“They might be brothers, or perhaps father and son, or maybe just neighbors in a nearby village. Regardless of their relationship, the view of a person carrying another reminded me of the song, “He ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”
“As I watched them approach the row of mobility units, I knew the struggles in his past were about to change for a more promising future. I am fully aware this young man cannot walk, and that is never going to change, but what will change is his ability to move about without having to wait for someone to carry him. This success is the result of the 50+ members of Mobility Ministries in Demotte, Indiana. It is they who build and donate every one of the units that go to Malawi through the Malawi Project. Having the opportunity to see these distributions of 40 or 50 units at a time is a high moment hard to explain. You are watching someone regain hope for an independent life, a promising future, individual pride, and the expectation of a successful future.”
Dick Stephens of the Malawi Project continues his reflections on these mobility distributions that took place during a recent trip to Malawi.
“It never grows old, no matter how many of these units we see delivered. Each new unit brings a high level of emotion. Every time we attend one of these events, I look forward to the next one with even greater anticipation. We passed the 2,000-unit total some time ago, and now are fast approaching the 3,000 threshold. A heartfelt thanks to all who make this possible. Wish you could be in Malawi to witness these events.”
No one understands the need for cooperation at every stage more than the Treasurer for the Malawi Project, Jim Messenger.
“This is truly a team effort”, he notes. “Mobility Ministries of Demotte, Indiana builds the units and passes them to the Malawi Project. The Project, in turn, coordinates with their sister organization, Action for Progress in Malawi for their distribution. Action for Progress works closely with MACHOA, the government agency tasked with finding, qualifying, and helping bring assistance to people with mobility issues. Add to this network churches, traditional authorities, and community groups who help along the way. Without all them, and without financial contributors at each stage, this network would collapse. We extend our special ‘thank you’ to everyone who makes this effort possible.”
To help change the lives of the mobility impaired, a contribution can be made at: www.malawiproject.org/donate or if you wish a check can be sent to the Malawi Project, 2421 Golfside Drive, Lebanon, IN 46052.
