Poverty is not a fate; it is a condition. |
Each day as we delve deeper into our work with CBM, we are learning more about poverty and how to respond as Christians. Something that has sprung into focus is that a major cause of poverty is injustice, and a central mandate of our faith is to fight against it.
As a new school year begins in Bolivia, we have seen some new faces at our vulnerable children’s projects. Among them is a sweet little girl named Noelia. When Noelia was 3, she was run over by a car and has been paralyzed from the waist down ever since. The man who was driving the car, knowing that Noelia’s mom could not read or write, tricked her into signing a document that exempted him from paying any remuneration. For almost three years, Noelia’s mom has had to carry her around on her back because they were unable to afford a wheel chair. As Noelia has grown, so has her need to be more independent, so her mother started bringing her to our project on her back. Noelia however, would need to sit idle in a chair all day.
As soon as Noelia arrived at the project, Marcia (our new program director) knew we had to do something to right the injustice done to this family. In response, she has arranged to accompany Noelia and her mother to court, and over the next couple weeks negotiations will take place with the man who caused the accident. If all goes well, they will win small monthly support payments to help cover her care.
Marica also asked if we had any ideas about how to get a wheel chair. We reached out in our network and almost immediately received a response. Friends of a friend contacted us and said that earlier that day, they walked past a store selling children’s wheelchairs. They felt a pull to go inside but thought “who would we buy a wheelchair for?” As soon as they heard about our situation, they knew that God had been calling them to buy a wheelchair for Noelia.
A day later, Noelia was taking her first roll around the playground in her brand new wheelchair. It’s amazing how God began providing for this need before we even knew to ask.
Please pray for this family as they continue to fight for justice.
As a new school year begins in Bolivia, we have seen some new faces at our vulnerable children’s projects. Among them is a sweet little girl named Noelia. When Noelia was 3, she was run over by a car and has been paralyzed from the waist down ever since. The man who was driving the car, knowing that Noelia’s mom could not read or write, tricked her into signing a document that exempted him from paying any remuneration. For almost three years, Noelia’s mom has had to carry her around on her back because they were unable to afford a wheel chair. As Noelia has grown, so has her need to be more independent, so her mother started bringing her to our project on her back. Noelia however, would need to sit idle in a chair all day.
As soon as Noelia arrived at the project, Marcia (our new program director) knew we had to do something to right the injustice done to this family. In response, she has arranged to accompany Noelia and her mother to court, and over the next couple weeks negotiations will take place with the man who caused the accident. If all goes well, they will win small monthly support payments to help cover her care.
Marica also asked if we had any ideas about how to get a wheel chair. We reached out in our network and almost immediately received a response. Friends of a friend contacted us and said that earlier that day, they walked past a store selling children’s wheelchairs. They felt a pull to go inside but thought “who would we buy a wheelchair for?” As soon as they heard about our situation, they knew that God had been calling them to buy a wheelchair for Noelia.
A day later, Noelia was taking her first roll around the playground in her brand new wheelchair. It’s amazing how God began providing for this need before we even knew to ask.
Please pray for this family as they continue to fight for justice.
Cochabamba
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