Preparing for Wheelchair project

Wheelchair distribution is one of the major initiatives that the church humanitarian program is involved with. We have spent a good deal of the summer preparing for a big project in November when 300 wheelchairs will be imported into Albania. The need is huge.The government doesn't provide chairs as a matter of course.... Even if you have an accident, or a stroke,you have to find your own chair somehow. You can buy one, but the cost is prohoibitive for most.
Here are a few pictures of people who have chairs although in some cases the chair is ill-fitting.....

  An organisation took us to visit wheelchair-users in their homes. This man has no speech due to a stroke and Dave can't speak Albanian but they still communicated.

This is the sunniest little boy ever, he has brothers and sisters, they live in very poor circumstances.

            This young man is 18, he has been to school for a few years and knows some English.
The used chair, which someone gave him is far too big, so he doesn't use it because it hurts his legs and back. They can't afford another one. He just stays at home.

At their home, Dave drank dhale for the first time, it's very traditional in Albania, it's like  buttermilk!
Here, he's raising his glass to the provider of the milk from which the lady churned the drink.........

                                            ......................thanks cow!!

                         And we were given a few eggs from their chickens to bring home.
                                 Kindness and generosity come naturally to these people.

These  long term wheelchair users had gathered at the next house to greet us when we arrived. They alll had different stories to tell regarding their paraplegia. Also about the difficulties of life as a wheelchair-user, but they were thankful to have a chair.

                                                 The ladies at the house were delightful.

Everything that can be grown to eat was growing there....grapes, apples, pomegranets, lemons, pears, as well as chickens and corn etc. They just picked these grapes off the vine, and a little girl picked me a little posy of assorted flowers. Another big extended family.

 And they had made the beautiful lace tablecloth.