Last fall, for my final semester
of college, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Latin America. I did
things that I would never dream of doing, from herding oxen on horseback, to
learning that sometimes it is more important to just be with people than to be
doing things for them. I spent most of my time in Costa Rica, but also visited
Nicaragua and Cuba. Being in Latin America really stirred my passion for the
culture and the people. I was fortunate enough to spend enough time down there
to learn Spanish as well. When I returned to the United States, I enjoyed
meeting up with friends and talking about what we had been doing during the
fall semester. From one such friend, I learned about the Frontier Wheelchair
Team from LeTourneau University (my Alma Mater). Last December, the team went
to Guatemala as part of an engineering trip in which they were redesigning the
footplate of a wheelchair. He told me that the team was intending to go back to
Guatemala over Spring Break and that they were in need of a translator. My
Spanish is far from perfect, but I jumped at the opportunity to go back to
Latin America.
To back track a
bit, at the beginning of the academic year, the Frontier Wheelchair Team from
LeTourneau University set out to design a new footplate for a wheelchair
manufactured by Hope Haven in Guatemala. The previous design did not allow the
wheelchair occupant to exit the wheelchair without personal assistance. For
people with disabilities, but some mobility, having the ability to be
self-sufficient for little things like going to the bathroom, can be empowering
both physically and mentally. Many of these
wheelchairs are for children with cerebral palsy, and so they have moments
where they will tense up and push down on the footplates. The concerns for
these footplates are that they could either break or move with this exertion,
which is not desired. With the newly designed footplates, the plates can swing
out of the way while still being able to take the force and weight exerted on
them. Designing a plate that was able to do both was the challenge. With two
prototypes now in use and the design on the verge of being manufactured, the
new footplates will be life altering for the people who can benefit from their
installment on their wheelchairs.
The Hope Haven factory
where the wheelchairs are manufactured was our home for the week we were there.
Eleven of the twelve people employed there are also in wheelchairs. Our team
had the opportunity to work side-by-side with the workers in the factory and learn
a little about their lives. One man in particular, named Gustavo, was
tremendously intelligent and resourceful. He became a good friend while we were
there. He even said that if I moved to Guatemala that he would adopt me. :) He worked intensively with our group, making sure he understood all the changes
that were being made to the chair, and even came up with ways it could be
better, right on the spot.
The work that we did
in March was helpful on many levels. The Hope Haven factory employs disabled
employees, thus the factory is not maximizing their production possibilities. Therefore they are not
producing the necessary profits to afford research and development to stay
current in the market of wheelchair technology. With the help of LeTourneau
University’s Frontier Wheelchair Team, the factory can both continue to provide
jobs to their workers who would be otherwise unemployed, and can continue to
provide wheelchairs with more advanced modifications.
A few of us from
the team have the opportunity to return to Guatemala for the month of May. Our
main liaison at Hope Haven talked about their need for all the things our group
has to offer. We have the engineering ideas, but they also want help with the
business aspect of the factory. Currently, the person in charge of all their
public relations, grant writing, accounting, and other business and
administrative tasks is their physical therapist, who is being asked to wear
many more hats than is possible. Our group also brings a spiritual element into
the factory as one of our group members regularly leads praise and worship at
LeTourneau, and in March we all participated in having worship time during our
week there.
The goals of the
Hope Haven factory are to continue to employ its disabled workers and to
continue to produce wheelchairs that are on the cutting edge. Some of these
wheelchairs are given away when the need is great, and the recipient has no
ability to pay. They need our team and others like us, to help out in any way
we can. Our mission is not to create dependence on us, but rather to teach them
to think and do the things we already know how to do. Because my area of
knowledge is business, I want help in the business operations of the factory,
as well as serving as a translator.
Currently, I am
seeking support to return to Hope Haven in May. In addition to desiring your
blessings, good wishes, and prayer, my target for the financial support I need
is $3000.00. My parents are encouraging me in this endeavor, but we agreed that
I have to do my part to raise support. They have committed to match what I
raise by May 1st. With this money, I will be able to travel to Antigua,
Guatemala and live for a month. I will be working with the engineers, helping
translate for them, fitting children in wheelchairs, and working on the
business relationships with various partners in Guatemala and the United
States. With your help, we can make a difference. This blessing cascades from
those who work in the Hope Haven factory, to those receiving wheelchairs, their
families, and on and on. So your support of me, helps me to be a conduit to
help others, who can in turn, help even more people.
Love, Morgan
