Wheelsblog - Kenya 2018: Day 8
The Wheels for the World team are working around Elburgon, Kenya from the 5th to 15th September, bringing wheelchairs to disabled people around the area, and changing lives with the gift of mobility. In this blog, team member Jill, talks about some of the children at the distribution - it takes a great deal of ingenuity and team work to serve people with complex needs in limited circumstances. Thanks to your support, the team have changed many dozens of lives!
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Today we saw a young lad of 17 who had received a wheelchair in 2016 and shortly afterwards became involved in the sport of wheelchair racing. He was so successful operating his wheelchair that he is now an official member of the club and has been selected for the national team. Next February he is competing in Nairobi using the racing chair which has been provided by his sports club. Unfortunately his ‘home’ chair has broken so he has been forced to crawl around the house which is very undignified and does nothing for his self esteem. Needless to say he was thrilled a with his new wheelchair.
Around noon a group of 10 children arrived from a boarding school. Some of them had very complex needs so the therapists and techies worked until dusk. Some children had to wait many hours until they could go home on the school bus so Michael organised balloon games. It was wonderful to watch these kids interact with their not-disabled friends accompanied by peals of laughter.
The day ended with an interesting walk through the the rain to Pastor Davis and Ruth’s house. It is hard enough to avoid the gullies, rocks, pot holes and livestock in the daylight let alone in the dark by torch light! Our perseverance, however, was well rewarded by another delicious meal and lots of laughter before presenting our hosts with gifts. Yesterday Pastor Davis swapped roles and became a ‘techie’ during the village outreach so he was given a multi tool kit in recognition of his new skills.
