so proven with a smile.

What did Rudik want to do with this GEN_2 gift? “I want to get outside! I want to go for walks!” He has what he needs to do this: a mother, two sisters, and a new wheelchair. 

A team of friends and supporters of Free Wheelchair Mission just arrived home from a distribution in Tanzania – we have heard many stories of lives changed during this trip, but one of the most compelling comes from the Arusha Region, a beautiful area of national parks and stunning landscapes located in the northern part of the country: 

We met Lazaro at his home in a small Masai village outside of Arusha. Lazaro has been a hard working man for all of his adult life working the cattle and the fields which are a typical part of Masai life.  He and his extended family live in a compound in which he occupies a very small home.

Now 65 years old, Lazaro’s health has been slowly declining and his family has had to provide increasing levels of support for him.  His mobility has become more and more restricted; some time ago, Lazaro injured his leg, making it difficult to keep him healthy.  Compounding his health concerns, within the last year he suffered a damaging stroke, leaving him essentially a quadriplegic. At the time of our visit, he had not left the house in more than six months as it was simply too difficult for the family to move him safely around the property.

When we first placed Lazaro in his new wheelchair, there was an almost immediate positive reaction; it was clear to see the pride and dignity exuded by this proud Masai man.  There, sitting in the chair, he had immediately regained some of the poise and decorum that his health problems had taken away.

When we left Lazaro, he was sitting quite peacefully under a beautiful shade tree enjoying the view.  It was clear to us all the huge difference the wheelchair will make in his life and in the lives of his family as he will be able to move more easily around his home.  It was obvious that just being outside was a blessing for him.

This story comes from Sam of Sathyam Ministries, our partner in India:

I am Jose, 80 yrs old. I live in Kerala. I have two sons, Blesson and Jesson. My wife Ruth went to be with the Lord in her early age. I raised my sons by the grace of God. I was working as a teacher in a private school. My life after my retirement was spent mostly by spreading the Good News to the people. Every day I go to the near by park with some Gospel tracts and distribute them to the people coming there. I love to visit people and council them. I am also a prayer warrior. I pray for all whom I meet.

But my busy outreach ministry came to an end slowly, when my legs gave me trouble. I was unable to walk and I tasted the bitterness of life. I was not discouraged because I could not walk, but I was deeply sad because I could not work for the Lord. I spent my time in prayer. I was unable to attend the church and even my church members missed me a lot. In this busy world I can’t expect families to visit me.

One day Jesson came to me with a brochure. He told me about a free wheelchair distribution of Sathyam Ministry. We really did not have the slightest idea of the wheelchair, and even if we had, I am sure we could not have been able to buy one. But the Lord has His own plan.    

I received the free wheelchair with great joy. Now I am again busy with my counseling work. I visit people and also share about my deliverance through the provision of a wheelchair. It’s really the gift of God. I thank Sathyam Ministry for this wonderful gift. I remember your wonderful work in my prayers.  

This story comes from Children International, one of our partners in the Philippines. 

Seven years ago, Sarina was a normal 11-year old girl in Barangay, Dos Hermanas, Talisay City; a picture of an ordinary daughter living a normal life, ready to start high school next year. One evening, everything changed. Sarina was brought to the hospital in Bacolod City with a high fever. The doctor ordered an injection. Almost immediately, she went into a cardiac arrest, almost losing her life. 

As a result, Sarina’s arms and legs became paralyzed. She had to stop going to school.   She stays at home all the time. She can’t speak. She has tried to expressed that life feels hopeless, useless and gloomy. In addition, Sarina’s family has been struggling with the salary deductions for the expenses they incurred in the hospital, which total more than one million pesos (USD 22,500). Her mother spends all of her time taking care of Sarina. 

Last July, Children International – Philippines, Inc. and Free Wheelchair Mission came to help. Certainly, a wheelchair cannot bring back the lost dreams and resources. Surely, a wheelchair cannot return to the family the normal life they were enjoying seven years ago. However, that basic chair with wheels provided by generous sponsors delivered a simple, but yet profound message to Sarina’s family and to Sarina herself: a message of care, charity and compassion. Life may still be hard for Sarina and her family as they are living everyday and paying for that million peso debt. However, CI – Philippines, Inc. and FWM gave the family a renewed source of hope and a reason to go on with life in spite of everything that has happened: the fact that there are still people out there across the street and around the globe that love and pray for those who are lost, and lonely.

I am writing you from Yerevan.  Six of us are here on a mission trip to introduce our new GEN_2 wheelchair. I’ve visited a dozen developing countries, and each has its own beauty, charm and wonder. So far for me, Armenia is the friendliest, and the people we meet are the most compassionate. First example was on the plane from London. Laurie shared the purpose of our mission to a fellow passenger. Word spread. Half way through the flight Anna came to us, got down on her knees and with tears streaming thanked us for what we are doing for her country. She seriously damaged her back carrying her husband to and within the hospital on her back for six years while he had dialysis treatments.  

Two days later we met 9 year old Julia. She has CP (cerebral palsy). She doesn’t go to school. Her mother can’t carry her far. They have not heard from their father for a long time. He went to Moscow in search of work. The whole time her grandmother is crying in the background. There is so much love in this small family for Julia. 

At first Julia is not comfortable. Everything is happening too quickly for her. She gathers all the courage this little girl had, and we placed her in the GEN_2 chair. I was clear we had to shorten the seat and adjust the height and tilt of the footrests. A few minutes later and the chair became a perfect fit. She felt much better, but she lacked confidence.

