Pilgrimage and Mobility30 knights and their wives from California journeyed to Mexico to help deliver wheelchairsAugust 16, 2006 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
As a hands on mission of mercy and spiritual revitalization, 30 Knights and their wives from California journeyed to Mexico City recently to help deliver several hundred of the 560 wheelchairs that they sponsored to the area, and to visit the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In the course of delivering over 75,000 wheelchairs to Mexico since 2000, the Wheelchair Foundation has established a wonderful distribution relationship with the Rotary Clubs of Mexico. Working as our local agents to coordinate the distribution of each 280-wheelchair container in their areas, the Rotarians have become an invaluable resource to our humanitarian mission. Members of the Rotary Club of Texcoco de Gante and their dedicated spouses have helped deliver thousands of wheelchairs in the Mexico City area, and acted as coordinators for the Knights wheelchair distributions on this trip. The first distribution took place in a church courtyard in the city of Texcoco, where more than 150 children, teens and adults received brand new wheelchairs. For many visiting Knights, this was the first time they had experienced the heartfelt elation from recipients and their families when they receive their first wheelchair. The experiences of the day were very moving and memorable. The local Knights of Columbus from Mexico hosted a reception that evening at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City, which culminated with a private tour of the inner chambers of the church, and the viewing of historical treasures that date back to the 16th century. The next morning the visiting Knights from California joined the local Knights and Texcoco Rotarians at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe for a mass in their honor. The Monsignor of the Cathedral and California State Deputy Gary Nelson placed several children into their new wheelchairs on the altar during the mass. The group then proceeded across the courtyard and distributed another 150 wheelchairs to recipients from the Mexico City area. This has been one of the most inspirational experiences of my life, said Gary Nelson, and I wish everyone who helped sponsor these wheelchairs could experience this feeling. 2006 has seen the establishment of Knights councils for the first time in Poland. The Supreme Council sponsored the delivery of 560 wheelchairs to Warsaw and Krakow earlier this year, and 560 wheelchairs from the California Council will follow those in several months. The Wheelchair Foundation is grateful for the leadership and dedication of the California State officers and volunteers who have helped us change so many lives, and started the ball rolling toward many more wheelchairs being delivered throughout the world because of their sincere efforts. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
