22 October 2023 Week #56: Wheelchairs!! The gift of independent movement is something we take for granted
Dear Family and Friends,
After a week of watching the excitement of people receiving prosthetics, this week we got to witness the excitement of people receiving wheelchairs. And not just any wheelchair, but customized wheelchairs. Pretty cool!
On Monday, Clyda did a great job of presenting two projects she has been working on, Wall Fans for ventilation for a huge 4-story school here in Cebu, and a lot of things for the Cagdara-o School on Northern Samar. When you get to the 3rd and 4th floors of these schools, they really get warm so moving air helps a lot. Air conditioning would really help but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Our team really enjoyed both projects. The principal of Cagdara-o heard about LDS charities and sent us a letter of request. Clyda has spent a lot of time with emails back and forth to get this project nailed down. We didn’t go visit the place because it would be a minimum of 14 hours to get there.
Later in the day we went to the Lahug Stake Center to help put wheelchairs together. These are nice wheelchairs. This reminded us of Christmas Eve and putting things together for kids. It is a good thing Clyda was experienced so it was easy for her. I didn’t have a clue. We got our wheelchair together and then made sure it would fly straight when you would give it a push in the cultural hall and then let it go. We made appropriate adjustments and SUCCESS!
At FHE we had some visitors and a wonderful time. Sister Jepson gave the lesson. She asked about experiences we have had with the Book of Mormon. Then she shared some real cool insights taken from Presidents Hinckley’s conference talk of October 2002, “The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith”. If, as a Christian, you knew there was a book teaching about Jesus Christ, his resurrection and teachings after his resurrection, and guiding a nation through living prophets, wouldn’t you want to read it? That of course is the Book of Mormon. If, as a Christian, you believe Jesus Christ lives today and loves us, wouldn’t you want to know of his living prophet on the earth and listen to that prophet? Of course, this refers to Joseph Smith and now Russel M. Nelson. The Spirit was strong in the room when Sister Jepson bore testimony of these things. It made me reflect on the many times I got to teach and testify of these things as a young missionary. I remember sometimes when the Spirit in the room was so strong you could almost cut it with a knife. It was wonderful when people accepted it and continued on to baptism, and so sad when you knew people had felt the Spirit so strong and then refuse later to meet with you again. Satan is powerful also. Remember, remember, remember, those wonderful Spiritual experiences. I am so glad I was in attendance at Senior Missionary FHE on October 16, 2023.
The next three days were spent mostly at the two cultural halls at the templex. Many people here getting trained on how to put together a wheelchair and how to customize it to an individual, different body types, lengths, weights, etc. and trying to help them keep good posture in a wheelchair. I would never have guessed there would be so much detail.
These wheelchairs are given from Latter-day Saint Charities. Elder and Sister Orencia from Manila oversee this program for all the Philippines. They were here doing that. However, they had brought four trainers with them that ended up training about 35 people on how to become Assessors. It was two full days, Tuesday and Wednesday. Vicente Sotto hospital, (where we donated the Kangaroo Tubes, and supplied a technician last week at the prosthetics), is a partner with us on this, along with RAFI (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.) They both had several people, along with LGU (local government units) representatives to be trained to be Assessors. They each were assigned to a wheelchair. There were 3 different kind of wheelchairs and then different sizes to each of those kinds. And each size was general and could be made a little bigger or smaller. I had to make a couple of trips to the warehouses to pick up more wheelchairs and parts.
On Thursday the recipients of the wheelchairs arrived. Just like last week, it was wonderful to see the new Assessors fit each person to a wheelchair. It is a long process, interview each recipient with a ton of questions, then measure them, then go to work on fitting them into a chair. Oh, the smiles when these people and their caretakers left with a new wheelchair. Pretty cool!
On Thursday evening we were informed that we couldn’t present the Cagdara-o project because we hadn’t visited the site. We were a little upset because we know of other projects that have happened when the site wasn’t visited. We will try to think Celestial.
