Hi, I’m Joni and let me describe a certain day with Wheels for the World.
Okay, let me paint this picture. Everyone was at work. Translators were speaking to the families, pointing at wheelchair parts; mothers were chatting, photos being taken, pastors praying, and physical therapists and mechanics diligently at work—screwing this bolt to that, cutting foam, placing it there—all to bring custom-fit wheelchairs and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to kids and adults with disabilities. Our Wheels for the World team was in El Salvador. It was another very busy distribution by our Wheels for the World team, and yet, in a quiet corner sat Maria, peacefully holding in her arms, her 15-year-old daughter, Leslie.
You see, Maria has always had a heart for kids with special needs. Many years ago, she began volunteering among disabled children in orphanages. And it was in doing so, that she met Leslie. As Maria explained, “Most people drawn to children with disabilities go for the ones that can at least talk or walk, or who do cute things, but when I saw little Leslie, only a toddler then, covered in drool in her bed, barely aware of her surroundings, I fell in love. I thought, ‘Her life can be so different.’” And so, from that day on, Maria visited Leslie at the orphanage every day she could – changing her clothes, wiping her drool, feeding her, singing to her. And finally the day came when, almost six year later, Maria and her husband adopted Leslie and brought her into their home.
Leslie’s life took on a huge change. No longer neglected and ignored in the orphanage, Leslie had a mommy and a daddy who cared for her needs and loved her as their own. What’s more, Leslie now had a brother, because as Maria went on to explain, this was not their first adoption. One day while walking down the street, Maria came upon a black trash bag – and in it was a baby, barely responsive. Because this child had been born with a seizure disorder, his parents had considered him worthless. But to Maria he was a child of God—just like Leslie. And now, they were a full house!
So while Maria and Leslie waited at our wheelchair distribution for their name to be called, Maria kept hugging her daughter, rocking her, gently kissing her wet cheeks, wiping the drool from her face. With a big smile and tears in her eyes, Maria whispered, “Es lo máximo cuidarla.” Saying, “To care for her, it is the best feeling in the world.” Wow, oh, friend, you just gotta see a picture of this mother and child. I’ve got it posted right here on my radio page at joniandfriends.org.
You know, we’ve got a Wheels for the World team right now in El Salvador, reaching out to children like Leslie—children who have for years been neglected or abused in orphanages, at home, on the streets—waiting for someone to extend a hand of mercy. And that someone—that someone could be you. We’ve got many Wheels for the World outreaches going on this year, and it’s not too late to sign-up. You don’t have to be a physical therapist or a translator to help (although we would love it if you are!). So take a moment today to stop by joniandfriends.org and learn more about Wheels for the World. Oh, and while you’re on my radio page, be sure to ask for the booklet “My Baby Has a Disability: Life Giving Questions and Answers.” Friend, contact joniradio.org and get your free copy. “My Baby Has a Disability: Life Giving Questions and Answers.” ʼCause you know what? There are answers. Check it out today at joniradio.org. Again that’s joniradio.org. Thanks for listening today on Joni and Friends.
© Joni and Friends, 2013
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