As events continue to unfold in Ukraine, would you continue to keep the people and the situation in prayer?
In this story that aired on NBC News on March 9, 2022, a Ukrainian family is interviewed while recovering in a Kyiv hospital. The father is using one of our GEN_2 wheelchairs, which one of our former distribution partners provided to the hospital.
Although we do not currently distribute wheelchairs in Ukraine, this story reminded us that the work we do—together, with you—can make a lasting impact in the places we have served.
In addition, some of the 1.3 million wheelchairs that you have helped us send over the years have been distributed to refugees fleeing violence in other parts of the world. Remember the story of Gift, the joyful young woman from South Sudan who received a wheelchair at a refugee camp in Uganda?
And, at a refugee camp in Jordan, a young man named Mahmoud recently received a new wheelchair because of you.
Mahmoud, now 31, was born with cerebral palsy and lives with cognitive disabilities. His mother serves as his primary caregiver and would carry him until he grew too big and heavy for her to do so. Then, Mahmoud would have to crawl to get from place to place, causing skin irritation and joint pain in his knees.
Mahmoud’s face lit up when he received a new GEN_2 wheelchair, and his mother was equally joyful. “He smiles and laughs more these days,” she said. “I am so happy and grateful for the support, thanks be to God. It is so wonderful to see him in a wheelchair and not on the ground.”
When wars, outbreaks, or natural disasters strike, our hearts and prayers naturally focus on the affected country or region, but the need for mobility continues all around the world.
There are an estimated 75 million people worldwide who live with disabilities and are still waiting for a wheelchair. Let’s keep them in prayer, too.
Thank you for joining us in prayer and in this mission.
