Abel is a Precious Child of God

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  

John 10:10

Meet Abel 

When our Wheels for the World™ team held an outreach in Guatemala, they simply fell in love with eleven-year-old Abel who has Down syndrome.

Abel’s big eyes and bigger smile melted the hearts of our Joni and Friends seating mechanics, therapists, and volunteers.  

It was heartbreaking to learn that, like 50% of babies with Down syndrome, Abel has congenital heart disease. And because of the severity of his condition, Abel often faints from overexertion. Without a wheelchair, his opportunities and activities were extremely limited.  

While Abel’s parents long for him to have an abundant life, they lack the resources to provide sufficiently for their son. Abel’s father is an agricultural worker who earns just six dollars a day. Getting a proper wheelchair for Abel seemed impossible.  

With God all things are possible… 

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”  

Matthew 19:26

At the wheelchair distribution outreach, our team got right to work, taking measurements, choosing the right wheelchair, and making adjustments to ensure just the right fit for Abel. All the while, Abel’s mother cared for him and his baby brother, who waited patiently on her back.  

By the time Abel’s family left, Abel sat comfortably in his new wheelchair and his mother had heard the hope-filled truth of the Gospel. She also experienced, through the hands-on help and love her family received, the powerful truth that Abel is a precious child of God, with full dignity and infinite value. 

You can bring Gospel hope to families like Abel’s! 

Across the globe, the majority of people who need a wheelchair cannot access one. Too many disabled children miss out on important parts of life, including school, community activities, and more. Families living with disability often face poverty, isolation, and discrimination.  

Families like Abel’s need tangible help and Gospel hope.

They need to see that people with disabilities are uniquely and wonderfully made in the image of God. Each child of God deserves to be treated with love and dignity.  

Joni and Friends is committed to loving and serving people with disabilities, at home and around the world. And you can be part of bringing our vision to life: a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.