Tell Of The Lord’s Greatness

Anyone out there think a wheelchair can be a blessing, raise your hand!

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and if I could, I would certainly raise my hand. And, hey, not just because of my own wheelchair; I’m thinking of lots of other people in wheelchairs. In places like Cuba, where we take wheelchairs and Bibles and deliver them to some of the neediest, poorest, most desperate people in the world. I remember when our Wheels for the World team came back from Cuba with all kinds of stories of how God used our wheelchairs to spread the love of Jesus. One of the team members gave me a small, folded, handwritten note. It was scribbled in Spanish, and it was written by an 11-year-old girl – Rosita, her name was – and she had spina bifida. And this child was so touched, so blessed when she was lifted out of the dirt and placed in her first, very own, cute little junior-sized wheelchair, she just had to thank me. And so, I looked closely at her words scrawled on that small piece of paper, and it said, “Dear Joni…I wish that you be good when receiving this letter. My name is Rosita Valdez and I am disabled girl like you. I am 11 years old. This note is to thank you. We are so happy to know that there are people that care about disabled people in Cuba. Without any other thing and much love… Rosita.”

Sure, I was delighted to see that her new little junior-sized wheelchair fit her perfectly, and, yes, I was even more thrilled to learn that she eagerly received her own Bible in her own language of Spanish. But there was something else here. Something that moved me deeply. It was this child’s spirit of gratitude. ’Cause Rosita and her family have so little; they’re very poor by American standards; this little girl could have asked for many things knowing that her note would be hand-delivered to me personally. But she didn’t ask for anything; she chose merely to say a polite, happy thank you “without any other thing and much love.” That is what thrilled my heart. And I gotta to tell you something. If you’re one of the friends who pray for our Wheels for the World outreach or you support it with your gifts, Rosita’s little note is meant for you, too. Especially the part where she scribbled, “We are so happy to know that there are people who care about disabled people in Cuba.” And I hope that Rosita’s story inspires within your heart a spirit of gratitude. I mean, ’cause look, if this impoverished, disabled child in Cuba can be thankful, cannot we say from Psalm 34, can we not say with the psalmist today, “I will praise the Lord at all times…let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness.” Wow. I think we can say that, don’t you? And I think we should. And Rosita is our example.

Friend, this month our Wheels for the World teams – I can’t believe it, they’re actually going out; yes, they are! – loaded down with Bibles and wheelchairs; and we’re sharing the Gospel and distributing those chairs and Bibles in the Dominican Republic, in Brazil, in Guatemala and even in El Salvador. Yep, this month. We’re pushing through COVID, and we’re out ministering the Word of God and backing it up with wheelchairs and Bibles. So pray that we’ll be able to share the good news of Jesus with many more disabled people, even kids like Rosita. Oh, and one more thing. March is Wheelchair Collection Month, and if you have a wheelchair that you’re no longer needing, please save it for Joni and Friends. Just go to joniradio.org to find a donation location near you. Again that’s joniradio.org.

© Joni and Friends