180 wheelchairs. 87 walkers. 36 canes. 38 sets of crutches.
These items, along with hundreds of other supplies and accessories, are on their way to Jericho in a 40-foot shipping container to radically improve the lives of families in communities all around Seeds of Hope.
Since 2009, Unto has sent one of our largest project teams each year to host our annual mobility and vision clinics. For one week, we take over a local event hall and transform it into a space where families find freedom. From new mobility for kids and adults to information and answers for caregivers, families know they will leave with something valuable.
PHOTO: Mohammad can’t help but smile with Bill as he uses his new wheelchair for the first time.
Take Mohammad, for instance. When he was five, his parents noticed muscle weakness that slowly progressed. By age 13, when he visited our last clinic, he had lost most of the strength in his arms and legs. His uncle lifts him out of bed each morning and helps carry him to where he needs to go. It was only thanks to a borrowed wheelchair that Mohammad could travel the long distance to the clinic from his home.
When he arrived, Bill, one of the medical volunteers, examined him and diagnosed him with muscular dystrophy. He measured Mohammad for his own wheelchair and taught him how to maneuver it using the strength Mohammad still had in his torso. Bill made countless small adjustments to the chair, ensuring it fits Mohammad like a glove and didn’t cause him any pain.
Bill also took time to talk with Mohammad’s father and uncle. He knew how common it is for caregivers themselves to get injured helping their loved ones, so he showed Mohammad’s uncle the best way to lift his nephew and care for him without getting hurt.
Mohammad’s father couldn’t stop shaking Bill’s hand as they said their goodbyes. He even came back later to say thank you again. They went home with a new wheelchair and new information to better care for Mohammad —truly a life-changing trip.
Mohammad’s story is amazing, but it’s also not unique. Hundreds of families have this experience each year at our mobility clinics. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, we haven’t been able to host the Unto team to facilitate the clinic for the last two years. Despite the challenges, they’re still finding ways to offer freedom and aid to families across Jericho by sending shipping containers filled with almost $90,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies.
PHOTO: Richard does a home visit to check on a little girl and make sure her wheelchair is in good condition.
In fact, while we can’t host a clinic, we can distribute wheelchairs and mobility aid all year long thanks to Richard Stepan, a long-time friend of Seeds of Hope.
Richard is a mobility specialist from Montana who now lives full-time in Bethlehem, volunteering with the Lifegate Rehabilitation Center. Not only is he always a part of our mobility clinics, but he also follows up with families all year long to make sure their needs are met.
Richard and Fuad Jaddou, Seeds of Hope Chief of Staff, will spend a few days each month traveling around Jericho to distribute mobility devices, adjust wheelchairs for growing children, and check in on families who typically visit the clinic each year.
This not only provides families with excellent long-term care that’s hard to access in Jericho, but it also allows Richard and Fuad to continue to build strong relationships with families and help them learn more and grow in trust with Seeds of Hope.
“What a blessing it is to give the gift of mobility to so many needy little ones and to see the Lord’s hand reaching out to bless Seeds of Hope and friends who serve so many. Many lives have truly been changed.”
–Richard Stepan, Volunteer Mobility Specialist
As the supplies are set to arrive in Jericho, so is a sense of hope and possibility for families in need. Thanks to the donations from Unto and the dedication and service from people like Richard and Fuad, Seeds of Hope will be able to give the gift of freedom all year long.
