Ruhamah and Her Wheelchair

Giving God a Wheelchair

While teaching in Menjare I met Ruhamah. Her name is taken from the book of Hosea when God instructs the Prophet Hosea to name his daughter Lo-Ruhamah which means “No Mercy or None Spared.” This referred to Gods coming judgement on His Children, Israel. He would have No Mercy and None would be spared from His Judgement.

Ruhamah was born 8 or 9 years ago with some sort of water in the brain condition that rendered her legs useless for life. Perhaps in other parts of the world her condition might have been remedied, but not in this Ethiopian rural village. Her parents asked God to spare her life knowing she would never walk and God did. They gave her the name Ruhamah - meaning in God’s Mercy, He spared.

In March, I met her sitting in a chair in the shade of the church where we were teaching in Menjare. Her smile was infectious and my heart was broken as I heard her story. I asked if she had a wheelchair and learned that it was well out of the families financial means. Either she rode in the basket of her fathers bicycle or she was carried everywhere.

On the way to the next teaching session, I vowed to see what we could do to help Ruhamah and her family. Wheelchairs in Ethiopia are incredibly expensive, even by Western standards. A used wheelchair would be $800.00.

Returning back home, I talked to friends about Ruhamah. God provided $1000.00 to meet Ruhamah’s need for a wheelchair.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of traveling back to Menjare and delivering the wheelchair God provided to Ruhamah and her family! You would not believe the joy, gratitude and excitement they felt! This wheelchair will be hers for life - it can grow and adjust with her.

With tears streaming down her face, her mom said this was a miracle sent from God! We also provided the equivalent of 3 months grocery money for the family.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you do for the least of My children, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Thank you for allowing me to be a conduit of God’s Blessings from you to Ethiopia!!!!