Bringing New Life and Hope Through the Gospel and Wheelchair
“Donavan is a multi-tasker. He loves electronics and large Lego blocks. He can play with blocks in one hand and watch videos on a tablet with the other. He also loves to eat mango!”
At our Wheels for the World® in Mexico, this is just a taste of what one our team learned about Donavan as he got custom-fitted in a wheelchair. Born with Down syndrome and a heart murmur, Donavan’s life has been shaped by profound hardships.
A Life Shaped by Hardship
At eight months old, Donavan began learning to walk, only to lose his progress when he needed open-heart surgery. From there, his setbacks continued. Donavan’s muscles atrophied as he recovered from surgery; by the time he tried to walk again, weakened muscles caused him to injure his knees and hips.
Doing their best to comfort and care for their little boy, Donavan’s parents, Naomi and Oscar, recall carrying him around the house in a blanket, guarding his vulnerable body from further damage. When Donavan lost the opportunity to receive the physical therapy he needed to recover strength, his cycles of regression continued, deepening his family’s discouragement.
“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
When Donavan’s family brought him to our Wheels for the World outreach, they needed an infusion of hope, and a wheelchair that would fit his frame well enough to allow his hips to heal. And, after being warmly welcomed by our trained physical therapists and mechanics, the family discovered that they had come to the right place—not only to meet Donavan’s physical needs, but to ease their strain and quench their spiritual thirst.
Throughout the seating process, our volunteers enjoyed discovering Donavan’s interests, likes, and dislikes. They also discovered that while he has developed scoliosis, doctors believe his spine can heal to some extent once the issues with his hips get addressed.
Donavan’s parents watched intently and asked detailed questions as their son’s wheelchair came together, including a gel cushion to protect his hips, proper support for his back, and an overall stable fit. Oscar enjoyed the fitting process, too, smiling and interacting with his new straps and hand grips.
Finding Fresh Hope
As Donavan’s fitting ended—with him smiling in his new wheelchair—our team shared the Gospel with them, offering an invitation into the local church. While going to church would be new for them, they welcomed the idea of a follow-up home visit from a member of the congregation.
Now, with his new wheelchair and the support of the body of Christ, Donavan’s family has discovered new hope through their hardship, and a welcome into God’s family.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
Support Joni and Friends today!
Your gift today will provide life-changing wheelchairs and the hope of the Gospel to families like Donavan’s. Together, we can bring freedom, dignity, and Christ’s love to those living with disability.
