The Wheels for the World team at Joni and Friends is really making an impact on thousands of prisoners across America who work in the Wheels for the World restoration shops. Learn more about how you can make an impact by going to joniradio.org.
Make a difference by collecting, storing, or transporting wheelchairs to be restored. Learn more here:
https://joniandfriends.org/wheels-for-the-world/wheelchair-collection/
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Hi, I’m Shauna, and I can’t wait for you to hear Joni’s story about Harley.
JONI: First let me say that Harley is in prison. He’s been incarcerated for many years: assault with an armed weapon, robbery, drug charges, you name it. When he was out on the street, Harley got beat up pretty bad by a rival gang; a painful back injury was the result. It’s one thing dealing with pain when you’re out on the streets – there are always drugs to keep it under control, but in prison? Harley had to make do with the over-the-counter stuff he received in the prison clinic.
Maybe it was his constant struggle with pain, or maybe it was just the confinement of four prison walls, but while incarcerated, Harley had a change of heart. It all started when he was accepted into our Wheels for the World restoration program. That’s where inmates volunteer their time to fix the used but serviceable wheelchairs we send them. Prisoners work hard to shine each chair, change the leather backing, put in new ball bearings, tighten the spokes, adjust foot pedals and armrests; all to make each pediatric and adult size wheelchairs look like showroom new. Well, once Harley learned that the wheelchairs he was working on would one day be gifts for needy children with disabilities in poor countries, that so captured his imagination. And the neat thing is, as Harley put all his focus on his work, and really concentrated on doing the best job possible, amazingly, his chronic pain didn’t seem to bother him.
He even asked our Wheels for the World restoration supervisor if he could be allowed extra hours to work on our wheelchairs. The other inmates who were working on wheelchairs noticed this, and they also noticed Harley’s careful attention to detail. Several of them even commented that Harley’s tremendous work ethic puts everyone else to shame. What’s more, the pain Harley experiences seems to pale in comparison with the value of his work, as well as the value of the Gospel message behind each wheelchair. In fact, on the bottom of each wheelchair seat, Harley spray paints John 3:16. And he recites it to himself: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever would believe on him would not perish but have eternal life.” Wow! No wonder Harley loves working on our wheelchairs for Wheels for the World. He wrote me saying, “Miss Joni, when I fix up one of these pediatric wheelchairs and I know it’s going to a kid somewhere in a third world country, it’s my way of making up for all the messed-up things I’ve done.” Good for Harley. Good for Wheels for the World, and glory to God.
Because Ephesians 4:28 says, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their hands, so that they may have something to share with those in need.” Isn’t that a great verse, because that’s the impact Wheels for the World is having on thousands of prisoners across America who work in our Wheels restoration shops.
SHAUNA: You can learn more about this amazing program by visiting joniradio.org today. You’ll find a great video about Wheels for the World, and a list of all of our upcoming trips. And hey, if you have a skill with tools, please pray about serving on a future Wheels for the World team as one of our seating mechanics. You’ll make an eternal impact for Christ in a very real way. Go to joniradio.org and let us know how we can pray for you. Remember, that’s joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends