Always Learning

I figured it was time for a more humorous post.  I've been sick with cold this week and have learned some things through this time.  I am feeling better, but am definitely not yet back to full strength.  I have a wedding to attend tomorrow, so hoping my energy continues to increase.  Hope you enjoy these random things I have learned.  Maybe they can help you one day.  

• Ben-gay can substitute for Vicks VapoRub
• One box of tissues is never enough
• Neosporin helps if your tissues do not have lotion in them
• Four flights of stairs suddenly seem like the Alps
• A cold does not prevent you from burning your tongue on hot tea, in other words lack of taste does not equal tongue sensitivity
• There is an oil you can put in your nose to prevent you from catching your co-workers cold
• Although my cold comes from sleeping under an airconditioner, the rest of the office has a bug going around
• Pride and Prejudice and While you were Sleeping never get old
• It's hard to remember what a fever is on a centigrade thermometer when your mind is half asleep (thankfully never had a temp)
• Orbit dental candies make good cough drops (I should send some to my hygienist)
• Watching football always makes a day brighter
• It's important to remember to plug your phone back in when you wake up

Wheelchair Delivery Begins

I have had a chance to build some new relationships this week as a result of the wheelchairs we are distributing in Taraz.  On Monday, I met with the head of a local organization that works with 50 people here in Taraz who are wheelchair bound.  This was an initial conversation in which I got to know the challenges associated with their organization.  

One of the biggest challenges I became aware of is the lack of transportation available for a person in a wheelchair.  In Taraz we have something called a social taxi.  This allows people with disabilities to receive transportation around town for things such as doctor's visits.  However, due to the minimal number of vehicles, each person is only allowed four rides a month.  They shared that this is especially difficult for students who are trying to attend University.  Some youth have received full scholarships to University, but are unable to attend due to lack of transportation.  Being an educator at heart, this challenges me.  

We have been able to donate three wheelchairs so far.  One to the Youth Invalid Society, the organization in Taraz that operates the social taxis.  This wheelchair is a lighter transport chair that should help them as they transport people from one location to the next.  This organization gave us the names of two other individuals who were in need of a wheelchair.  The first of these wheelchairs went to a man who works for the organization I mentioned in the first paragraph.  His wheelchair was in pretty bad shape, so he was a good candidate for one of ours.  The second of these wheelchairs was given to a man whose wife is also wheelchair bound.  They have two grown daughters.  He was sick the day we delivered the wheelchair, so we were only able to meet his wife.  I look forward to meeting again with them sometime soon to get to know them better.  

It has been fun to begin the process of finding good candidates for our wheelchairs.  I am looking forward to touching base with some groups that work with kids so that we can start delivering some wheelchairs to children as well.  I'm hoping we will be able to build relationships that will open doors to our work in the future.  It will be fun to see where all of this leads.