8 years ago in Iquitos, Peru (note the Gen 1 plastic wheelchair model)
I want to tell you a story that broke my heart and has stayed with me all these years for such a time as this….8 years ago, I went to the jungle on a mission trip to give out free wheelchairs with our church Camino de Vida. We gave out 100 wheelchairs through the generosity of Free Wheelchair Mission on that trip. At the end of the massive distribution, we had a few wheelchairs left over. So, we decided to separate our team into groups to go out and find people we had heard were in need of a wheelchair but couldn’t make it to the distribution. Clever and I were part of one of those teams that went to find the people. In one of the houses, we asked the man who answered the door if there was someone who might need a wheelchair. Ashamed, and without compassion, he pointed to the back room and let us in. As we approached the back of the shack, where they kept the animals (dogs, cats, chicken), we encountered a little girl about 10 years old with what appeared to be a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, crawling on the dirty ground with her food in a bowl like the animals, and without any clothes on. It was heartbreaking to find this sweet girl, a child of God, in this condition. We asked for some clothes and helped her get dressed. And we took her off the ground and put her in a wheelchair. It was an impactful, unforgettable moment for me. The wheelchair was so very important to get her off the ground and get her out of that back room. However, I remember leaving there that day with heavy sadness. Because at that time, we didn’t have a connection to a local church that we could connect with her and her family. To help them all learn how she is a wonderful creation of God, not a curse on the family. That day, I left there wondering what more could we do…..asking God for wisdom.
Fast forward to July 2024. In July, we were invited to travel to the jungle city of Peru called Iquitos (the same place we were 8 years earlier to deliver the wheelchairs) to participate in a conference that a local church was having. Clever was invited to teach 2 workshops. The topic: How the local church can serve the vulnerable population. He was able to share with the conference attendees the biblical WHY it is important to seek out this population and include them in the local church. The unexpected part of this trip was literally the last day in the very last 2 hours before heading to the airport. With our backpacks in our hands, we arrived at the church to say goodbye to everyone, and we were met with the head pastor. It was the first time we had an opportunity to talk with him and he invited us into his office so we could talk. Still unaware of what was about to happen, we sat, drank some water (because it was REALLY HOT), and began to share with the pastor our heart for the local church to be engaged with the vulnerable population. He and his wife were a perfect example ,opening their home and hearts to mentoring and unofficially fostering over 20 youth/young adults over the past 14 years. He definitely understood that which truly is unheard of in this region, and in general in Peru. But what was lacking was that same understanding for welcoming people with disabilities into the church and the incorrect beliefs of curses that continue to overshadow disability there. That is when the story of this little girl came back to me. We shared that we can’t just wait for these people to come to our church. We NEED to go out and find them and compel them to come. Just as it says in Luke 14.
At the end of our meeting, we went out in the patio where there were a bunch of youth who were waiting for the pastor. Youth who hung around the pastor, hungry to hear what their pastor had to say. Another hour passed where this pastor then poured out his heart on how his church needs to be a place to take care of the vulnerable. Those without families, those who are marginalized, those with disabilities. It was AMAZING!
We left there surprised at what God had just done. How he used us 8 years before and then right there with the pastor to bring clarity and vision to this pastor, his church, and to US. Apart from serving the needs of our own church, it has been our desire to share with other churches so that they too can go out and bring the vulnerable and marginalized people into the church. Without them, they may stay in that back room their entire life, never knowing the truth. That their life matters and that we have a God who gave up his perfect Son to die for us so that we can experience forgiveness and live in eternity with HIM.
Thank you for allowing us to continue to do what we get to do here. Without your help, your financial support to cover our salary here, we would not be able to do what we do here. As missionary staff, we do not receive payment for our work here and rely 100% on the generosity of people like you who believe in what we are doing for the Kingdom of God. We are grateful for any amount of support as it all adds up. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we continue this journey. If you would like to partner with us in what we are doing here, please reach out to find out more. Thank you so much. With gratitude.
Clever & Lisa