Friday, we presented the wall fan proposal. It was endorsed. We attended the temple that afternoon in a full session with extra chairs.
We had the Elders over for Taco Tuesday and then 6 sisters over on Wednesday for chicken soup. It is always good to have them in our home.
On Saturday we worked on projects and went to the office to watch some volleyball and football on the big screen. Then we spent the afternoon doing errands on busy slow streets.
By the way. We were supposed to be to a big banquet Friday night representing LDSC. When we arrived there was no parking available. Already, a bunch of cars were illegally parked. I had just been pulled over that morning and had received my second ticket while being here. I didn’t want two in one day. We just went home. It had taken an hour to get there at 2 miles per hour. We spent another hour going home. I was frustrated and having a hard time Thinking Celestial. I need to work on this.
Star Valley XC won the state title by a long way with their first 5 runners all being all-state. They went 1-2-6-7-8. Drake placed 8th. I’m proud of him. Other class 1A runners on other teams didn’t come within one minute of his time. He ran well with a good bunch of runners, and I think good kids. He has had a good experience running for Star Valley XC these past three years. I’m glad I got to work with him and then follow him this year. He is a great kid!
Today we had a wonderful stake conference. Because of the transportation problems the Adult Session is held on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. (with a lot of children present) and then the General Session at 10:00. Among other items discussed was the need for consistent gospel teaching in the home, family prayers and scriptures, observing a full fast, and the youth and YSA need to quit letting their phones take over their lives. Put them in your pockets during Sacrament meeting. During the week interact with others more face to face. Slow down so much texting and gaming on the phones. Let us all be more kind.
Same problems here as in the USA.
Good news. Tyson and Tami are in a Paired Exchange for kidney donors and they are scheduled for surgery on November 8th. Tami donating to the program so Tyson can get one from a compatible donor. They say they have a good kidney match for him. We will hope that holds true as tests will continue right up to the operation day. Thanks so much Tami.
Holy Habits
Righteous Routines
Lift Where You Stand
With love,
Dad and Mom
Grandpa and Grandma
Briant and Clyda
Week #56 10/16-10/22
After a week of watching the excitement of people receiving prosthetics, this week we got to witness the excitement of people receiving wheelchairs. And not just any wheelchair, but customized wheelchairs. Pretty cool!
On Monday, Clyda did a great job of presenting two projects she has been working on, Wall Fans for ventilation for a huge 4-story school here in Cebu, and a lot of things for the Cagdara-o School on Northern Samar. When you get to the 3rd and 4th floors of these schools, they really get warm so moving air helps a lot. Air conditioning would really help but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Our team really enjoyed both projects. The principal of Cagdara-o heard about LDS charities and sent us a letter of request. Clyda has spent a lot of time with emails back and forth to get this project nailed down. We didn’t go visit the place because it would be a minimum of 14 hours to get there.
Later in the day we went to the Lahug Stake Center to help put wheelchairs together. These are nice wheelchairs. This reminded us of Christmas Eve and putting things together for kids. It is a good thing Clyda was experienced so it was easy for her. I didn’t have a clue. We got our wheelchair together and then made sure it would fly straight when you would give it a push in the cultural hall and then let it go. We made appropriate adjustments and SUCCESS!
At FHE we had some visitors and a wonderful time. Sister Jepson gave the lesson. She asked about experiences we have had with the Book of Mormon. Then she shared some real cool insights taken from Presidents Hinckley’s conference talk of October 2002, “The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith”. If, as a Christian, you knew there was a book teaching about Jesus Christ, his resurrection and teachings after his resurrection, and guiding a nation through living prophets, wouldn’t you want to read it? That of course is the Book of Mormon. If, as a Christian, you believe Jesus Christ lives today and loves us, wouldn’t you want to know of his living prophet on the earth and listen to that prophet? Of course, this refers to Joseph Smith and now Russel M. Nelson. The Spirit was strong in the room when Sister Jepson bore testimony of these things. It made me reflect on the many times I got to teach and testify of these things as a young missionary. I remember sometimes when the Spirit in the room was so strong you could almost cut it with a knife. It was wonderful when people accepted it and continued on to baptism, and so sad when you knew people had felt the Spirit so strong and then refuse later to meet with you again. Satan is powerful also. Remember, remember, remember, those wonderful Spiritual experiences. I am so glad I was in attendance at Senior Missionary FHE on October 16, 2023.