 I asked her to squeeze my fingers with each of her hands. I complemented her on her strength. She giggled and smiled. We told her she has all the strength she needs to go as far as she can see. Her mother placed each of Julia’s hands on the wheelchair’s handrims. Julia started to move – by herself she stared to swing around the room! Before our eyes Julia gained mobility, independence and a chance for a better life. Her live changed, just like that, right before our eyes.  

This story comes from Edson, our coordinator in Haiti. Edson’s primary responsibility is normally to Operation Blessing International, but for now and during the upcoming months, he is helping Free Wheelchair Mission with the distribution of many thousands of wheelchairs into the region. Many will go to victims of last January’s earthquake, but quite a few will be available to those who were in need of mobility long before. Here is Edson’s story:

Mrs. Jacqueline is now very happy. She feels lucky to have a wheelchair that she couldn’t provide for herself. She will be able to move easily. Everyone in the presence of that humble woman could feel the joy that fulfilled her heart.

Marci Barth, a member of our ambassador team from North Chicago, just sent us this story from their recent mission trip to Chile. Steven and Grace are our distribution partners in the region: 

We are freshly back from Chile filled with all the love and gratitude we received from the recipients. It continues to amaze me how much I personally receive from these experiences...much more than I give, for sure! 

The vastness of the poverty and the need made a deep impression on me. In one neighborhood, we delivered 11 chairs to people in a 3 block area!  Had we been able to expand out beyond those three blocks, how many more people in need would we have found? On the last day, we revisited a "camp" where we had already brought many chairs. On this day, the plan was to distribute the clothing that we had brought with us. Low and behold, we found 3 more people who desperately needed wheelchairs: Nelly, a blind, double amputee with diabetes needed to get to her dialysis appointment. The wheelchair eased the burden of this necessity. Claudio, 18, with muscular dystrophy desperately wanted to visit his mother, who lived in another house. The chair made this possible. Patricia, at 30 years old, unable to walk or communicate very well had never had a wheelchair to take her to the doctor or anywhere else. She had only been carried by her sister when possible. Had we not returned to distribute our clothing, these 3 beautiful people may not have received these chairs...Thank god they did! But how many others did not? 

It was an experience second to none. I expected to come home with feelings of joy and sadness, love and hope and gratitude. What I did not expect was to feel so completely transformed by our hosts. Steve and Grace are the most giving, selfless, loving and warm people I have ever known. Honestly, I did not know such people existed here on earth. What a gift to have had the opportunity to share a week with them.

Don, we all thank you for the work you and all the people at Free Wheelchair Mission do. Thank you too for blessing us with the opportunity to participate.

With love and blessings, Marci  

I am just about to return home to the United States from Shanghai – it has been a busy few days for our team here. We are so grateful for our partners here on the manufacturing side, and always look forward to a chance to visit JAM International, the factory that builds our wheelchairs. Thought I would share a bit of the story with you, in pictures: 

This story comes from our partners Steven and Grace of FEDES in Chile:

Luis Armando is 78 years old and lives in Coquimbo City on the coast of Chile. He lives alone with his wife. Before he was disabled, Luis was an artisanal fisherman. In this profession, fishermen dive into the water to fish, rather than using nets or rods and reels. Many times, they don’t have the equipment to properly measure depth; sadly, strokes are not uncommon when these fishermen either dive too deep, or return to the surface too quickly. Seventeen years ago while on a fishing dive in high seas, Luis had a stroke. His companions managed to bring him ashore and take him to the hospital, and he seemed to recover. Shortly afterwards, however, he had another thrombosis. He lost his ability to speak, hear, and walk. The right side of his body is completely distorted. 

When we visited, we received a very warm welcome from Luis and his wife. Even though he couldn’t speak, he made an enormous effort through signs to tell us his story. He became very animated when we gave them the wheelchair. He pointed to the chair and told us with signs that he wanted to go back down to the fishermen’s bay. He wanted to see the ocean again after so many years of being confined to his home. 

It broke our hearts watching him move his left arm with great difficulty, showing us how he remembered rowing his boat, tears falling on his cheeks. We told him we’d come back another day with more time and when the weather was better to take him for a walk by the ocean. His need for companionship and affection was so great that he didn’t want us to leave. When he saw us crying with him, he was very touched, and started smiling and making goofy signs and actions with his hat to cheer us up and let us know that he’d be ok.

We received this great story from one of our partners in Zambia – I couldn’t help but share it with you for this week’s Friday Story:

One of the distribution points on the 2010 Wheelchair Project to southern Zambia was Maamba. Maamba is a small town that lies in the rolling hills of southern Zambia. It is also a coal-mining town and most of the men work in the mines. While driving to the District Hospital we drove past a disabled man on the side of the road about 30 kilometers from Maamba. He waved us down and after we stopped, told us he was looking for transport to the hospital where he had heard there was a distribution of free wheelchairs. John, dressed in a shirt and tie, never owned a wheelchair but had carved for himself two short crutches with rubber soles to enable him to move.

After giving John a lift he told us his story. He was born disabled and had only sisters who moved away after they married. His parents were dead and he lived alone with no relatives nearby to care for him. John had never married, had no children and depended on the kindness of others in his village for food and the basics needed to survive. 

At the distribution later that morning, John received the gift of the wheelchair. He had a huge grin on his face and seemed so grateful.  He shared with us that now he would be able to move himself around his hut, his yard, and be mobile enough to possibly plant and harvest corn. 

We gave John a ride back to the exact spot where we picked him up. As we drove away, the village children came out to see John’s new wheelchair and happily pushed him back to his hut.