Equipping Future Leaders to Share the Love of Christ

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 

At our recent Wheels for the World^® distribution in Kenya, we invited physical and occupational therapists from nine African countries, including Madagascar, Mozambique, Uganda, and Ghana, for training on how to properly fit people in wheelchairs. Our goal is to equip local leaders to share the Gospel while providing mobility equipment to people in their home countries—transforming lives and cultures for Christ.  

Precious, a practitioner from Ghana, shared about her experience saying: 

“The training that I went for helped me gain knowledge on how to be advocate for persons with disabilities and how to bring them to Christ, bring them to church, and make the environment comfortable and accessible to them that they will feel included.”  

Andrew from Uganda said: 

“As I go back to my home country, it’s something that I really teach people. It’s whole-person healthcare… you’re not only healing this person physically but also spiritually.”  

God’s Plan for Godfrey and Mike 

During our outreach, Rebecca and her sons, Godfrey and Mike, received hands-on care and powerful Gospel hope. Seven-year-old Godfrey and four-year-old Mike both have cerebral palsy and needed mobility equipment. As a single mother, Rebecca works hard to support her family by doing other people’s laundry, but she could never afford the wheelchair and walker her boys needed.  

Our seasoned team member, Veronica, demonstrated, both to the trainees working with her, and to this family, that God had a perfect plan to meet Godfrey and Mike’s needs.  

“We found a perfect small wheelchair for Godfrey,” said Veronica, “with a chest strap, which will provide support needed because of his decreased trunk control, and a table. We taught Godfrey how to self-propel his wheelchair. It was beautiful to witness him discovering independent mobility for the first time in his life! 

We also instructed his mother how to use the wheelchair so she could continue teaching her son… how to negotiate ramps, curbs, and stairs. She was very mechanically inclined and understood the instructions very well.”   

That same day, our team customized a walker for Mike, providing him with fresh independence and dignity. And best of all, like every person who receives a wheelchair, a walker, or new skills from Joni and Friends, Rebecca and her boys received Bibles and the love of Jesus!  

Kelvin’s Testimony to the Faithfulness of God 

At the same Wheels for the Wheels outreach, Kelvin, a young man with cerebral palsy, came—not to receive a wheelchair, but to minister to other people struggling with disability. Sharing the Gospel and his own story, Kelvin brought joy to each person he met with a powerful message… 

“I’m Kelvin. I am a person living with disability from Kenya. I am physically challenged. I was born that way, but through God’s grace, I have managed to overcome my challenge.  

Now, I’m working as a volunteer with Joni and Friends^®. And I want to thank them because they have been a support in my life in accepting the way I am, accepting how I walk, how I talk… and, therefore, we are looking forward to impacting many, many more people living with a disability.”  

Kelvin

When Kelvin thanks Joni and Friends, he has you in mind—the faithful community of Christ followers who give him the opportunity to share the Gospel! While his past is full of painful rejection from family, friends, and fellow students, Kelvin has leaned into Jesus through his difficulties. And he asked God: 

“Will you use my disability so I can equip others who are disabled?”  

Today, Kelvin is enrolled in seminary, loves serving with Joni and Friends, and encourages other people living with disabilities to step out in faith to use their gifts for the glory of God.  

“No matter what rejection you are facing,” he says, “may you focus on God.”