"Later she was found again laying in the city gutter...." Distribution Report from Liberia

Thanks so much to our partner in the field for this powerful, testimony straight from Liberia

Sarah Zarwye is 13 years old. Sarah is completely helpless and can do nothing for herself. Her arms and legs are very skinny and her joints are twisted and rigid. As I stood and looked at her, I couldn't imagine how her body could even be alive. To me it looked like there was little or no tissue between the bone and the skin. Talking, for her, takes major effort but in spite of it she managed to give a big smile and say "Thank-You, God!!"

At age three she was abandoned during the war, and was first found laying in a coconut plantation in Ivory Coast. Later she was found again laying in the city gutter. A Christian lady working in a hotel saw people looking in the gutter and went to see what it was and found little Sarah (muddy and covered with fire ants.) She was then taken to the police station but was released without a home. Somehow over the course of time she came to live at Life Village Orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia where she lives with 50 other orphans.

 

"Now, I love my work so much..." Distribution Report from Vietnam!

 

Thanks so much to our partner in the field for this powerful, testimony straight from Vietnam.

Ms. Vuong Kim Tuyen's ability to get around has depended on a homemade wheelchair that her father made for her, or by her family’s help. I asked her gently the reason she is not able to walk. She spoke with some difficulty how she was born with birth defects. As a result, she is not able to walk and can only speak with difficulty.

Her father talked with me, saying, “I was a soldier and during the war, I was exposed to the toxins of Agent Orange. Because of that, my daughter’s condition is a genetic result of that exposure to Agent Orange. She faces many difficulties in her ability to move and speak”. At this point, her father’s face saddened, I’m sure because he felt sorry for his daughter. She said that her family took her to some hospitals but her condition did not improve. She told me that, “I used to be very sad and scared of going out and meeting other people. But, due to my family’s encouragement and help from The Association for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans, I was given training and a job working in a clothing company. I was also taught a skill of how to make artificial flowers.  Now, I love my work so much, plus I feel confident and comfortable in meeting people”. Her father said proudly that she is very skillful and good at making artificial flowers and clothes. I am very happy for her and understand how much her effort was to overcome her disabilities, and how much she loves her work.

With tears running down her cheek she expressed sincere gratitude to the sponsors, for presenting her with a wheelchair. Before I left her side, she shared with me her desire to establish an artificial flower company to create jobs for other physically challenged people just like herself.

With her determination and motivation, I am sure that her dream will come true in the near future!

Another Door Has Opened

Thanks so much to our partner in the field for this powerful, testimony straight from Malawi.

Nkhota Bay, Malawi … This report comes from northern Malawi near the big lake, Lake Malawi. This lake is the 12^th largest fresh water lake in the world. Nkhota Bay is situated east of the capital of the northern part of Malawi, Mzuzu, and sits beside the lake in the Nkhota District. This district in the far northern part of the nation, while the Namikango Mission is deep in the southern part of the nation.

Nkhota Bay is the home of sixty-year-old L. Chimota, a physically challenged man whose legs became paralyzed when he was seven years of age. The illness that followed was unknown to him. The only thing he knew was that he would henceforth craw in the dust, or be carried by his relatives.

When he grew up he moved to Mzuzu City in search of some sort of opportunities.

“Unlike many physically challenged people who stand around near big shops in town waiting for a hand out, Chimota spends his days beside the buildings at the Shopping Center’s veranda sewing and patching-up people’s worn out clothes for his food and wages. Quite to the contrary, instead of waiting for help, he amazingly extends his hand to reach out to others who need help. He was just born a hard worker,” Yunusu Mataka explained about him. Mataka works at the Namikango Mission in Thondwe, and it was he who took the wheelchair on the long trip north in order to deliver it to Chimota.

Mataka continues his report, “In 2009 his wheelchair was broken beyond repair. This rendered the big man destitute. As the family’s breadwinner, Chimota experienced and was forced to spend some of the little money he could make daily to board a bus to and from work. Efforts to find assistance from organizations such as Malawi Against Polio (MAP) and MACOHA to obtain a wheelchair proved futile. They all had no wheelchair in stock to help him with. At MAP northern region headquarters, his request just piled up in a large group of requests. He was told MAP only had pieces of broken wheelchairs that could cost over MK30,000.00. That would be equal to $200.00 American dollars. He couldn’t raise that much. He gave up.

However, that wasn’t the end of him. God opened another door through the Malawi Project Inc., in corroboration with the Free Wheelchair Mission. They jointly shipped a new wheelchair for the old man to use.  When the wheelchair arrived at the Namikango Mission, one of the workers, knowing the predicament of Mr. L Chimoto ensured that he would benefit. He took the wheelchair for the long journey north just so the old man would be able to move, work and help his family.

As Chimota watched Yunusu Mataka leave that day for the return trip to Namikango, his life had witnessed God’s Hand opening another door for him and his future. He can now go to his business and make a little money for his family’s survival. He can go to the church and worship. He can once again go out and chat with his friends. As he smiles, Chimota has been assured of the caring Hand of God.

- Wilson Tembo and Richard Stephens

"He was the sole breadwinner in his family..." Distribution Report from India!

Thanks so much to our partner in the field for this powerful, testimony straight from India.

Irshadkhan lived with his parents in a small village in the state of Gujrat. He used to be construction labourer before he lost his legs. He was the sole breadwinner in his family. Six month ago, while working on a site, a wall suddenly collapsed on him. He suffered serious injuries on his spinal cord. Despite of an operation, Irshad was unable able to walk. To add to the tragedy, the accident occurred only a few months after he got married. His wife left him few days after the accident.

His friends and family helped Irshad in his difficult time. Sometime they would take him out of the house. He had difficulty going the toilet and completing other daily works. He hated that he was so dependable on others and could not serve and care for his parents.

Since Manav Sadhna gave him the wheelchair, Irshad has been feeling more hopeful about life. With the wheelchair, he has more independence and can go about his daily activities. He sends his blessings to the Wheelchair Mission for giving him the gift of mobility and hope.

Support Report!! Allison’s Personal Crusade

Working at Free Wheelchair Mission provides us with the incredible blessing of helping others be lifted off the ground, but sometimes we forget how special the mission of FWM really is because we see it on a daily basis…and then we come across someone like Allison.

Allison is someone who uses a wheelchair, she found out about us and decided, entirely on her own, to raise money to help provide mobility for the disabled poor in developing countries. Watching her video is an inspiration to all, especially in a country where it’s so easy to take things for granted.

Thank you Allison for your courage and heart for others!

http://www.crowdrise.com/freewheels/fundraiser/SREAT