Yavoi (2014)- Paralyzed as a result of trucking accident
- Follow-up: Found him out and about in the village. Yavoi says he uses the cart daily; goes to church weekly; cart has allowed increase independence.
- Prayer: Still looking for work to be able to help support family (is looking at selling things on the side of the road versus repairing shoes, but needs 3 years of training to do this, praying for God to open that door for him).
Atsupé (2014)- Handicapped secondary to a severe childhood illness
- Follow-up:Found her selling food products on the side of the road. Atsupé says she uses the cart daily; it has helped her to travel independently between her home and her road side market; she also goes to church weekly.
- Prayer: Pray for continued heath and spiritual growth and wisdom for raising her children.
Myoba (2014)- Story: Deformity from birth
- Follow-up: Found him out on the road going places and involved in studies and in church
- Prayer: salvation for his family (animistic beliefs), success in his studies, ability to find work and a witness for Christ to those around him.
Siprien (2014)- Story: paralyzed secondary to a severe illness
- Follow-up: Found him at home. Siprien is a barber and uses the cart daily to get to and from work. He attends church regularly.
- Prayer: Pray for continued health and spiritual growth (Pastor Justin continues to meet with him)
- K
offi (2014) - Story: paralyzed secondary to a severe illness
- Follow-up: Had to walk in to the bush to find him. Koffi had been farming and met us half way. He uses the cart daily to go to the fields with his family. It has increased not only his independence but has allowed him to participate in the daily activities of his family. Interesting enough, he goes everywhere with cart. He even took the cart with him in a taxi to visit family in northern Togo.
- Prayer: a successful/productive year of farming and spiritual growth
Valentin (2017)- Story: Debilitated after an injection/illness.
- When he first received the cart he was so happy he was on the verge of tears.
- After having several Bible studies with local missionary HA, he made a decision to follow Christ.
- Prayer: for a continual growing of his faith, for a connection with other believers, for a blessing in his new mobility.
Mother *(2017)- Story: Unkown for why she is debilitated, but she had been admitted to HBB for an infection when her disability was noted by one of the doctors along with the fact that she still cares for her children and family inspite of her handicap.
- Prayer: for a growing knowledge and love for Christ for her and her family
- See: https://abwetogosouth.org/2017/07/22/pet-carts/
- (*name changed)
Esther -4-year-old girl (2017)- Story: The repercussions of an infection in the brain (meningitis or cerebral malaria) left her with a cerebral palsy type picture with minimal to no use of both her arms and legs as well as some slowness of mind.
- The pull cart will allow for greater mobility.
- Religion: animism.
- Prayer -that the family will come to know and follow Jesus Christ.
Kossiwa -63-year-old woman (2017)- Story: As a result of a childhood illness, she was left with a debilitating weakness in her legs that greatly restricts her mobility, requiring the assistance of her husband and 4 children in being able to get around. In spite of this, she is described as being very active and courageous.
- The mobility cart will give her an independence in moving.
- She is Catholic.
- Pray: That she will become involved in a Bible study and deepen her faith.
Blessing -4-year-old girl (2017)- Story: She was born with severe club feet that failed treatment.
- During our visit she showed a very strong determination and already an independent spirit. The mobility cart will allow her to be able to go to school and other places.
- Religion: none
- Prayer: that her and her family will experience and know God’s love and gift of salvation
Chantal -17-year-old young vibrant lady (2017)- Story: As a result of malaria at 2 years of age she was left with a debilitating weakness in her legs; in spite of this she is a very outgoing courageous young lady.
- The mobility cart will give her an independence in being able to go to school and church.
- She is a believer and follower of Christ.
- Pray: that the leaders of her community who heard the gospel message in this process would come to know Christ and that her and her family’s faith would deepen.
Pastor Pito – 52-year-old pastor (2016) - Story: Paralyzed from the waist down as a result from a fall from a tree in 2015.
- The mobility cart gives him independence in movement.
- Religion: Christian
- Prayer: He is currently struggling with a lot of pain and discouragement and as such is not getting out much. Prayer for an opportunity of ministry and wisdom on how he can cope with the pain.
