Wheel Chair "Turn Over"

Thursday we attended a “wheel chair turn over”. That’s what they call it when the LDS Charities officially gives some wheel chairs to an organization—in this case the NFDK or the National Fund for Disabled Kenyans. LDS Charities worked with this charity to help distribute chairs to those in need. NFDK invited and arranged rides for those who couldn’t walk along with their caregivers, and invited the Provincial Chairman, the District Chairman (political leaders), newspaper and TV people. Elder Harris (LDS Charities director in Kenya) made sure that Bill and I were introduced around to all the dignitaries.
After speeches from the NFDK chairman, some of the NFDK trustees, President Usi (Nairobi Stake President), Elder Harris, and Provincial Chairman they had 20 recipients come forward to receive the wheelchairs. (LDS Charities gave 400 chairs out—these were token recipients.) President Usi talked about “inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me”, and Elder Harris talked about LDS Charities, the money for the wheelchairs coming from Latter Day Saints around the world giving what they could, how we honor those who help those who are disabled, how we are trying to help people help themselves. He talked about the wells that have been dug to help people have drinking water. He mentioned the missionaries who were in attendance, and how they are here in Kenya helping the Kenyans know God and His plan for them. (We had 6 Elders and 2 Sisters helping the people as they came in and meeting and greeting them. It was fun for me to see the tender ways the missionaries helped the disabled and greeted them.) Elder Harris and his wife are leaving Kenya the middle of October, so he expressed his love for Kenya and its people and it was very tender. Throughout the meeting so many references were made to the Latter Day Saints and their contribution to Kenya and its people. It was pretty cool. NFDK provided a dinner for us after the ceremony. It was Indian food and was very good—spicy but good. All in all it was a very good PR for the church. And it was satisfying to see the good Kenyans working to help their fellowmen.