Tune in to hear Joni talk about the International Wheelchair Restoration Center that Joni and Friends has created. It provides employment to people like Javier, who lives with disabilities. All glory to God that it was possible for this center to be built!
Check out a video of Javier working at our Wheelchair Restoration Center in El Salvador below:
Yep, work can be hard to find. Especially when you have a disability.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and every source you search shows people with disabilities at the bottom of the job ladder, whether here in the states or across the world. And it’s especially difficult in developing nations. There, work injuries are so common. A field worker in Guatemala supports his family by cutting pineapples and melons. What does he do when he falls and breaks his back? Or a factory worker in Moldova who loses his arm in a machine accident. His income is gone, and no one wants to hire a man without an arm. Plus, there’s no such thing as unemployment insurance or… medical insurance. How do these men support their families?
I’m thinking right now of Javier who lives in El Salvador. After his accident which left him a paraplegic, he was forced to use a wheelchair. He became a street vendor in order to make a living, selling small items like perfume on the city streets. It wasn’t much of an income for his family. But then, something pretty miraculous happened. You see, in all the years we’ve been taking wheelchairs to Central America through Wheels for the World, we have been praying about opening a wheelchair restoration center for all the many wheelchairs we’ve delivered. Also, we figured it would cut down on shipping costs if we could collect and restore wheelchairs already in that region. So, after much prayer and planning, we found the perfect warehouse in El Salvador to house our wheelchairs that needed to be repaired. But that’s not all. When we designed the work program for this wheelchair repair center, we decided, hey, why not hire people with disabilities to restore and refurbish the chairs?! But not just any people. We wanted to hire people with disabilities to fix these wheelchairs.
And so, earlier this year, we inaugurated our first International Wheelchair Restoration Center in El Salvador. And guess who was one of the first people we employed? You’ve got it: our friend Javier. This young man jumped at the chance to get off the street and start his new life in gainful employment. He absolutely loves working at our Wheels for the World restoration center, and now, with steady employment at the center, he can support not only himself but also his family. He says, “Since becoming disabled, I’ve worked a variety of street vending jobs, but because of the pandemic, I lost my job. It is quite rewarding to be able to work in an area that affects me directly and in a very personal way. This has changed my whole perspective on life. I desire to contribute my skills not only here in the Restoration Center, but I put my heart into this work because these chairs will bless many people.”
I couldn’t be happier when I heard Javier say that! And he is just one of other disabled employees who work with us. Hey, it’s Disability Employment Month and I’ve posted a brief video showing Javier at work. He’s a great example of 2 Corinthians 9:12 because his service is not only supplying the needs of God’s people; he’s giving back to others whose needs are greater than his own. Visit Joniradio.org today to watch this awesome video of our new International Wheelchair Restoration Center. As Javier would say, “All glory to God!”
© Joni and Friends