Komi– a very courageous 35-year-old (2017) - Story: Paralyzed since birth. (one brother with also the same problem)
- He was very honored to get a cart and will use it to go to church and to help with his work (shoe repair) –as he also has one child.
- Religion: Christian (he attends a Pentecostal church but did not understand well the plan of salvation, after it was explained to him, he prayed with the pastor for the forgiveness of his sins)
- Prayer: That his faith (and that of his family and community) would grow and deepen. He desires to be married.
Koffi – a very courageous 30-year-old man (2017) - Story: Paralyzed since birth (brother to Komi)
- He was very happy to get a cart as it will greatly help him in independence and moving (not having to crawl now).
- Religion: Christian (He understands the plan of salvation and was reassured of his salvation).
- Prayer: That his faith would grow and deepen and that he would be able to find a job/work.
Abire Aboé -37-year-old woman (2018) - Story: She was left with lower extremity disability as a result of an illness and/or injection at the age of 2
- She had previously been getting around with a stool and a tricycle that is now broken.
- She is a Christian but did not have a good understanding of the gospel that was then explained to her in full and a local pastor has promised to follow-up with her.
- Sadly, she died unexpectedly from an illness at the end of February 2018.
- Prayer: for her family with her loss, and also for their coming to know Christ somehow through this situation.
Essossimna -43-year-old serious but kind-hearted man (2018)- Story: Debilitated as a result of a severe infection as a child at 1year old in spite of treatment at a local hospital
- He repairs shoes and voluntarily tutors kids in their studies for school.
- He is hoping that having the mobility cart will allow him greater mobility in his work (he had a very old tricycle that he had been using)
- He knows the message of salvation and plans to rejoin a local church, both he and his family had a chance to listen to the plan of salvation
- Prayer -please pray that he will have greater mobility and impact in his work (both with shoes and with the kids) and that God will show himself to be real to him through a local church.
Justine -5-year-old girl (2018)- Story: She was born prematurely at 7 months and then at 5 months was noted to have minimal movement/strength in her arms and legs.
- Currently moves around by scooting on the ground on her knees but with the mobility cart she is hoping to go to school and be more active. She is understandably somewhat fearful.
- Her parents attend a local Pentecostal church and are Christians.
- Pray: that the mobility cart allows her to have more of a chance at life and allows her to not be afraid, and that she too will come to make a decision of faith.
Adjo -a resilient 50 year old woman (2018) - Story: Due to complications during her first pregnancy she progressively became paralyzed after the delivery (her second child is currently 15 years old)
- She has been using a small cart to move around in her house but is looking to the mobility cart to finally be able to get out and about
- She is reassured of her salvation through Christ
- Prayer -for a deepening of her faith and for wisdom as she is a single parent
Kabissa -75-year-old husband and father (2018)- Story: Paralyzed as a result of a stroke
- Married with 7 children
- Currently is being moved by family to places close by & spends the whole day in one location. With the pull-cart, the family hopes to give him more mobility and involvement in life. He is very discouraged with his current health situation.
- He is not a Christian though his family attends church and a local pastor will be following up with him.
- Pray -for a new quality of life and an openness and responsiveness to the gospel.
Anita -18-year-old timid young lady (2018)- Story: born with limited use of her extremities secondary to a traumatic birth.
- She lives alone with her mother and mainly passes her time sitting under a tree; the mobility cart will allow her to become a lot more engaged. Right now she is very timid.
- Though not a Christian, she is willing to do a Bible study with a pastor.
- Pray: for an improved quality of life, an ability to reach out to those around her, and an openness and responsiveness to the gospel.
Justin -11-year-old boy who loves to laugh (2018)- Story: His parents report that at 6-7 months old he was not be able to sit and received multiple treatments for this with no success.
- His parents are poor farmers, and he is the oldest child of 4.
- He strongly hopes and desires to now be able to go to school with the aid of the mobility cart. He has a very outgoing personality.
- He and his parents are in the process of coming to understand the good news of Christ and a local pastor will continue to work with them.
- Pray: that he and his family will come to know Christ through this experience and that he will be able to go to school and be able to learn and succeed in what he does. (Justin also has some speech difficulty but appears to be a very bright boy.)