The next three days were spent mostly at the two cultural halls at the templex. Many people here getting trained on how to put together a wheelchair and how to customize it to an individual, different body types, lengths, weights, etc. and trying to help them keep good posture in a wheelchair. I would never have guessed there would be so much detail.
These wheelchairs are given from Latter-day Saint Charities. Elder and Sister Orencia from Manila oversee this program for all the Philippines. They were here doing that. However, they had brought four trainers with them that ended up training about 35 people on how to become Assessors. It was two full days, Tuesday and Wednesday. Vicente Sotto hospital, (where we donated the Kangaroo Tubes, and supplied a technician last week at the prosthetics), is a partner with us on this, along with RAFI (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.) They both had several people, along with LGU (local government units) representatives to be trained to be Assessors. They each were assigned to a wheelchair. There were 3 different kind of wheelchairs and then different sizes to each of those kinds. And each size was general and could be made a little bigger or smaller. I had to make a couple of trips to the warehouses to pick up more wheelchairs and parts.
On Thursday the recipients of the wheelchairs arrived. Just like last week, it was wonderful to see the new Assessors fit each person to a wheelchair. It is a long process, interview each recipient with a ton of questions, then measure them, then go to work on fitting them into a chair. Oh, the smiles when these people and their caretakers left with a new wheelchair. Pretty cool!
On Thursday evening we were informed that we couldn’t present the Cagdara-o project because we hadn’t visited the site. We were a little upset because we know of other projects that have happened when the site wasn’t visited. We will try to think Celestial.
Friday, we presented the wall fan proposal. It was endorsed. We attended the temple that afternoon in a full session with extra chairs.
We had the Elders over for Taco Tuesday and then 6 sisters over on Wednesday for chicken soup. It is always good to have them in our home.
On Saturday we worked on projects and went to the office to watch some volleyball and football on the big screen. Then we spent the afternoon doing errands on busy slow streets.
By the way. We were supposed to be to a big banquet Friday night representing LDSC. When we arrived there was no parking available. Already, a bunch of cars were illegally parked. I had just been pulled over that morning and had received my second ticket while being here. I didn’t want two in one day. We just went home. It had taken an hour to get there at 2 miles per hour. We spent another hour going home. I was frustrated and having a hard time Thinking Celestial. I need to work on this.
Star Valley XC won the state title by a long way with their first 5 runners all being all-state. They went 1-2-6-7-8. Drake placed 8th. I’m proud of him. Other class 1A runners on other teams didn’t come within one minute of his time. He ran well with a good bunch of runners, and I think good kids. He has had a good experience running for Star Valley XC these past three years. I’m glad I got to work with him and then follow him this year. He is a great kid!
Today we had a wonderful stake conference. Because of the transportation problems the Adult Session is held on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. (with a lot of children present) and then the General Session at 10:00. Among other items discussed was the need for consistent gospel teaching in the home, family prayers and scriptures, observing a full fast, and the youth and YSA need to quit letting their phones take over their lives. Put them in your pockets during Sacrament meeting. During the week interact with others more face to face. Slow down so much texting and gaming on the phones. Let us all be more kind.
Same problems here as in the USA.
Good news. Tyson and Tami are in a Paired Exchange for kidney donors and they are scheduled for surgery on November 8th. Tami donating to the program so Tyson can get one from a compatible donor. They say they have a good kidney match for him. We will hope that holds true as tests will continue right up to the operation day. Thanks so much Tami.
Holy Habits
Righteous Routines
Lift Where You Stand
With love,
Dad and Mom
Grandpa and Grandma
Briant and Clyda
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