Give the Gift of a Wheelchair

As with most kids in this country who have a physical impairment, our daughter has access to one of the most basic necessities of a handicapped child - a wheelchair. But for those disabled children in third-world or communist countries, many children with cerebral palsy or similar disabilities cannot so easily attain a a much-needed chair that offers the simple gift of mobility.

For just a $150 donation, a pediatric wheelchair can be given to a child in a third-world country

It is truly heartbreaking that these children who have no means of mobility are left home to lie in bed all day while their parents go to work. These children cannot attend school because they have no way of being transported or even the ability to sit up while at school. Some children who may have use of their upper bodies crawl on the ground to get from one place to another.

The worst part for these families is that they are looked down upon for having a child with special needs. Sometimes the father leaves his special needs child and moves elsewhere because he is embarrassed or he feels too much shame. Having a disabled child in some countries is a stigma and there are no such words as "special" needs.

While there is a lot of debate about our government and its health care system, we can be thankful that they can help families get basic equipment that is needed for special needs children. For many countries, the government simply does not care about citizens in their country who have a disability.

This is where the ministry, Wheels for the World, comes in to help. This ministry is part of Joni and Friends, founded by Joni Eareckson Tada whose international ministry for the disabled is well-known throughout the world. 

In case you haven't heard of her, Joni is a quadriplegic who as a teenager became disabled as a result of a diving accident. It is through Wheels for the World that over 90,000 wheelchairs have been collected, restored and distributed since its start in 1994.

The best part about this ministry is, along with the wheelchairs, recipients also receive the message of the Gospel. While it is the goal of the ministry to meet the physical needs of the disabled, it is even more important to meet the spiritual needs.

The Wheels for the World team has distributed wheelchairs and shared the Gospel in several countries including El Salvador, Haiti, Peru, Thailand, Uganda, Poland, Romania, and China. 

If you are interested in donating money for a wheelchair to a disabled child, it is just $150 for one wheelchair, $300 for two wheelchairs and $450 for three wheelchairs. Just imagine - a wheelchair that costs thousands of dollars in the United States can be given to a child in need for just hundreds!

You can even donate a wheelchair in honor of someone by going here. You will be able to fill out a card that says, "Given in the love of Jesus by _____." We have done this in honor of Faith and what a huge blessing to be able to give a gift that can transform a child's life! We hope you, too, consider giving the gift of a wheelchair - and more importantly the gift of hearing about Jesus!