January 20, 2026 • 36 mins
What if the thing standing between someone and a fuller life was simply the ability to get up and move when they want to? To go where they want to go? In this episode of The Ripple Effect, Jenna Kim Jones sits down with Nuka Hart, CEO of Free Wheelchair Mission, to talk about the power of movement, dignity, and being seen. From rugged wheelchairs designed for dirt roads to the quiet moments that happen when someone can finally sit up and roll outside, this conversation reminds us that freedom doesn’t have to be flashy—it just has to work.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey there, it's me Jennikin Jones and welcome back to
the Ripple Effect, the podcast that proves small ideas can
create very big change, even when those ideas seem almost
too obvious at first. Here's something I was thinking about recently,
my legs, or really not thinking about them, because it's
time for me to shave them. Guys, we're deep into
winter and I gotta get going. But the reality is,
(00:29):
I don't think about my legs that much, not since
middle school. There was one lady who stopped me at
church once and told me that I had sturdy legs,
kind of like tree trunks, and I would have made
a pioneer in the Old West and done a good
job of it. And ever since then, I've tried not
to think about my legs. I'm gonna be honest, that
one hurt. But I think about shoes. I like shoes.
(00:50):
I'm a woman, Yes I'm cliche. I like my shoes.
I think about, you know, having to use my legs
when I'm carrying laundry up and down the stairs or
picking up toys for the ninety seventh time that day.
I think about when I've parked too far away because
I couldn't find that golden spot up front. But I
don't ever think about the fact that, Like I don't
have to think about that. I can just get up
(01:11):
and go. I never have to worry about that. Mobility
is basically invisible when you have it. It's just there.
It's quietly doing its job. It's like the Wi Fi
that magically works, or your liver that somehow does something
in your body. I don't know. I'm not a scientist.
I don't understand it. I just know it works right now.
And you don't appreciate that until it's gone, or until
(01:34):
you meet someone who's made it their life's work to
restore mobility for others. And that's where we get into
the episode. Today. Our guest is Nukahrt. She's the CEO
of the Free Wheelchair Mission. Her organization started with one
moment that never let go of its founder, seeing a
woman dragging herself across a road in Morocco, and that
(01:57):
image eventually turned into a question, and then it into
a solution that would literally change millions of lives. What
if wheelchairs could just be made simply? What if they
could be affordable, durable, and built to work in places
with dirt roads instead of smooth pavement or sidewalks. What
if they were given free, not as charity, but as dignity.
(02:19):
The Free Wheelchair Mission has now delivered over a million
wheelchairs around the world, opening doors to education, work and
community for people who had felt left behind. Today, Nuka
joins me to talk about the power of mobility, the
ripple effects of independence, and what happens when innovation and
compassion meet. And it's a beautiful thing. Let's get into
(02:42):
this amazing conversation. I think this one might change the
way you think about something that you've probably never thought
of at all. Nukah, it is so nice to meet too.
Thank you so much for talking with us today. I
can't wait to get to know you a little better.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
It is so much fun to learn about amazing things
happening in the world, and you guys at the Free
Wheelchair Mission are doing pretty incredible stuff. I'd love to
dive right in and learn about your origin story. How
did this all begin? Maybe you can tell us about
your founder, Don Showindorf. I think I'm saying that correct.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Bravo, break I did it.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Thank you, so let us know about who you guys
are well.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Thank you again for having us Jenna, and thank you
for being interested in learning about free will trimission. Free
will trimissions started nearly just about exactly twenty five years ago,
and you mentioned Don Don Schwindorffer is our founder, biomedical
engineer by trade who saw a problem in the developing
world that he wanted to do something about. And the
(03:57):
issue was that there're eighty million people in the world
any given time that need a wheelchair. And he decided
to activate and to do something by innovation. So he
used innovation. He basically took an idea to create a
wheelchair to lift people off of the ground, and to
(04:19):
create a wheelchair that would be cost effective and also
durable and easily accessible for people in developing countries, like
a woman that he saw many many years ago on
a trip in Morocco who was dragging herself along the ground.
