Fearfully and Wonderfully Made to Bring Glory to God
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
My heart broke when I heard Pon crying over her five-year-old daughter, Namthan, at our Wheels for the World outreach in Thailand. Namthan has cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. She cannot walk or even sit on her own and has a permanent shunt surgically implanted in her brain.
Pon told us, “My grief and despair are so heavy. I cannot hold back my tears. I don’t want to abandon my daughter, but raising a child like Namthan who cannot do anything on her own is hard. We cannot live a normal life.”
Pon and her husband, Muang, were raised Buddhist. They believed their own bad karma caused Namthan’s disability. As Pon put it, “I did something wrong in a previous life so now we have to deal with this. This is because of what I have done wrong.”
Overwhelmed with guilt, Pon and Muang desperately needed to hear the truth about Jesus and his forgiveness.
They needed to experience Christ’s love for them and their beautiful daughter who has been fearfully and wonderfully made to bring glory to God.
Namthan and her family got just what they needed at our Wheels for the World outreach. Through Joni and Friends, Namthan received her very first wheelchair, and her family received the Gospel.
Pon smiled as she described the love Muang has for his little girl.
“After he comes home from work, Muang plays with Namthan and feeds her. He is a good father. He never forsakes his child.”
And now this sweet family has experienced the love of God, our Good Father, who never forsakes his children.
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:10
Before receiving a wheelchair for Namthan, Pon and Muang felt the sting of rejection – not just because of disability and poverty, but also because of racial discrimination. Though they have lived in Thailand for over two decades, they are originally from Myanmar.
Pon said, “We do not get equal rights with Thais. We wondered if non-Thai people like us would even be able to get a wheelchair. But you didn’t look at our race or tribe. You just looked at us.”
On the day Namthan received the gift of dignity through her custom-fitted wheelchair, her parents felt the dignity they deserved as equals in the eyes of Christ – regardless of race or status.
As our volunteer mechanics and physical therapists finished fitting Namthan in her specialty wheelchair, other Wheels for the World team members gave Pon and Muang their very own Gospel bracelets, explaining Christ’s free gift of salvation and praying over all three of them.
“This wheelchair fits Namthan perfectly!”
Muang beamed. Pon couldn’t hold back her laughter and gratitude. “Thank you so much for sending Namthan this wheelchair. It’s like her legs are taking her everywhere!” Before, Pon had to lay Namthan on the floor while she cooked meals for her family.
But now Namthan can sit safely in her new seat of dignity and feel like she is part of the family.
During the Wheels for the World outreach in Thailand, 230 children and adults received wheelchairs. At the same event, 641 people received Bibles and heard the Gospel!
Still, many more families suffer under the strain of disability, poverty, and discrimination. You can help Joni and Friends save lives, change hearts, meet physical needs, and restore hope for people living with disability around the world!
–Joni Eareckson Tada
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