Ed Robins – Wheelchair Collection Volunteer

You know what? Driving a vehicle can be considered a type of ministry.

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I’m thinking of Ed Robins, a volunteer who, for more than 14 years, has served our Wheels for the World outreach with his driving skills. Ed is what we call a Wheelchair Collection volunteer, and this guy uses his pick-up truck to transport used wheelchairs for our ministry. If someone calls who has a wheelchair to donate to Wheels for the World, our volunteers are on it.

So, what do we do with the collected wheelchairs? Well, that’s where Ed Robins comes in. Because this man always goes the extra mile, transporting hundreds of wheelchairs from the Midwest to our various prison Restoration Centers. In case you didn’t know, inmates in over a dozen prisons across the U.S. volunteer to shape up and refurbish these used wheelchairs to make them look showroom new. And the great thing about Ed is, this man has transported wheelchairs to prisons when no one else would, even during the long, cold winter months or right before Christmas.

As you can imagine, Ed has to make several stops during these long trips — and that’s where he enjoys what he calls “divine appointments.” Whenever Ed is at a gas station or at McDonalds to grab lunch, people can’t help but be curious as to what in the world this guy is doing with dozens of wheelchairs in his pickup truck and trailer. And so, Ed tells them about Joni and Friends and our Wheels for the World outreach where we take wheelchairs and Bibles to people with disabilities across the globe. For Ed, it’s a great chance to talk about our ministry and to talk about Jesus Christ. Yep, his is a driving ministry.

Joni and Friends is so blessed to have a volunteer like Ed. But the very best part is this guy’s attitude. Not only is this man unfailingly cheerful and flexible, he is also a humble man of God. Ed takes pleasure in serving and doesn’t expect any type of recognition. He reminds me of Isaiah Chapter 6, where the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send?” And Isaiah replied, “Here I am. Send me!” Friend, that’s the Christ-like attitude of Ed. And it’s the attitude you and I should have whenever God calls us to serve in his kingdom: Here I am; send me, Jesus. Because that’s what ministry is about! Rolling up your sleeves and using whatever means you’ve got to serve others in Christ’s name.

Hey, if Ed’s story has encouraged you, we’d love to have you join us as a Wheelchair Collection volunteer and help us collect or transport used wheelchairs for our Wheels for the World outreach. Every wheelchair collected helps us reach the over 1 billion people around the world affected by a disability, many of them without a wheelchair to help get them to work or to school. So, learn more about Wheelchair Collection and our Wheels for the World outreach by visiting our webpage today.

And remember, we need more volunteers like Ed, so consider serving as one of our Wheelchair Collection representatives. Be a part of the Wheels for the World team by collecting used wheelchairs for us, would you?  If it sounds interesting, then get the details. And if you sense the Lord touching your heart from this story today, all you have to do is reply to him: “Here I am Jesus, send me.” God bless you today and thanks for listening to Joni and Friends.

© Joni and Friends