September 2002

Greetings,

Though August is a vacation month for much of the world, it was a very exciting month for us. Here are some highlights:

  • We have provided 2150 wheelchairs to date!
  • The China container (550 wheelchairs) is in transit to Reverend Tang in Zhengzhou, Henan.
  • Father Winner has distributed about 300 of his 550 wheelchairs in Chennai. Father Winner reports the following about Mr. Mohan who got a wheelchair: "He said he has no words to express his thanks and he was moved to tears since he doesn’t have to crawl anymore."
  • Pastor Jose Neto has distributed about half of his 530 wheelchairs in the interior of Angola. Here is a quote from Inocha Andre who lives Moxico Province: "I do not know the happiness of life, now I know that my life will change."
  • MATCHING FUND: A long time friend, Ina Barnett, has placed a challenge at our feet. She will match any donation we get before the end on this year (up to $5000). You donate one wheelchair, the poor of the world gets two wheelchairs. This gives us great leverage, and you, as donors - your contribution ends up going twice as far.
  • We gave two wheelchairs to Aziz Aslami of Samaritans Purse. He took them with him to Afghanistan. Below is a story you must read:
    " Yes, we arrived safely and have delivered one of the wheelchairs. This wheelchair went to a 17 year old young man (Fareed) with Cerebral Palsy. He has no use of his legs and has been getting around town by dragging himself along the dirt roads. We found him near his home. Aziz picked him up and set him on a bench near his house and asked for water and a bowl. When it arrived, Aziz washed Fareed's feet and then his hands to remove all of the dirt from the road. Then Aziz lifted Fareed into the chair. You should see the smile on his face. I felt so privileged to be there to see it all happen. The joy on this young man's face was indescribable."
  • AN ALTERNATIVE GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS: Many people I talk to often get presents they don’t need or use, and they often buy presents for the sake of giving something, suspecting that the presents will not be useful.

    So here is our alternative: donate a wheelchair in someone’s name. Three people benefit. That someone in whose name you give this present gets the benefit by knowing that he or she is responsible for changing a life - forever. You get the benefit of knowing that your present is beyond all doubt useful and appreciated. And third and most important, a poor handicapped human being who used to crawl on the ground will enjoy some degree of mobility, dignity, and gain a chance for a better life.

    If you have read past newsletters, you will know Indra. She is the 17-year-old girl with polio who languished in an orphanage for the mentally retarded. She is not mentally retarded. She was abandoned by her family, and had nowhere else to go. About two years ago we gave her a wheelchair. She blossomed, how she blossomed! She studied, pasted government tests, and now is in school. She is also an accomplished artist. All this happened since she got her wheelchair. She painted four Christmas scenes for me (that was her Christmas present for me!). We used them and created four Christmas cards.

    The card includes a very moving story about Indra, and a mini-CD with a four-minute movie about the Free Wheelchair Mission. The cards are presented here for your review.

    It costs us $40.00 to make a wheelchair. For a donation of $40.00 you can send one of these cards as a Christmas present. We will give you the card and you can send it yourself, or you can give us the address, and we will send it for you. In either case, if you provide us the address of who you give this card to, we can send updates later in the year on where the wheelchair actually went.
    Please note, I say it costs $40.00 to make a wheelchair. There are additional costs to ship and distribute our wheelchairs. We will find other sources of funds to pay these additional expenses.

    You will be able to order these cards on this website. I will send you an email message in a few days when our website is ready.


  • OUR CHALLENGE
    We have an opportunity to ship a container of wheelchairs to Afghanistan. I don’t have to tell anyone about the need they nave for wheelchairs. You can all read about stories where promises for aid are not being met. You can help change the way the world responds to the needs of our fellow man.

    Your gifts and prayers are needed now. Please invite your family and friends to join you in praying and giving toward a container for Afghanistan.
    • $278 makes 10 wheelchairs
    • $556 makes 20 wheelchairs
    • $1,112 makes 40 wheelchairs
    • $5,560 makes 200 wheelchairs
    • $15,290 makes 550 - a complete container

    These costs include the manufacture of wheelchairs only. Shipping, duties, distribution and operating costs are not included.
    • Free Wheelchair Mission now has IRS tax-exempt status, so you can send you donations directly to the address below. Thank you in advance for whatever you can give.

    God bless,

    Don Schoendorfer
    President - Free Wheelchair Mission
    1842 Whitestone Terrace
    Santa Ana, CA 92705