wheelchairs and baby elephants

Mulani Ward had seven baptisms on Saturday.

In the Chainama ward (our ward) the brother in white baptized his wife. 

We were invited to visit an elephant orphanage whose mothers were killed or died.  

They were so cute!  

Feeding time they give them a bottle of milk and the older ones can hold it themselves.  

Playing follow the leader.

Ready for a bath and playing in the water.  

This week we went to Blantyre Malawi to help with a wheelchair training session for 25 physical therapists and technicians.  It was so wonderful to see how the church is helping people become more self-reliant while relieving suffering.  What a great program!  Wheelchairs is one of 6 major initiatives under LDS Charities that the church focuses on.  This shipment to Malawi contained 600 wheelchairs.

The team that the church sent to conduct the training, with one extra couple who were also being trained. 

Teams assembling and adjusting the wheelchairs.  We were amazed at how many adjustments were possible.  They would first evaluate and measure the patient then decide on which wheelchair was best for their situation.  They would then determine the size and specific adjustment settings needed and then do all the assembly.  Last they would put the patient in the wheelchair and fine tune the adjustments. 

Doing an assessment of the patient and measuring to make sure they pick the right chair, the right size, and the right adjustments.  

A few of the recipients and their families with the team who helped assemble and prescribe the chairs.  All were so grateful.  

This lady was a registered nurse who got meningitis in September.  She lost her sight and hearing and is now very weak.  Her family was so good and loving to her.  

This man has muscular dystrophy and can still use his left hand to maneuver the wheelchair.  

This boy had mental and physical issues.  This was his first wheelchair and the family had been carrying him around everywhere so they were very happy to have the wheelchair.  We were so impressed with the physical therapist because he had such great patience with him even when he became quite belligerent at times.

When this elderly lady learned how to move the wheelchair on her own, she just giggled.