Shining A Bright Light In The Darkest Corners Of The World

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:11-12

The first day of our Wheels for the World outreach in the remote village of Chomtang, Thailand, it was sparsely attended. The local mayor came out to greet everyone on the team, but it was surprising that there weren’t more families affected by disability. “Many families didn’t come because they can’t believe that anyone would come from so far away to care for them.” They had been rejected for so long, they couldn’t imagine anyone cared.

Our Wheels for the World team knew on that first day that they didn’t even come close to scratching the surface of the vast need in that tiny village, but as the mayor explained, “After this first day word will spread that Christians love the Thai people. Many more families will come tomorrow.” And that is exactly what happened.

Here’s the story about 19-year-old Nattanin and his parents, one of the many families who came to us on that next day…

Up until the time he turned fourteen, Nattanin was healthy in every way. He loved playing soccer with his friends and lived an active life surrounded by his community. But then suddenly, for no apparent reason at all, he started developing symptoms similar to that of cerebral palsy.

His parents were terrified and brought Nattanin to the doctor, but the doctor refused to treat him.

Being Thai means being Buddhist, and to this doctor, karma was very real. That meant he considered Nattanin’s disability a curse and the direct result of his parents’ sin.

In his eyes, their son’s symptoms were “all their fault” and therefore didn’t deserve treatment.

And so, in addition to the ever-present burden of caring for their child, Nattanin’s parents also carried the tremendous weight of believing that his disability was their punishment. Thinking that their son was cursed due to their own bad karma kept Nattanin’s mother and father in dark spiritual bondage.

Nattanin ended up spending most of his next five years secluded on the floor of his small house.

Can you even begin to imagine how traumatic this extreme life change felt to such a healthy, young teenager in the prime of his life? The heartbreak, rejection, and isolation this young man must have felt, not to mention the end of his dreams for the future, is reminiscent of Joni’s own tragic accident. And how about the guilt and shame experienced by his parents, knowing there was little if anything they could do to improve their son’s life? Their family lived under the constant oppression of hopelessness and despair.

Nattanin’s bleak existence mirrors the same outlook experienced by thousands upon thousands of families caring for a child with disabilities.

As much as Nattanin’s parents loved him, there was only so much they could do to provide for his needs. A wheelchair was out of the question for them. They could never afford to purchase such a luxury item for their son, and so – for five long years – he remained flat on the floor. Unable to look his family members in the eye; no longer part of normal day-to-day interactions.

The burden was unbearable.

It seemed that things would never improve for Nattanin or his parents. With darkness clouding their eyes and their hearts, hope appeared nowhere on the horizon. And while Nattanin’s parents did what they could to meet his physical needs – feeding him, caring for him, protecting him the best they could – their spiritual needs required attention, too. They needed a Bible!

Nattanin and his parents needed to learn about God’s promises, showing them that hope is not found in temporary things but only in Jesus. And that God had a place of dignity reserved for Nattanin – not on the floor, but at the Lord’s table, where he could be an equal member of the Body of Christ.

Exhausted from the trip, Nattanin and his parents arrived at our Wheels for the World outreach with the hope of receiving a wheelchair. But they were able to receive an even greater gift that day—the Bible in their own language! And with that gift, the hope of Jesus became accessible to them.

Our Wheels for the World volunteer physical therapists carefully assessed Nattanin’s needs and tenderly fit him into his very own wheelchair, and there in his own wheelchair with his own Thai Bible, the promises of Jesus from his Word became real to him and his parents!

When Nattanin saw his new wheelchair for the first time, he was so excited that he started waving his arms and making joyful noises! And his joy was contagious, putting smiles on the faces and the hearts of everyone at our Wheels for the World outreach. Isn’t that just like the joy of the Lord?

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning!”

Psalm 30:5

Nattanin and his parents endured year upon year of weeping and desperation, but in the blink of an eye, their weeping was transformed into joyful praise. Nattanin was lifted off that dirty floor and placed in a seat of honor. And with his new wheelchair comes new hope – for him, for his parents, and for their entire community.

Because Nattanin’s wheelchair declares to his entire village, God has not forgotten us!

The seeds of God’s word and truth were planted in the hearts of everyone in that tiny village that day, including the mayor! The visible Gospel came to life right in front of their very eyes, and finally they understand that disability is not a curse or the result of anyone’s sin. Nattanin was, is, and will always be God’s image bearer – fearfully and wonderfully made to bring God glory! That truth set his family free from spiritual bondage and opened the door to a real relationship with Jesus.

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Yes, that day a whole village experienced Jesus’ love! And now they can embrace the truth of Jeremiah 29:11 first-hand,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

But there are so many more families like Nattanin’s who are still suffering in darkness. Would you let the Lord Jesus work through you today to send Bibles and wheelchairs to lost and broken people worldwide? Your generous gift given today will truly shine a bright light into the darkest corners of the world.