Wheelsblog Kenya 2018 - Day 9 (Final Day)
The Wheels for the World team are returning from Kenya after ten days bringing wheelchairs to disabled people around the area, and changing lives with the gift of mobility. In this blog, team member Jill sums up the final day of distribution, and looks at all the in-country work that goes into these trips. Thank you for your support - please keep praying for the team as they head home, and for all the people who's lives have been changed by their work.
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This was our final day and it resulted in the busiest afternoon of the trip as 8 children came from an orphanage early afternoon. Many had complex problems but appeared cognitively alert and there was great camaraderie and friendship amongst the group. One little boy could not settle in the treatment room until he was reassured that his friend would also receive a chair. Once his friend was brought into the room he gave the thumbs up and the therapist could continue her work.
Another little boy was brought in and we were told that he was 8 years old, but it was hard to believe as he appeared the size of a 2 year old. He was not able to sit up as he was very floppy and his lethargy was due to his severe malnutrition. The social worker had made contact with the family two days prior and instead of attending to his nutritional care as an immediate issue they came to receive a wheelchair. We advised that the boy went to hospital to get his nutritional needs met first and the therapists agreed Pastor Davis would hold the chair until he was strong enough to be able to sit in it safety. Some of the children beamed when they were seated as for the first time they could look around without looking up as they do when crawling.
Whilst the team have been enjoying summer sunshine an elderly lady came in wearing a fur coat! She was 86 and was carried in by her son which was extremely undignified. Unfortunately the chair did not have a strap so it was decided to use the sewing machine to sow velcro onto webbing. Unfortunately the cotton and the sewing machine were in such poor condition that Gunn resorted to getting out her needle and thread and sewing it herself as what appeared a simple task had become very frustrating.
Pastor Davis runs training programmes for dress making, knitting, and hair and beauty to empower the ladies who have their children in the Centre to be independent. Those ladies helped during the distribution by sewing cushions for the team, cooking meals, providing endless cups of tea and supporting us in prayer. We are so grateful for the involvement of many church members and it seems impossible that we have only known each other for 10 days as the deep level of friendship and fellowship has developed. ‘Bind us Together’ became our common song for both teams as we sang it before and after each day’s work with Philip being our choir master!
