Written By Bryan P. Arquiza, Writer, Operation Blessing Philippines
“You are truly God’s blessing to us!”
These were the words uttered by Sally Castro, 64 years old, an adoptive mother to her two grandchildren, when she saw the brand new wheelchair delivered right to their doorstep.
Her grandsons, George, 13, and Piolo, 11, were entrusted to her by their mothers, promising that they would look for a job elsewhere and come back for their children soon. But years went by, and these mothers still haven’t returned.
Nanay Sally is now left with the burden of taking care of these children, especially George, who has cerebral palsy and needs special attention.
George’s impulsive mood swings and nightly seizures have been very difficult for Nanay Sally. Every time it will happen, she stays up late to monitor her grandchild and she sometimes feels like giving up.
As she recalled her sacrifices and hardships for her grandchildren, she began to break down in tears. “Before, I used to complain and ask God, ‘Why me? I don’t understand why I am being punished this way; did I commit a grave sin?’” a tearful Nanay Sally said.
It took her many years to accept and fully understand George’s special condition.
“Raising a boy like him who has special needs is actually hard, because you need to be more patient than anybody else.” she shares. “Your acceptance, resilience and unconditional love will make all the difference.”
Despite the seemingly bleak situation for Nanay Sally, the Lord moved through Operation Blessing’s free wheelchair program.
One hot summer morning, Operation Blessing surprised Nanay Sally with a brand new wheelchair from Free Wheelchair Mission (FWM). The giddy grandmother couldn’t hide her excitement when she saw the wheelchair wheeled in front of her.
“Thank you Operation Blessing for providing this wheelchair for my George!” an ecstatic Nanay Sally said.
“Having this wheelchair will definitely help me a lot, as you can see, he is very energetic. This blessing will surely help me move him around with ease,” she added.
Now, George doesn’t have to stay indoors for long. He can now move around freely and will be able to go outside more often.
That day, Nanay Sally’s smile was priceless, because her precious grandson was blessed not just with a brand new wheelchair but also with a new reason to enjoy life. She now has one less struggle as she continues to be the best mother she can be to these boys.
HELP US BRING HOPE ON WHEELS!
By partnering with Operation Blessing, you help us distribute wheelchair units from Free Wheelchair Mission to provinces around the country. Call us at (02) 477-7802 today to partner in this endeavor!