And he couldn't unsee that horrible image. And he innovated
(04:40):
and created that cost effective wheelchair that he originally thought
he would sell the patent for the design of to
different countries and organizations, and he had a higher calling
to really start an organization and to do it himself.
And so he put people around him amazingly generous soul
(05:00):
who were like minded, and he gave out the first
hundred wheelchairs in India to individuals like the first woman
in Morocco who needed one. And so from there, twenty
five years later, we've given out one point five million
wheelchairs all over the world. Oh my god, and we've
developed several other designs of wheelchairs, all to solve that
(05:22):
problem of providing the gift of mobility to people who
are deserving and in need.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
My gosh, one point five million is wow. How did
you become involved in all of this? Where does your
origin story begin with the Free Wheelchair Mission? I certainly
didn't know anything about wheelchairs.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I'm not a biomedical engineer, but I had who can.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Really be okay, I mean, my goodness. Well, well, it's.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Funny because majority of the people who come to work
with us know nothing about wheelchairs, but they may know
a lot about nonprofit or humanitarian work. And that's where
my background has been. I've had a career in nonprofit.
I was recruited to work at Free Will Tramission to
really take that origin story and scale it and honor
the legacy of it and take us into the future
(06:10):
by shoring up our ability to do this work. For
a long time, and I've been with Free Will Trimission
since twenty seventeen. It's been a fantastic ride. And since
that time, I would say I've been honoring also my
own heritage. My story is that I come from people
(06:31):
that originated from Haiti, and I don't forget that every
single day that Haiti is a forest country in the
Western Hemisphere. So I'm intrinsically aware of the importance of
this work and I've seen it firsthand, and I think
I add to the team a little bit more of
an understanding about why what we do is so important.
(06:54):
And I also understand what it means to run a nonprofit.
And so I came along here trying to extend my
professional career, but also personally trying to do good for others.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Which is amazing. I'm so grateful for people like you.
So let's learn a little bit more about your background.
You went to Dartmouth, yes, for school, Yeah, and you
got a degree in studio art.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Studio art was my major at Dartmouth, which means a
lot of people don't know what studio art means. It
means that I did art in a studio. It means
that I applied the art that I studied to an
actual canvas and worked in a studio.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And do you still do art?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I have an easel behind me here. I don't know
if you can see it. And the answer is not
as much as I should. My Christmas cards this year
were an art piece that I created, portraits of my
self advancement. But that was the first thing I would
say I painted in a year, which is not good.
And my new year's resolution is to do better and
(07:58):
to create something at least one piece of art per month.
So that's my own little I've just said it to
the world, so now I actually have to do it.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
That's right. You've said it out loud, and if we
all heard it, and now we want to see that art,
that is so cool. Oh my gosh. To be able
to make a Christmas card that's like real art, I can't.
I can actually not even get Christmas cards made. So
I'm impressed doubly for that.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Well, you're an artist. You're doing a podcast, so you
use the communication to paint canvases and words and all
of that are your ways, Your brushstrokes your words.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
That's right. Words are my definite forte When it comes
to drawing anything, it's a lost cause. Let's talk more
about Free Wheelchair Mission. When you were telling me that
you've delivered one point five million wheelchairs around the world,
You've had different designs of wheelchairs. All I'm thinking is,
how does this get done? Wheelchairs are They're not just
(08:52):
something that's easy to pass out, you know what I mean. Yes,
my niece was in a wheelchair for she's passed away since,
but she was in a wheelchair. I know that it
can be complicated getting the right kind of wheelchair. So
how do you guys make all of this work so well?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I will start by saying, nothing's easy, yeah, but we
get it done.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
There's a life lesson there, guys. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I think any business has its complications. But we've been effective,
I feel, and our nonprofit is a little bit unique
in that there are some really well funded and really
well intentioned nonprofits that refurbish wheelchairs. Ours are all brand new,
So it means that what's not easy is that we
actually have to design them and we have to manufacture them.
(09:36):
So we manufacture our wheelchairs in two different factories in Asia,
and the designs from the beginning, from the origin story.
We're all about adorable solutions. So a wheelchair that through
the design will withstand the treacherous terrain that you see
in a lot of different countries that we serve, that
may not have pavement, that may not have dry seasons.
