Sabatia Wheel Chair ceremony

We left early Thursday to go to the ceremony. We stopped on the way to visit our Branch President's grandmother. She is just one year younger than my mother. She was warm and welcoming.Then we went on to visit Sister E. and her family. Again, they were so kind to us.
We learned how to eat sugar cane there, and she sent us on our way with bananas, sugar cane, and some delicious eggs.
When we got to Sabatia, they were still in the midst of assessing some of the recipients of the wheel chairs and tricycles. The turn-over ceremony was delayed for about 2 hours as people waited to be assessed. The group crowding around the assessment table held people of all ages-- children in the arms of their mothers, and grizzled gray haired men, bent with age.
Men came with limbs shriveled or deformed, and one man, unable to bend at all who was carried in by several friends like a plank of wood. I watched a man help his wife. She moved one foot, then he bend down and slid the other one forward. Then she moved the first foot again, and the process continued. I wondered how long he’d been doing that—how many kilometers just today? People hobbled in on sticks and crutches. Some walked on hands and feet. Some crawled.
Soon the central area filled with people practicing. Three wheeled tricycles threaded their way around. Some crashed. They giggled, pulled apart, and started over again. Family members straightened wheels and helped them move forward. Eager older brothers pushed delighted children in wheel chairs. Soon, the children graduated to propelling themselves and the drivers of the tricycles navigated their ways with ease.

The official program began with the Sabatia Support Group singing. The young women in the front row joined in and “danced” with their upper bodies as the music continued. Officials from the community—the Former Chief, the Mayor and others spoke. We had musical interludes. People from the medical community and social services spoke—mostly in Swahili or Luyah. The deputy medical officer said, “Thank you for supporting our community. We are very grateful for those who have participated in this beautiful gesture. We are very grateful.”

Edward spoke on behalf of all the recipients. “We never imagined one day we’d be granted wheelchairs and tricycles. I’m happy you have solved some of our problems. Now we can move. When you grow up, you don’t know tomorrow. But we are alive. We are very happy.We can’t express it. When you go, don’t forget us.”

Our member, Ericah, introduced the LDS contingency. She, too expressed appreciation for the help LDS charities has given to the people of Sabatia. “My heart is full. When you email your leaders, tell them we are very grateful.”

Elder Fox spoke about how many people contributed from all over the world. They were following Christ’s command to help others. He explained that LDS Charities is an arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bro. Hesbon translated for him. Then the Branch President talked some about the church and our beliefs. We had closing songs and prayers.

Elder Fox and I were thanked on behalf of LDS Charities and given some avocados and a live chicken.

As we left, we saw the wheel chairs traveling to distant places.
And to places perhaps not as far.