October 2003
GREETINGS FROM THE FREE WHEELCHAIR MISSION
We of the Free Wheelchair Mission hope you all had a wonderful summer. It went
fast for us, but it was very productive. Our rewards are hearing that containers
arrive safely, and all the wonderful stories and photos from our distribution
partners on lives we change, forever.
| Here are some highlights since June: | |
| • | Our new warehouse in Anaheim is almost full, with 490 wheelchairs. This is the fourth container we have shipped here to the USA. These wheelchairs go out a few or many at a time to various local churches, missions and humanitarian organizations. |
| • | Rotary District 5240 has funded three containers of their own: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh and Peru. Rotary in the UAE worked with FedEx and the US Marines to air lift 250 wheelchairs into Iraq. |
| • | We have containers going to World Vision in Bucharest, Romania and World Relief in Sierra Leone. |
| • | We hope and pray that these large organizations will see the power of our wheelchair to extend their missions. |
| • | About one hundred supporters attended our first major event: a summer evening reception. We were blessed by the generosity of those who provided a beautiful reception site, delicious food, music, flowers and good will. As our mission grows, so does our list of benefactors! This event was the world premiere of our new movie. It is every bit as powerful as the first. (If you have not seen the first, and/or wish to see the second, please email me, and I will send you a copy on mini-CD format.) |
| • | We and our partners have provided over 13,000 wheelchairs since we started. We have wheelchairs in 33 countries. Our goal is to provide 25,000 this year. |
| • | I started a "Friday Wheelchair Story" that I send out by email each week. If you do not receive this, and you would like to, please tell me so and give me your email address. |
| • | China leads as the country receiving the most wheelchairs,
2805 to date. We are blessed with the support of the Christian
Church of China. They are doing an excellent job directing
the containers to different provinces and keeping us informed
to their progress and providing stories and photos. Here
are excerpts of a story from Lin Guanfu of the Jiangxi Christian
Council: A wheelchair distribution ceremony was held in Nancan City, Jiangxi province on July 17, 2003. In their speeches, the vice governor of Jiangxi province and the director of Jiangxi religious affair bureau gave positive assessments of Christianity that has made such a beneficial contribution to the society according to the teaching “love your neighbors as yourself and to be light and salt in the world”. Reverend Li Baole read out your message in Chinese. “Dear friends, we of the Free Wheelchair Mission believe that when Jesus Christ lived in this world, he had special love for the sick and the crippled. We try to share this same concern at this present age. Along with all others who have contributed generously to deliver this wheelchair to you, we pray for God's blessing on you and your family." Those who received wheelchairs delivered their gratitude from the bottom of their heart, and this touched every person in the ceremony. Maybe there are only 550 wheelchairs and they benefited only 550 people. But among these loving wheelchairs, these gifts are like “five loaves and two fishes” and under the blessing of God they can transmit more of God’s love to more people. In this scorching day, all who attended witnessed this loving event that is beyond country boundaries and beyond religious faiths. They stated their belief that if every one who can would contribute a bit love, the whole world will become love world. |
| • | With great confidence and great faith, we restate our goal - TO PROVIDE 20 MILLION WHEELCHAIRS TO THE POOR THIS DECADE. |
Campaign
We have a goal for the rest of this year. We want to provide 10,000 wheelchairs
as Christmas presents. That is 18 containers, or $411,700. We want to give
you as donors a most fabulous feeling on December 25, 2003 that you helped
give mobility, dignity and a chance for a better life to 10,000 people
for Christmas. I will send you more details on this campaign in the coming
weeks.
Your gifts and prayers are needed now. Help us
to maintain our growth and our commitment to provide mobility
to the poorest of the poor. Please invite your family and friends
to join you in praying and giving.
- $41.17 places 1 wheelchair
- $411.70 places 10 wheelchairs
- $4,117.00 places 100 wheelchairs
- $22,643.50 places 550 wheelchairs - a complete container
Free Wheelchair Mission has IRS tax-exempt status.
Thank you in advance for whatever you can give.
God bless,
Don Schoendorfer
President - Free Wheelchair Mission
1842 Whitestone Terrace
Santa Ana, CA 92705
www.freewheelchairmission.org
PS I've attached a photo from the distribution ceremony in Nancan City:
