Wheels at work
Our Wheels for the World mission trips take refurbished wheelchairs and mobility aids from the UK , and work with expert therapists to fit them for disabled people in developing countries . The gift of a wheelchair can be life-changing for whole families and communities . If you ’ re interested in volunteering or finding out more , please contact kathy @ throughtheroof . org . We ’ re planning the following Wheels for the World trips for 2023 , but there are constant new developments , so please do get in touch to register your interest .
A Wheels for the World trip to Kerala in India ( partnering with Sathyam Ministries ) will have just finished when this issue comes out . Please look out for a report on www . throughtheroof . org and in the summer issue of VL .
• Wheels to Uganda ( Moyo Bidi-Bidi refugee camp ), 3rd to 13th May 2023 , partner : Hope Health Action . We ’ re still recruiting team members for the Uganda distribution – we need another techie , another therapist , and someone to do the trip admin . Get in touch to find out more .
• Wheels to Kenya ( Elburgon ), 16th to 26th August 2023 , partner : Hope of Glory Church .
• Wheels to Kenya ( Eldoret and Kimililli ), 8th to 18th November 2023 , partners : Community Based Rehabilitation , Kenyan Anglican Church .
News about future international church inclusion trips will be on the way soon .
Your skills and time can make a difference on one of our international trips .
An international celebration
Through the Roof supporters from around the world looked back over 25 years of disability inclusion work at an International Online Celebration late last year . We welcomed people from multiple continents who were able to get to know each other in virtual break-out rooms .
The main speakers were amputees Chris and Denise Arthey who wrote the book ‘ Highway 35 ’ about their remarkable recovery after a road traffic accident in 2008 , in which they both lost their left leg below the knee . They shared what helped them as disabled people to survive , recover and rebuild their lives – including God ’ s love and the support of their church family . Their story is an emotional journey from the brink of dying , through re-learning to live full and active lives , to being able to truly forgive and become friends with the drunk driver who caused their accident .
A video of Chris and Denise Arthey ’ s message of hope is now available on YouTube
@ TTRChangesLives , along with other new videos aired at the celebration . These included our 25th anniversary video celebrating the many
Attendees found TTR ‘ encouraging ’ and ‘ inspiring ’.
Chris and Denise brought an inspirational message to our 25th anniversary .
areas of God ’ s work through TTR . Kenyan partner , Pastor Davis Gatua , shared a video with stories of lives transformed through partnership work with TTR . There was also a birthday message from Joni Eareckson Tada of charity Joni and Friends , who first funded Through the Roof 25 years ago .
Attendees enjoyed a brain-teasing quiz about disability and the Bible . Questions were multiple-choice : with ‘ Guess where ’ questions showing TTR trip photos from various countries ; ‘ Guess what ’ questions with global disability statistics to pick the correct answer ; and ‘ Guess who ’ questions on Bible characters with a link to disability .
At the end of the celebration , people were asked ‘ What word or words come to mind when you think of Through the Roof ?’. The result was presented in a ‘ word cloud ’ showing all the responses , with popular words shown larger . The largest ( most popular ) words chosen were ‘ encouraging ’ and ‘ inspiring ’ – which are also apt for describing everyone ’ s contributions to 25 years of TTR . Thank you !
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