As of this writing, Hurricane Irma has just cut a path of destruction through the Caribbean, causing devastation unlike anything ever seen there before.
Florida is bracing for the storm – one of the largest ever recorded in the Atlantic. This, just two weeks after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by these storms.
When natural disaster strikes, those living with disabilities are among the most vulnerable — especially when waters rise.
Peru suffered its worst flooding in decades when torrential rains hit the country in March 2017. Thousands of people were displaced by the deluge, including a four-year-old girl name Luana.
Luana was paralyzed when she developed a high fever after receiving a vaccine as a newborn. Her mother, Sandy, would take Luana everywhere in a customized baby carriage, but the family lost everything — including the carriage and their home — to the raging flood waters. The family was forced to move into a crowded, government-run shelter.
When Sandy learned that a local church was distributing wheelchairs, she moved quickly to fill out an application for Luana to get one.
The little girl was delighted to receive her first wheelchair.
Luana’s family is deeply grateful for this gift. Not only does it provide her with the mobility she needs, it offers them a new sense of hope as they rebuild their lives.
Our wheelchair distribution partners in the Caribbean will be engaged in relief work over the next few weeks. As they serve those affected by the disaster, your continued prayers and partnership will help others like Luana.
Blessings,
Don Schoendorfer