(09:58):
So our wheelchairs are considering all of those factors and
we manufacture them so that they can fit at least
approximately five hundred wheelchairs at a time in a shipping container,
and we look at volume because it's the most cost
effective way to get them out. And then the containers
of wheelchairs are loaded, unassembled, each in its own box,
(10:23):
and then they're sent to the countries that we work in.
And since our founding we've touched ninety five countries and
we've we're currently in about thirty five countries. And once
they are loaded and go onto the ship and arrive
at that country, we work with a whole network of
(10:44):
NGOs non governmental organizational partners who receive those containers and
get all of everything in that container for free. Once
they get the container, they then have to assemble the wheelchairs,
assess the beneficiaries of the wheelchairs, and provide the wheelchairs
(11:06):
safely to each of those beneficiaries, and we train them
as to how to do all of that work.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Okay, So there's a whole process.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Here for this, Yeah, a whole process. So I said,
it's not easy. It's not just we make wheelchairs and
drop ship them from an airplane like a bag of rice.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah, and everyone else well yeah, and it's.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
A medical good, right, So we have to be very
careful in who we give it to and how we
provide it, meaning each one comes in a different size.
We have to consider the disability and the needs of
the patients. We have to think about languages. You know,
if we're currently in thirty five countries, think about the
(11:46):
multitude of dialects and.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Languages Oh my gosh, right, just in.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
One continent a loan of Asia or Africa, if you
think about that. So there's many more things that I
could say, but that's as simply as I.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Could put it. I mean, I'd love to get into
some of that. What I read is like the top
five countries that you guys have served Vietnam, China, India, Peru,
and Pakistan. Africa also is a place that you've done
a lot of work in. So what like when you
get those chairs to one of those countries or any country,
(12:19):
what is that first challenging thing. You've got your NGOs
that are helping you. I mean, how long is this
process and what are some of the things you run into.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Well, I just came back from Vietnam. You mentioned Vietnam.
I literally have been back for just a little bit
over twenty four hours. So forgive me if.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I see you, Jet Lack.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Oh yeah, yeah, Vietnam, Yes, one of our top five
countries we've given to. And the why behind that, and
one of the complexities is because there's a lot of
neat in Vietnam. I just got the latest stat there're
seven million people that have disabilities, and fifty percent over
fifty percent of them need wheelchairs. They have some sort
(12:58):
of mobility related disability from multitude of reasons. And the
complexities are really around things that we can't control. So
you asked me how does it all work? And I
talked about the shipping container. If you have a pandemic,
a change in the economy, pirated ship or just in Vietnam,
which happened to us about a year and a half ago,
(13:20):
a change in policy in terms of what they will
allow to be imported. Those are all complexities that our
organization potentially has to contend with. So you load the
container on a ship. It can take as much as
two months for it to arrive, but then you hope
and pray that it arrives without a hiccup. It's a
little bit like, to make it simpler, when you're ordering
(13:42):
a dresser from another country and you put your money
online for this thing to be delivered, and you pray
that whoever the carrier is is going to have it
arrived to you in the time that you expected. And
then you find out that there was a hiccup, they
sent it to the wrong address, there was some other thing,
(14:04):
and you need to now figure out across the ocean
how to get your thing to your doorstep right your dresser. Yeah,
and in this case, it's five hundred or so.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Wheelchairs casually, five hundred wheelchairs. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So in Vietnam, Yeah, Like I said, one complexity was
a change in certification that we needed to have so
that our wheelchairs could be received and imported into their country.
We've now solved that, and so I was going to
have strategic conversations and to give out wheelchairs to people,
which is always my favorite thing to do in this role. Yeah,
and to see the work firsthand. So that's just one
(14:39):
example of the challenges we face. There are others.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I'm sure sounds like you could come up with anything
and it could happen to you, Yes, honestly, but yeah, like, okay, random,
I mean, okay, So thinking about that, what is it
like giving out the wheelchairs? You say you've done it
and it's amazing. Is there an experience you could share
(15:02):
with us about what that's like.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Amazing is a limiting word. It's transformational, it is life changing,
it is humbling. It's an honor. It's a privilege to
get down on one knee and to serve someone, someone that,
in the case of some of the people I saw
(15:26):
this past week, has been waiting and waiting and waiting
for a wheelchair. There was a case that I shared
with the team this morning that, I mean, this trip
was heart wrenching. There's so many challenges that these people face.
Sometimes the stories are super gritty and sad. Sometimes they're
(15:47):
sad but yet triumphant. I just felt like this week
was definitely a sad week, and the wheelchair was not
just lifting up the person and giving them that safety,
but it was also just lifting the heart of the
people they are caring for them. But there was a
case that I shared with the team that a girl,
i should say a woman. She's forty some years old,
(16:09):
and she we believe was born with some sort of
mental disability, but physically she was okay. And her father
also had a mental disability, as did her brother, and
sometime around the time of her teens or tweens, she
was institutionalized. There was some primitive thinking along the way
(16:30):
within her family, and at the time she was institutionalized,
they decided that the reason why she was acting the
way she was acting with her disability was that she
was possessed by some demons no, and so they decided
that they needed to cast out the demons, and they
(16:53):
put her in some sort of ring of fire. So
they put fire around her to hold hope that the
fire would cast out the demons within her, and unfortunately,
she was burned and that's what caused her to have paralysis.
She spent multiple months in the hospital for her injuries
(17:15):
to be treated, and she was not allowed to go
back to the mental institution because they couldn't care for her.
So she lives in what's called a compassion house. So
it's a house that the government of Vietnam provides for
families who don't have a dwelling or who have situations
(17:36):
like these. She lives by herself in this house made
of cinder blocks, and the house has dealt with all
they've dealt with all kinds of issues in terms of
flooding and whatnot. The wheelchair is going to provide her
the opportunity to get outside. That is the goal. Sometimes
(18:00):
the wheelchair in the more I would say visually triumphant stories,
is providing a job, or it's providing the mobility to
get to school, or lifting a child up so that
the mother or the father don't have to carry the
child into their teens in adulthood, and so the parents
can have the removal of the burden to then be
(18:21):
able to be independent economically. But in this case, it's
simply simply so that she can sit up and be
on a porch, sit up so she can have a
breath of fresh air, have sunshine. Yeah yeah, And I
mean I could go on and on about her how
heart wrenching that story was, but you know, she cracked
(18:45):
a little bit of a smile when we went out,
and it was raining that day and very cold, so
we could really take her down the road, but we
wheeled her out onto the porch. But who was smiling really,
really brightly was her aunt and her aunt and uncle.
For us to provide them with that gift of the
wheelchair is a relief, you know, that they needed to
(19:09):
be able to feed her with her sitting up in
that chair will be a huge difference. These people are
senior citizens onto themselves, right, so it is a massive
physical burden for them to care for her and also
just emotional support. You know, sometimes people who are caretakers
need their own upliftment. You know, we talk about the
(19:30):
wheelchair lifting people off of the ground, in this case,
it's lifting the spirits of the caretaker. So that's just
one example of what it's like. And in that case,
it's humbling, right to experience. To see the situation. She's
laying there in the bed, no TV, there is no
music playing. It's really humbling to see someone passing their
(19:57):
days just laying there and being by themselves.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
That's what kills me. And to be able to go
outside and just see something at like you were saying,
she has no entertainment, just to see something stimulating. That
was different.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
And in the week I spent in Vietnam, there were
at least four other cases of the multiple wheelchairs we
gave out that were nearly identical to that in terms
of people living by themselves, laying in a bed, not
being able to get out. And they may not have
had the tragedy of the fire, but it's still the same.
(20:37):
At the root of it, that solitude and the need
for us to remember that there are people that need community.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Right, yeah, to need to be seen and oh yeah,
I love it. It's beautiful, it's tragic. Well, you mentioned earlier
that there's something about, you know, getting in there and
sing someone, and I'd love for you to elaborate on that.
What is that, like, what is the power of that
or the importance of that?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah, Well, the getting down on one knee is something
that we take very seriously when we give out wheelchairs.
