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The Newsletter for Through the Roof
New Publication
Showing God’s Love in Lagos
Breaking Through
More Roofs
60 Years of Fun
and Fellowship
A Capital
Fundraiser
Wheels for the World in Nigeria
Fawasi is 18 and has Cerebral Palsy. He has never
been able to speak or walk and is cared for by his
grandmother. Sadly she can no longer physically
lift him. They travelled a long distance to meet our
team at the distribution centre in Lagos in the
hope of getting a wheelchair to make life easier.
Fawasi has difficulty bending his knee when
seated and so after careful assessment by Lynne,
one of our therapists, she selected a suitable
wheelchair and used foam to raise one of the
footrests to make it more comfortable. She also
taught Granny how to position Fawasi in bed with
the mattress and pillows they would take home
with them, to protect his hips and improve posture
while sleeping. Fawasi attends his local mosque
but accepted a Bible when offered and Lynne was
able to share John 3:16 with him and his
grandmother. Fawasi was clearly delighted with his
new chair, grinning broadly and thrusting his arms
in the air in spontaneous thanksgiving.
“The distribution was a life
changer”
International Missions Manager, Shaun, led this
Wheels for the World trip - our first to Lagos,
Nigeria. We partnered with Osteogenesis
Imperfecta Foundation Nigeria (OIFN www.
oifnigeria.org) – a charity that improves the lives of
people with brittle bones through raising
awareness and providing equipment and
wheelchairs. Founder, Tarela Aghanti, described
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60 Summer
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2019
the impact of Wheels: “The distribution gave hope
and life to people and their families, it put smiles
on their faces, gave people reason to live for. The
distribution was a life changer and has impacted
life positively. I have been called by other states in
the country to help their disabled which is a great
response.”
One of the team spoke tearfully of her realisation
and heartache for the great need, lack of resources,
and her fears for the many disabled people whose
needs might not be met. However, we were glad
to help change the lives of many, such as Oluwa
who is 52 years old and had an accident as a child.
She cannot feel her legs at all, and has spent her
entire life bent over double, moving around on all
fours using her hands to move her feet – a slow
and humiliating process. Doctors said she needed
a wheelchair, but she could never buy one. Oluwa’s
husband divorced her and her only child died, so
she lives with her brother and his family. She was
so excited to receive her wheelchair, saying it
would be life changing for her- she would be able
to go to the shops, sing at Church, nobody would
stare at her any more, and she hoped to start her
own business. Helping this lady was a profound
experience for team members, Beth and Sally.
This trip was not without its challenges, including
hospital strikes, political leaders using our presence
to gain recognition, and an armed response
vehicle escorting us amid fear of riots. Some of the
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