A Mother’s Love and the Father’s Heart 

Hi, I’m Laura Gardner and I have the privilege of serving at Joni and Friends as President and COO. Every day I see God move in amazing ways through this ministry. But when I got the chance to travel to the Philippines for a Wheels for the World™ outreach, I witnessed the love of Jesus in an astounding and personal way.  

From the start, going to the Philippines meant a lot to me. You see, my parents served as missionaries in the Philippines when I was a child. In fact, I lived there for the first three years of my life. I never imagined that 52 years later, I would be serving families struggling with disability in the Philippines myself. And of all the families I met, two people—a mother and son—impacted my heart most deeply. 

Meet Jimly and Lilian 

Typically the people who come to a Wheels for the World outreach in need of a wheelchair arrive in the arms of a caregiver, in a stroller, or even by crawling. But Jimly and his mother Lilian arrived at our distribution site in Manila in an ambulance, with Jimly on a stretcher. At 22 years old, he has been too big for Lilian to carry for a long time, and his body is twisted due not only to his cerebral palsy, but also to a lack of early medical intervention.  

If you can imagine, Jimly has spent most of his life lying on the floor of his family’s tiny makeshift home, simply turning his head back and forth to interact with his family. Because Jimly’s disability makes his movements hard to control, Lilian lovingly places socks on his hands to protect him from clawing his face. It breaks my heart to know that this young man has lived like that, day after day after day on the ground in a dark, airless space, for so many years. I longed to take away all Jimly’s pain and suffering—and Lilian’s too.  

The Best Gift 

While Jimly got fitted in his first-ever wheelchair, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with Lilian. Both moms of 22-year-old sons, we quickly formed a connection. Together we saw how excited Jimly was to be upright and mobile in his new chair. Then Lilian received the very best gift of all. Hearing the Gospel from our Wheels for the World team, she accepted Jesus as her personal Savior!  

I will never forget how Lilian’s whole countenance changed when she invited Jesus into her heart! She went from a mom who was just frustrated and weary to one who now has hope! Lilian learned that the trials of life are not the end of the story. And now that she has accepted Christ, Lilian will get to be with our Heavenly Father for all eternity! 

A Temporary Home 

Once Jimly was secure in his new seat of dignity and mobility, Lilian invited us to visit their home. We arrived at the squatter village where they live, and as Lilian welcomed us in, I saw that the ceiling was not high enough for us to stand up. We all had to bend down to get into the tiny space. As if living in such meager accommodations wasn’t trying enough for them, we quickly learned that at least once a year the entire squatter village floods all the way to the roof. And yet Lilian’s heart overflowed with gratitude… 

“Thank you so much, Joni and Friends, for coming here! I never would have thought that today, Jimly would get a wheelchair and people would come to help my son. I will never get tired of saying, ‘Thank you! Thank you, Lord!’” said Lilian. 

As we said goodbye, it struck me that Lilian and I both wanted the same things for our sons—a Gospel filled life with hope, unconditional love, and true belonging. And I thanked God that, like my parents, I’d had the blessing of falling in love with the people of the Philippines. 

Home in Heaven 

Just 48 days after meeting Lilian and Jimly, I awoke to shocking news: Lilian had suffered a heart attack and passed away. Sitting on the edge of my bed and praying through a steady stream of tears, I praised God for the privilege of knowing Lilian. I praised him for the treasured moments we shared as two moms of 22-year-old sons. Most importantly, I praised God for Lilian’s salvation. 

The day Lilian died, I couldn’t help but wonder: What if Wheels for the World had not served in the Philippines? What if we never met Lilian? What if there was no Joni and Friends? But, by God’s grace, and with the support of friends like you, Joni and Friends does exist. And, through our programs like Wheels for the World, God changes lives like Jimly and Lilian’s—and welcomes them into his house. 

“Go out quickly in the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…. Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”

Luke 14:21, 23 (NIV)