At some point it's important not just for the sake
of adjusting the wheelchair, but getting on the eye level
of the beneficiary of that wheelchair is critical. Being at
their vantage point, at their eye level, I think is
extremely respectful and It's something that our team really tries
(21:30):
to do with every wheelchair we give out, and we
coach our partners to do the same, because if you're
sitting there in the wheelchair, or have been sitting in
a bed or laying in a bed for a long time,
you usually have to look up at people, and when
you get down on one knee, you're bringing yourself down emotionally,
hierarchically and in service to the level of that person,
(21:54):
not that they're beneath you, per se but demonstrating that
you are an even with them, which is, you know,
psychologically when again when you look up at someone, there
is that just natural assumption of hierarchy. But serving while
you're doing that, I think is a gift. Service is
(22:14):
a gift that keeps on giving. Right as I said,
I came back from a trip, and coming back from
this trip, it's a reminder of not just what I
need to be doing in my job to continue to
perpetuate this work and the impact that we're making, but
it's the gift of remembering that I am just a
(22:36):
tiny blip on this earth, that there are millions, billions
of people in this earth that are impoverished, that are
in need that don't have my privilege of a job,
my ability to have a voice, my ability to have
access to things, and to be able to serve is
(22:56):
a privilege because you get to exchange with people in
those circumstances. You then are reminded of your privilege and
the opportunities you have, so you can only appreciate and
do better in the future. And I say, it's a
gift that keeps giving because every time you give, you
(23:18):
usually get in return, unbeknownst to you. Right, So I
give out a wheelchair, and I usually learn about resilience,
I learn about humility, I learn about sometimes prayer, I
learn something about maybe caretaking and family life that I
(23:38):
may or may not have known, or maybe it's just
reinforced and through service. I get that, and they get
something too. They get that, as you mentioned that they're
not alone, that they are worthy, that the time that
I'm taking, or anybody who serves is taken, they are
(24:01):
deserving to receive. And it's what we would all want
to be done for.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Us absolutely to have that dignity right to be given
that and to know, yes, I have worth, I have value,
I've been seen by you. It's empowering.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
We talk about the wheelchairs as a renewal of dignity.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Oh my gosh, yeah, it feels that way. That's so beautiful. Well,
our show is the ripple effect, so we're always looking for,
you know, these things that we do, what kind of
ripple do they start? And it's amazing to see what
you guys are doing, because I think you're starting ripples
everywhere you go. And could you maybe talk to us
(24:44):
about some of those things that you're doing. You know,
you're giving people wheelchairs, but it might also affect a
different part of their life or the people around them.
And have you seen that happen? Oh so many times.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
We gave out a wheelchair to a young man a
few years ago and thence through a subsidiary organization that
we partner with, they gave him a scholarship to be
able to go to school. And you know, people with
disabilities are often cast aside for their disability, but once
(25:18):
they get the wheelchair, they have a little bit of
hope to be able to get an education, get a job,
but it's still a challenge. And so this young man
got a scholarship which gave him the boost financially and
emotionally that he needed to demonstrate to him you have
value and you can do this. He then got a job.
(25:41):
He got an education related to technology, and he got
a job doing online marketing, something he could do from
his wheelchair, So some sort of promotion which he's smarter
than me. I was trying to explain it to me,
and it was like going over my head with the
simplistic way I could say. It is a sort of
online marketing where he's promoting products and getting a return.
(26:04):
So he's getting some sort of commission for the products
sold and also helping to build and believe some sort
of video games or whatnot. And as a result, he
was able to support his brother being able, who is
not in a wheelchair, but the family has very limited income,
(26:28):
and he's able to support his brother financially his school
fees so his brother could graduate. Wow and though he
was making a good amount of money each month to
also support his family, so his parents who live with him.
Through his new job that he got, he decided that
he wanted to give other people who have disabilities the
(26:51):
opportunity to get this work. So he then is using
that skill that he learned to train a team which
are like his employees now or associates, and that meant
that his work is now spread out. So he's going
to get a little bit less income per month because
he's sharing it with others, but he's the ripple effect.
(27:14):
He's seeing them now succeed. I saw that firsthand. I
went to his house. I saw his operation with his
computer where he's got his wheelchair that he wheels up.
