Time to "Stand on Ceremony"

Written by Steven - Serving in Thailand

The Wheelchair Project has a number of prominent connections, both with international organizations like Joni and Friends and with people or groups or hospitals in Thailand. It is even officially sponsored by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Royal Family. So it is not rare for high representatives or organization presidents or board members to appear at our larger distribution events. If this happens, it is customary to have a ceremony honoring the guest or sponsor, to share about our team (and be honored by them), and to exchange gifts and report on the details of the event (e.g. number of patients helped, total value of all the wheelchairs and equipment donated).

Then of course, it’s wheelchair fitting time, like normal, and sometimes the guests of honor will come around to meet patients and see what we are working on with their chairs. It is such a blessing to see all the different kinds of people coming together to serve people with disabilities in Thailand.

From hospital staff, organizations like Rotary, officials and board members, members of the military, to event volunteers; there are so many people getting involved, and it is a neat scene of the Kingdom of God caring for the less fortunate, even though many of those I mentioned are not believers. It is a great opportunity for us in these moments to witness, not just to the patients we serve, but also to the workers we serve alongside.

A very fun personal reason I love participating in distribution events is that I get to see so much more of Thailand as well. I’m visiting cities I would not have heard of otherwise, and there are so many beautiful areas all over this country!