This was on a post from on our mission blog dated November 5, 2017:
On Sunday after attending church in San Pedro, it was a quick dash to the water taxi wharf in the rain for the one and a half hour boat ride home.
The time passed quickly as Elder Magnusson and I talked to different passengers on the boat. I was able to talk to a woman who was the president of the disabled non-profit group for Belize. (Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities)
She was very excited when I told her about our church's humanitarian services that has helped people around the world by donating wheelchairs to communities in need….
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After our experience on that boat ride home, I composed this letter to the *Church’s humanitarian department:
My name is Sister Kathleen Magnusson. My husband and I are assigned as MLS (Member Leader Support) missionaries in the El Salvador San Salvador West/Belize Mission, serving in the country of Belize.
This week during our travels we met Roxanne A. Marin, volunteer president of the non-profit organization, Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities — BADDA.
She told me her plight of working hard to help the people of Belize with disabilities. As she talked, my mind immediately went to our church’s humanitarian services…
We discussed the country’s need for wheelchairs. Ms. Marin stated that wheelchairs are in high demand. Is this an area that we could pursue with this organization on behalf of the Church?
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Almost two years later with lots of communication, phone calls, training, and behind the scenes work, I was so happy when I read this on the Belize Red Cross’ Facebook page dated August 29, 2019:
Today was a happy day for the Belize Red Cross! In strong partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Charities, 5 Assessors and 3 Technicians of wheelchairs were trained and certified through a new and upgraded wheelchair program, all Volunteers of the BRC. 335 wheelchairs were donated to the Belize Red Cross to serve the people living with disabilities. This program not only helps the National Society to meet the 3 strategic aims of the Red Cross: to build communities that are prepared, resilient and better able to cope with the negative impacts of disasters and crises, health and safety in our communities and to promote a culture of non violence, peace and inclusion, but it helps the BRC to accomplish its mandate to alleviate suffering wherever it is found! Recipients of these wheelchairs will be given a sense of independence, the opportunity to engage in, and actively participate in social activities or perform at work, etc. Twenty 20 persons were assessed and appropriately fitted to very safe and sturdy wheelchairs that meet their needs. The program is different from the past and will require proper assessment of the particular need of the person for fitting of the wheelchair before distribution.
The Belize Red Cross thanks LDS Charities, especially their members and team of trainers. A great big thanks go out to the BRC Volunteers who selflessly gave up 4 days to be trained to provide this service. There is no greater joy than to be able to serve others and to improve their lives.
This is Roxanne Marin’s (the president of BAPDA -Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities - who I met on the boat) reaction to my making her aware of the Belize Red Cross’ FB post:
Marvelous Monday Elder and Sister. Good to hear from you. I’m so excited to have my organization be a recipient of your wheelchair mission. It's amazing to see how a conversation on a boat can produce such amazing results. I’m truly happy to have met you both. It was surely a connection that was destined to happen. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Red Cross made a big impact in the life of persons with disabilities using wheelchairs in Belize. Many thanks to you and your husband for making the connection and including BAPDA
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Rosa is one of our Belizean friends that would worship with us at church from time to time.
This was the closing statement on the original November 5th blogpost:
These experiences that we are having here on the mission reminds me that our loving Heavenly Father is aware of all of His children and it is an honor for us to be, at times, "His hands" to touch people's lives.
*Our church's humanitarian webpage states:
20 million disabled people need wheelchairs but cannot obtain one. Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who operates LDS Charities, provides wheelchairs and walking aids to those in need who cannot afford one. The recipient’s mobility, employability, and independence are greatly increased.
Last year, Humanitarian Services provided wheelchairs to 55,000 people in 48 countries. They included 430 wheelchairs to Kazakhstan, 1,484 wheelchairs to Vietnam, and 330 wheelchairs to Madagascar.
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May 15, 2023 - Another Update 6 years later
My friend from Belize shared on his Facebook page this post from La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días - Centroamérica about another wheelchair donation in Belize that took place this past week.
Belize 🇬🇺 Wheelchair Donation. The Church of Jesus Christ in Central America donated more than 350 wheelchairs to the Belize-based International Red Cross. They also provided training to the technical staff at different stages of the evaluation, assembly and repair process.
#IglesiadeJesucristoCA #VeniraCristo #Noticias
Here are some pictures from the Church's Central America Facebook post:
The church also produced this video about this latest Belize wheelchair donation experience.
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What have I learned from these experiences over the past 6 years? Heavenly Father knows His children and has made it possible for those in need in Belize to obtain wheelchairs.
