A New Wheelchair is a New Beginning!
Meet Daisyry…
If you met twelve-year-old Daisyry (pronounced “Desiree”), you couldn’t miss her contagious smile. One of three siblings, she has a happy, sociable disposition and likes to do things for herself. But because of her cerebral palsy, Daisyry can’t walk. And her family has never been able to afford a wheelchair for her. That’s why Daisyry and her grandmother came to our Wheels for the World™ outreach in the Philippines.
When Daisyry and her grandmother arrived at our wheelchair distribution, you could see the hope written on both of their faces—a longing for new freedom and a new beginning. One of our team members formed an immediate connection with Daisyry, at first simply through shared smiles, and stayed by Daisyry’s side through the hours she spent with us.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” Isaiah 43:18-19
Finding the perfect wheelchair for Daisyry took a long time. Our therapists and mechanics spent hours helping Daisyry try out a variety of wheelchairs. But time and again, the fit wasn’t quite right for her slight stature and specific needs. With each new wheelchair, Daisyry got her hopes up. And every time the fit didn’t work, she got a little more discouraged.
Feeling the emotional rollercoaster with Daisyry, our loving volunteers stayed by her side, reassuring her and her grandmother that we wouldn’t give up—and that God had just the right wheelchair waiting for her. We just had to find it!
New Hope and Lasting Impact
Sure enough, our team eventually found the wheelchair Daisyry had been waiting for. When we finally got her seated in the perfect chair for her, Daisyry’s face lit up with joy and gratitude. And her grandmother overflowed with thanksgiving too!
In addition to a new wheelchair, Daisyry’s family received a Bible in their language and got to meet some of our local partners in the Philippines who love helping to host our outreaches and provide ongoing community for those we serve. In fact, at the church where we held our distribution, more than half of the 150-person congregation came to help serve people with disabilities. Many skipped work and canceled other activities in order to be there as the hands and feet of Jesus to our recipients.
With the outpouring of love from local believers, it’s no wonder that some of the families served have now become part of their local church! Because that’s how people with disabilities find hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ!
“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)
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You can send more children—and their families—a custom-fitted wheelchair and the hope of Christ today!
