Serena

 

During the ongoing clean-up process, I haven’t lost sight of Hope for Life’s priorities and purpose. Thankfully, the cleanup is no longer in crisis mode – it’s more just an ongoing process of clearing out more rubble and determining what else needs to be done to get the compound back in order - and repair damage discovered along the way - etc. (More on some of that in the future.)

In the last couple of updates, I wrote about our need for a car. I even started a GoFundMe, without really knowing how to spread the request beyond people who already read the blog. I want to give an update on that now, but of course it starts with a background story.

Just under 20 years ago I was with a project called the PCC Hand in Hand Community, or simply PCC, which had begun in the 1990s as a loving, welcoming community for children with disabilities who had been abandoned. As the kids became older, a sheltered workshop type of program was established as part of PCC, and I was primarily responsible for that. When one of my colleagues, Emma (Emmanuel), met my replacement, Lena, from Germany, they gradually fell in love and eventually moved to Germany, where they had a couple of children. Last year, they came back to Ghana for a year so Lena could further her education at the University in Winneba. They had purchased a Nissan Serena, which is a 7-passenger car. When they left, they offered it to me/HFL, with the understanding that I didn’t have the money immediately, but would try hard to raise what was needed.

The week before my friends left for Germany, the rear door handle broke off...getting repairs here

I’ve been working on that – talking about it, writing about it and making requests for assistance. I’ve had some success, but am still a way off. Thankfully, Emma and Lena are patient.

The same week before leaving, the rear right window was broken...getting repaired here at the same time as the door handle

The car came at a perfect time as HFL’s washed-away and recovered car was still regularly in need of repairs. We wanted to resume the weekly outreach clinic, attend some of the branch meetings and continue HFL outreach visits. During a visit to one of our branches, I dropped a member at the OTC (Orthopedic Training Center – where they do assessments for orthopedic interventions, including making of and training with mobility devices) in Nsawam (north of Accra). While there, I talked with the woman in charge of the place, Sr. Elizabeth, who I’ve known for around 25 years. There is a retired couple with her who are volunteering at the OTC for a few months - BL, a physical therapist, and Dutch, a wood working craftsman.

Dutch and BL are adjusting Blessing's chair for a perfect fit. Blessing is 2 years and 9 months and has cerebral palsy. Her mother, Victoria, takes great care of her.

Some years ago, as BL and Dutch were getting ready for retirement and a new chapter in their lives, they were influenced by some of the world experiences they were having, as well as their own specialties. To sum it up, they wanted to develop specially fitted wheelchairs for children in need, especially children with cerebral palsy. They began about 13 years ago. Their organization has grown and has some very good support – a couple of groups in the US now make these special wheelchairs and they have groups of donors that help fund shipping them around the world.

Dutch and BL, with OTC worker Jonathan, fitting Miracle with her chair

BL and Dutch come to Ghana and spend 3 to 6 months each year at the OTC and going around Ghana to assess the mobility needs of children who cannot get all the way to the OTC in the southern part of the country. They recently received a larger than expected shipment of their chairs. During my visit, Sr. Elizabeth told me that they had plenty of these chairs and asked if we had any children and moms who would benefit from them.  

Another Miracle, who has hydrocephalus, pictured with her adoptive mother, Rachel, after being fitted to her chair. Rachel is part of Joe's team and has taken in a few abandoned children with disabilities.

The first group taken for chairs. Kids, L-R: Calvin, Miracle, (another) Calvin and (another) Miracle.
 Pictured with Joe, who joined for the first trip, and the mothers

We had just begun using the Serena – so the timing was perfect. We had a vehicle to take some mothers and their kids to the OTC, where Dutch and BL take time to fit the chair to the child. I’ve done two trips there so far, with 4 moms and 4 kids each time.

Bismark and his mom Mary

Solo (Solomon), who infectiously laughed for the entire one and a half hour drive to the OTC, with his mom, Pat.

The second group, kids L-R: Blessing, Bismark, Solo and (another) Blessing

The Serena is packed each time, partly because the chairs do not fold up (on the second trip, the rear hatch door didn't tightly latch - and fortunately did not bounce open, either). There is not an inch to spare on the way back. We have at least one more trip for four more wheelchairs.

dropping off the moms, kids and chairs after the first trip - with Rachel at the first drop-off, the detach-able wheels...and four chairs still stuffed in the back

On another note, the Serena has also played a significant role in picking up the substrate to get the Mushroom Project underway again.

while unloading the first batch of substrate

with Ebenezer, the current mushroom guy, after one of the first substrate purchases

Thanks again to those who have sent a contribution for the Serena. I’m still working on getting the full amount for Lena and Emma. If you can help spread the word, here again is the GoFundMe link:  https://gofund.me/e048f969f

And if you think it would help, feel free to share the link to the blog, as well: steve stories and updates