Bringing Hope and Independence: Praise’s Life Transformed by a Wheelchair

“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.” Psalm 150:1 

The ache went bone-deep, through Elizabeth’s weary shoulders and back. For years, she and her husband, Simon, carried their youngest child, Praise, wherever they went. And throughout their compound and the streets of Nairobi, disapproving stares followed…   

“We survived that way for eight years,” Elizabeth says. “I carried her on my back or in my hands everywhere we went.”  

When Praise was born, Elizabeth and Simon did not expect disability to enter their family’s story. But by the time Praise was just four months old, Elizabeth noticed something was wrong.   

“I found that her neck was not stable,” she says. Then doctors confirmed what Elizabeth had already begun to fear. Praise was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which impacts her mobility, muscle control, and cognitive development.  

Facing Disability and Discrimination 

While her older siblings, named Prayer and Gifts, attended school, Praise was left behind. Her family couldn’t begin to afford the wheelchair she would need to sit independently, fit in a school environment, or even interact with her peers without being held by one of her parents.  

Most days, as Simon looked for day-labor jobs, Elizabeth held Praise while doing her best to navigate their compound, neighborhood markets, and hectic public transportation. But, as a full-time caregiver, Elizabeth could not earn income to help support the family.  

As Praise grew, so did the strain on Elizabeth’s body and the weight of lingering stares from judgmental onlookers.  

“People don’t understand the cause of disability,” Elizabeth explains. “They blame you. They say you don’t fit in with the community. It is very painful. People talk badly about you.”  

Grappling with rejection and unstable employment, Elizabeth and her husband have struggled to feed their children, let alone buy a wheelchair for Praise. Still, they put their trust in Jesus and show His love to their children—demonstrating to onlookers that people with disabilities, like Praise, are made in the image of God.  

“I always thank God. I know my child is a blessing. And I always let people know I love my child. That’s how I have survived,” says Elizabeth. 

 New Mobility and Joy, Delivered by Joni and Friends^®! 

At our Wheels for the World^® outreach in Kenya, God sent an answer to Elizabeth’s prayers as our team welcomed her family and began the process of custom-fitting a wheelchair for Praise. Our qualified physical therapists carefully assessed Praise’s needs, recognizing her limited range of motion, muscle weakness, and compromised posture, which make her vulnerable to scoliosis and other serious complications.  

Still, what stood out most about Praise was not her disability but her spirit and her bright, enthusiastic energy that speaks without words.  

“She is my pretty girl,” Elizabeth says with a smile. “She is very jovial. She communicates through signs, and she knows what she is saying. She makes everybody in our family happy.”  

Oh, what a moment it was when Praise was gently seated in her new, hand-fitted wheelchair. You can see how her face lit up—a vivid expression of her name.   

“She was so happy that day,” Elizabeth says. “She only wanted to stay there, sitting in that chair. She is comfortable. She doesn’t get tired like before.” In her new wheelchair, Praise can enjoy meeting people eye-to-eye, going to school and church, and interacting with others in new ways.  

Our seating therapist enjoyed watching Praise discover new vantage points from her wheelchair. She is poised and ready to play with friends, explore new places, and show her community the truth that people with disabilities are worthy of dignity, respect, and love!  

Today, Elizabeth sends heartfelt thanks for Praise’s wheelchair, which is empowering their family to spread the love of Jesus within their community: “Thank you for touching our lives… we are no longer depressed or discouraged!” 

Elizabeth also sends encouragement to other parents of disabled children: “It is difficult but have faith in God. God will strengthen you each and every day. Don’t be heartbroken. Just press on and have faith in God.”