Yesterday was a really neat day, but such a long one for me. Deborah and I first met at our Asha’s Refuge office upstairs at our home church, The Church at Schilling Farms. We spoke with our pastor about the work that is going on in the refugee community. I was reminded about the blessings that we have received with such a supportive pastor and church family. Thank You Pastor Scott Payne and Church Family!

Deborah and I were working in our office trying to shuffle around important documents and get them into the right places they need to be in. Our papers are beginning to float around the office and find themselves in such “safe places” that we cannot even locate them. We recognized the need for secretarial help and so I put out a help request on our blog. That same day we got an email from our new friend Elaine who is ready and willing to fill that position. Thank you Elaine!

The afternoon brought some additional blessings. I was able to take a special Somali friend to the doctor who had been having repeated kidney pain and bleeding. After a few mishaps, we finally got to see Dr. Charles Wallace. The doctor and his staff was extremely
personable, thorough and helpful. He was very interested in my friend and how I was willing to help her. He spoke a few languages himself, had an interest in working in needy areas outside the US and wanted to know more about the work with refuges through Asha’s Refuge. He assured me that I was in the right place to receive help for my friend. Dr. Wallace seemed to have a heart to know more and just maybe one day he could be involved with Asha’s Refuge. As he completed the ultrasound and physical for my new english speaking friend, he worked hard to ask her questions in ways she might be able to understand and answer back. He was so patient with her. My friend and I were very thankful for finding a good doctor today.

I want to express the difficulty though of maneuvering a manual wheelchair in and out of my car, through parking lots AND parking garages, on and off small elevators, up long uphill ramps, through and between double non automatic doors, in tight restrooms stalls and offices. Getting around can be difficult for our friends and for us trying to help them. Wheelchair access has not been put in place every where. I can understand that it takes time for this to happen and that, unfortunately, certain situations will just be a little more difficult for those in wheelchairs. It’s eye opening though and for my disabled refugee friends, Asha’s Refuge wants to help make it easier for them to access the resources they need to successfully resettle. Eventually, it may be good for Asha’s Refuge to have a vehicle that would better transport those refugees who have challenges that would prevent them from walking.

I wonder, can an organization obtain a handicap vehicle sticker? Maybe we could then have access to park in handicapped parking areas I order to more easily get our friends in and out of our cars and into the places we go. I often have to park far away or stay in the parking isle, jump out, open my trunk to pull out the wheelchair, then quickly get my friend in her wheelchair and out of the way before a car comes behind me and then go park my car. Anyone have suggestions?

So I have lots of thank you’s! Thank you God for my ability to walk. It’s a blessing I truly take for granted.