Brainstorming with UIC Students

Today 7 University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) students came to HWI office to gather information for the US trike feasibility study they are doing for us as a class project. I (Alice) thought they were Masters level students but today I learned they are all undergraduates completing their degree in kinesiology, the same degree I got from UIC back in 1990.

Our trike team spent 3 hours answering their questions, telling how our trike division evolved and when their brains were spinning from all the technical information I got to share my personal story and give God the glory. The energy, enthusiasm, excitement, and interest they had for the project was electrifying. 

 

Watching them try the trikes, hearing why they chose the project, sharing some good laughs and exchanging great ideas was all a plus.One student was a marathon runner. He said he would love to use one of our trikes to train for marathons, getting his upper body in shape. He took it for the longest ride. Kevin our engineer said, “I haven’t seen anyone burn rubber on the trike yet.” So this guy took it as a personal challenge and gave it his best effort. Afterwards Kevin said, “I saw rubber burning.”  My eyesight wasn’t quite that clear!

How is your eyesight?

When I left the joy in my heart bubbled over and out. Today God gave me much more than I could have ever imagined. My dream was to teach physical education and pursue my PhD in exercise physiology but my disability made that an impossibility.  

Volunteer help needed: 4th of July Parade

Are you available to join His Wheels in Wheaton, IL 4th of July Parade. The parade is on Main St. in Wheaton. It steps off at 10AM on Mon. July 4th. We could use your help: passing out our new brochures, riding one of our trikes, carrying the banner, and other things. Please let us know if you can help.

Fulfilling our Mission

One of our new volunteers this year was a person who loved to bike but could no longer do so due to a serious health problem. While working together the volunteer shared with me, “My life is ruined,” from this health issue. This week I had the privelage of leading the volunteer to the Lord. I pointed out how scripture is filled with paradoxes and quoted II Cor. 12:10, "When we are weak then we are strong" (II Cor. 12:10). Here is a precious example of how bikes and trikes were used as a tool for expanding Christ's Kingdom.

I have clung to that scripture many times over the past 19 years with my medical disability with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I can especially relate to how The Message Bible words that passage. You may too.

^7-10Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

   My grace is enough; it's all you need.
   My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (The Message Bible II Cor. 12:7-10)

Wheaton Evangelical Free Church & His Wheels Partnership

Last fall the elders and pastors at WEFC, my home church, agreed to partner with HWI to serve our community. Today HWI was part of two different programs at the church. Inside we had a booth for disability Sunday where we featured our trike. Outside we had 16 bikes that HWI prepared for 11 families in the neighborhood affiliated with Lincoln School this week. Eleven families from the church picked up bikes at the church today and will be delivering them to our church neighbors soon.

What a fun way for HWI to begin May, which begins our 7th year of ministry and our 2nd in our headquarters.

I never tire of seeing so many bikes lined up together

All the signs of spring

Thanks Jeanne for your amazing coordination between His Wheels, Lincoln School and Wheaton E. Free. You are a liaison par excellent!

Thanks Lord God Almighty for such a perfect day. Seeing a group of bikes has always impressed me. I never dreamed I'd be in the picture as the Founder and Executive Director of a cycling organization. This month begins 7 years. What a way to begin the year!

Disability Sunday at Wheaton E. Free Church. HWI had a booth with our trike.

Thanks Brian for sharing your photography and artistic flare by taking this photo.

Thanks Brian for sharing your photography and artistic flare by taking this photo.

A picture is worth 1,000 words!

Move over mom, I'm steering this trike

It's all under control mom!

Here is the letter Maxene wrote after receiving the trike in Haiti back in February (See earlier post). He wrote it in Creole, so it took a while to find a translator. We are thankful for a pastor in Chicago who knew Creole, and willingly translated this letter for us. 

February 27, 2009

"Good morning, Pastor (The pastor chose the trike recipient). I praise the Lord for you. God has used you in such a way to help me, and brought such a souvenir in my life. I thank you and your family very...very...very much. I have nobody, but God puts me in your heart to help me. I thank you very much for what you've done for me at this moment in life. What a gift! As you know, as handicapped as I am I have lots of problems, no means to live. Life is not easy, and I have to stay at people house, praise God for that. I beg you, pastor, not to forget about me. I know God can do it all, and I will never stop to thank you. I will never stop to glorify the name of the Lord for this awesome gift. God has sent me a wonderful gift; I thank you very much for that. Now I need to go to church to praise Him, but need some clothes to put on my back. I know God will finish what he has already started. ...I hope all is well with you, especially when we know with Jesus nothing shall be impossible."

After reading this letter I thought of the words Jesus spoke "And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25:40 ESB)