MAY 16, 2008
THE FRIDAY STORY - Gush and Hadgu!

This story comes from Rick who runs an organization called E3.  He met these two men as he gave away Free Wheelchair Mission wheelchairs in Ethiopia. 

The first man pictured is named Gush which means “strong.”  Pictured with him are his two children.  He works as a tailor; his work area is a little piece of ground under a tarp located close to other shops so people will notice him.  Prior to receiving the wheel chair, he would have to drag himself along the ground for a half mile to reach his work area and sewing machine. 

With his wheelchair he is now able get back and forth to his sewing machine easily.  He is hopeful that he will be able to save enough money so he can rent actual store front space to continue his business.  When we visited him in his home, he had tears expressing his gratitude for the gift of the wheel chair.

Gush ("strong") with his two children
The next man (who is pictured with me and another Ethiopian man) is named Hadgu, which means “save another person.”  This is a fitting name for him, as he was walking down the street one day he witnessed two men cruelly beating up a girl.  He stepped in to try to stop them and they turned on him.  They beat him so badly that they broke his back and left him paralyzed.  He has been out of work for many months. As a result he may lose his house and the entire family will have to re-locate to a much less expensive home.  The gift of a free wheelchair means that he is now able to get out of his house and try to find work to help support his family. 

Hadgu ("save another person") looking forward to being mobile again
This Weel's News
  • Two containers arrived in China for the Para-Olympics and the earth quake victims.
  • Containers arrived in Costa Rica, Iraq and Tanzania.
  • Our Mobility in Motion rig pulled into Springfield Missouri today for a weekend of events including several awareness events and a Walk for Mobility.  We have raised over $100,000 so far!