Story from Albania

Gratitude and Smiles for New Wheels

Elder and Sister Fotheringham have been serving in  Albania since the first of Janaury.  This is an experience they shared with us.

After 2 weeks of training, we braved the traffic, left our apartment and drove to the wheelchair warehouse in Vora. Accompanying us was Xhoni Isufaj. He works for ADRF, the partner for the wheelchair major initiative in Albania. He also provided translation for the excursion. Greeting us were volunteers and workers in the warehouse. They were busily helping people along with trained technicians who were fixing and repairing wheelchairs. We watched in amazement as the two men replaced parts from one wheelchair and added some new parts to another to produce a perfectly working wheelchair.

Everyone was very accommodating, welcoming and happily working together in a cold building. The man in charge expressed again and again their appreciation for LDS Charities and the help and support that they provide. When we were preparing for leave a family walked in carrying their boy, who looked like he might have been 10 or 11. The mother's eyes met mine with a plea that only mothers can share. She was enlisting some help for her son. They were greeted and directed to the back of the warehouse where the wheelchairs waited. The mom sat her son in a waiting chair that the man in charge thought was too large. He then transferred him without difficulty and with a heavy sigh to a smaller chair. The boy immediately squirmed, wiggled, giggled and smiled because of his new wheels. Tears ran down our cheeks and we turned our heads as our eyes caught sight of the back of the wheelchair where the name of the Church was printed. We knew that we had seen the hand of God today as LDS Charities had helped the lame to walk. We can't wait to wake up tomorrow and look for the hand of God again in Albania.