Wheelchairs in Paraguay, part 3 - "One by one"

My previous two posts described the process of wheelchair distribution that we have begun to discover here in our mission. There was one experience in today's wheelchair event that, to me, expressed beautifully the spirit of the work that were are privileged to be involved in. It spoke to the balance between efficiency and personalization. It reflected the principle that each and every soul is worthwhile and valuable in God's eyes, and therefore should be valuable to us.

The efficiency of the event exists in asking the recipients to come to a central place to be evaluated. That is sometimes difficult for them, but they are willing to sacrifice in order to get a top-quality wheelchair at no cost to them.

Today we were asked to make an exception.

Wheelchairs in Paraguay, part 2 - Fundación Solidaridad

The second part of our week in Paraguay we switched to working with a second partner, Fundación Solidaridad. This group is an NGO (non-goverment organization), so we saw the contrast between them and the government-sponsored SENADIS. They have better facilities and a broader outreach. They invite patients to pay for services when they are able, but have funds available to help those who are not able to pay. In general the care level is a step up, and their vision of helping and making a difference is inspiring.

Instead of requiring everyone to come to the central office, as is the rule for SENADIS patients,
Solidaridad has developed a great way of sharing wheelchairs in remote areas that they call a "jornada." They pick a city or area in the country where a need exists. They then work with the government agencies and health care professionals in that area to find candidates. Normally about 40 or 50 patients can be helped at a time. The local workers select the most needy candidates in the area and schedule them to come to a central location for a 2-day event. We were able to go with Solidaridad on a jornada to a city called Caacupé, about an hour east of Asunción.

Wheelchairs in Paraguay, part 1 - SENADIS

Church-donated wheelchairs
in a warehouse in Paraguay

We are just back from spending a fascinating week in Paraguay (Nov 18-22). The work in that country isn't directly part of our official "stewardship" at this point. In the past, the missionaries assigned to our position have covered projects not in just Argentina but also Paraguay and Uruguay. However, earlier this year a local, native service missionary couple were called in each of those countries to take over the duties. The situation in Paraguay is currently complicated by having lost that couple (called to serve in the temple presidency), so the future needs are uncertain.

Meanwhile, there is a good amount of catch-up work to be done, so we were in Paraguay to be trained by a visiting wheelchair project coordinator visiting from SLC.  We may need to return again to help with getting caught up. The wheelchair project is one of six "major initiatives" in the LDS Charities worldwide outreach. As missionaries serving in the field, we don't define or administer the programs that occur in our countries; but we do a number of things to support them.

Wheelchairs and a Cathedral in La Plata

Fun to see our Church logo
on the backs of the chairs

We had the opportunity on Friday November 8 to go on our first excursion out of the city. We checked out a car from the carpool in the area office and drove about an hour south to the city of La Plata. The drive was interesting, beginning to see more of the country outside the big city. (Most of eastern Argentina is flat as a board; where are the mountains???)

The purpose of our visit was to experience a "wheelchair delivery" with our partner organization CILSA. We enjoyed the experience. There were about 10 chairs shared with people with various physical challenges, including two adult amputees, several young children with serious muscular disabilities, and others with less obvious challenges. It was fun to see and hear the joy in each one as they experienced the new chairs. One mother expressed how her life will change now. She had mostly carried her child (who appeared to have cerebral palsy) everywhere, but the child was now too large and the wheelchair would allow her to have so much more freedom. Others had similar reactions of joy and gratitude.

Two Apostolic Dedications in Buenos Aires

The plaque in the park
commemorating the dedication

Missionary efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South America formally began less than a hundred years ago. On Christmas Day in 1925, Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, accompanied by Elders Rey L. Pratt and Rulon S. Wells of the Seventy, gathered in the Parque Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires. As directed by the First Presidency, Elder Ballard offered a dedicatory prayer on the lands of South America.

We were thrilled to realize that our apartment is only a few blocks from that same park. We did a little investigating and were able to locate this plaque in the park, placed only 4 years ago in honor of the dedication.

The original dedicatory prayer included these words:

And now, oh, Father, by authority of the blessing and appointment by the President of the Church, and by the authority of the holy apostleship which I have, I turn the key, unlock, and open the door for the preaching of the Gospel in all these South American nations, and do rebuke and command to be stayed every power that would oppose the preaching of the Gospel in these lands; and we do bless and dedicate these nations of this land for the preaching of thy Gospel. And we do all this that salvation may come to all men, and that thy name may be honored and glorified in this part of the land of Zion.

To read the full dedicatory prayer, click here.