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Greetings and Happy Friday!
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Here are some highlights of the week:      January 19, 2007

 
  • Four containers arrived in China
  • Four containers are en route, and six more are being booked for transit
  • We ordered fourteen more – it was an excellent week!
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    Annual Marathon Fundraiser Makes Waves on the West Coast!
     
  • To date, over 110 marathon fundraisers have gathered in excess of $140,000 to go towards wheelchairs.
  • Newly added to the evening’s agenda (as well as to the marathon) is Dr. William Tan, a neuroscientist and top-flight wheelchair athlete.  Dr. Tan has traveled the world, participating in marathons and raising funds and awareness for children’s health issues; in 2005, he completed 10 marathons on 7 continents in 65 days, each race as a fundraiser for a different charity.  Meet him at the Pre-race Dinner on Saturday, February 3 between 5:30-8:30pm.
  • Please click here (media release link) to see the most recent press release.
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    This story comes from our good friend Scaria in South India: 

    We gave away a wheelchair today on 7th of January, National Polio Immunization Day. Saritha shared this story with me:  "Today is national Polio immunization day.   I will take my child to the nearest Polio vaccine booth.  The ignorance or negligence of my parents made me a polio victim. That shall not happen to my child. Thanks to Free Wheelchair Mission for giving me this wheelchair."

    Saritha (age 23) became a Polio victim at the age of 3.  Her life was as miserable due to her disability. Added to that, her parents took no interest in her life. Saritha fell in love with her neighbor and at her own will they got married. Only arranged marriages are welcomed in Kerala society.  So her plans, a marriage based on love, were totally unacceptable to both parents.  Saritha and her husband were sent out of the family. 

    Saritha continued, "When my son Anil was born, I felt so sad.  I could not take him him around in my hand.  Taking children in the arms is the desire of any mother. My disability prevented me from that. It was my long dream.  Now, the impossible is possible. Today your mission (Free Wheelchair Mission) made that dream a come true.


    "When both families sent us out, we felt alone in this world.  The wheelchair helps me to perform duties as a mother. Your mission helps the destitute like us. Tell the world that that we physically challenged need is not sympathy.  We need support. Thank you Free Wheelchair Mission for that support!  May God bless you all."

    Dear friends, as a servant of Lord Jesus Christ through the Free Wheelchair, today I felt very happy. We helped a mother to care for her child.