It was unbelievable and the pride he had, that dignity,
that sense of value was off the charts. He was
(27:36):
so proud. He wasn't thinking about, oh my bed is
wrinkled and you know, don't come into my right. He
wanted to show us his operation, and he wanted to
show us what he's done for his family. Everybody wants
to be able to help others, and he's doing it.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What a beautiful example of exactly what we're trying to
show people that exists in this insane world we live in.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Absolutely everybody needs hope, and we talk about the wheelchair
in terms of the logical thing. It's keeping somebody from
having to crawl on the ground or lay in their
bed all day, but again it's renewing their dignity and
giving them a hope that they are not lost, forgotten,
(28:20):
not worthy to have a life. And if the life
is as simple as the woman who her life simply
is just to be able to go from bed to porch,
or if the life is going from bed to computer
to a job. Everyone wants hope that they can do
a little bit more than they thought of before, and
(28:42):
especially a lot more than they potentially thought they were
going to be limited by once they have a tragedy
or a trauma like a disability. So that's what we're
providing in the wheelchairs, hope too.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Of course, it's beautiful and your mission is sort of
this like intersection of innovation, compassion and faith. You guys
are a faith based organization. How does that play into
what you do every day?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
In countries where we're allowed to and with partners that
embrace us, we give a message of hope and prayer
with the individuals who get a wheelchair.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
So where we can, we are trying to tell people
that they're loved by God, that they were made intrinsically
and uniquely in the way that they were supposed to be,
and if they were born with the disability, that's Okay.
If they developed the disability over time, that's okay too.
We are all children of the Lord, and so we
(29:40):
pray with them, we give them hopeful messages, we share
love with them, and we're telling them that the wheelchair
is a gift that was given by Him and a
lot of times they have already some sort of faith,
different levels of faith, sometimes tons more than us, because
that's the whole that's been getting them over the hurdle
(30:03):
of waiting a decade or two for the wheelchair to arrive.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Right, it's yeah, that prayerful meditation, that survival.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Yes, yeah, that they've been doing in that room, that
dark room, or the room in fastened with mosquitoes at times,
is that right? And so when we arrive, it's almost
like I tell my team this, it's like we're answering
a prayer in a way that's also a big honor.
But it's not always that we meet people that have
that kind of faith, and certainly not always that we
(30:32):
can say a prayer, because there's sometimes people that are
in places where that's not allowed.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
So right, yeah, it's not always possible, but it's amazing
that you can bring that message of hope. I think
that is beautiful. So you've been with Free Wheelchair Missions
since twenty seventeen, yes, nearly nine years. Well, I know
it's amazing. And how has that How have you seen
your life change or the ripple effects from being part
(31:00):
of this mission for all these years.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Oh, I've used the word humbling. It's definitely been humbling.
It's caused me to appreciate my blessings a lot more.
It's caused me to understand my culture a lot more
in terms of my heritage culture. It's caused me to
appreciate where I live in the United States a lot
more and the access we have to things. It's really
(31:23):
been about that, the appreciation for blessings because I see
firsthand the problems, and there are a lot of them.
And I say to myself when I go on to
these trips, okay, you know, I know what I'm about
to get into. And every time I get back on
the plane to come home, I'm blown away. It's always
(31:46):
a surprise, it's always a new thing. So those are
the biggest things. And I also I'm grateful that I
do a job that I enjoy and a job that
has a ripple effect. You know, it's not to diminish
other work, but it is exciting to do something that
you know isn't just a transactional engagement, right. You know,
(32:10):
giving a wheelchair has exponential impact, not just for us
in knowing that we did what our donors wanted. We
gave out wheelchairs and that was nice, but that we
serve the beneficiaris on bended knee. Then they potentially were
able to do more with their lives or minimally their
(32:32):
caretakers and their communities were able to witness that there
are people that care, that disabilities are not limiting, and
that there are opportunities out there if you only look
for them and potentially pray for them.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
So, yeah, that's so good. I feel grateful to have
spoken to you and also a little bit inspired. You know,
this is something a beautiful thing. Is there a way
people can help you guys or get involved with you guys?
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I tell people three things. Pray for us, think positive
thoughts if you're not a prayer warrior, because this work
is not easy. It's also sometimes not the safest to
be in some of these countries where we work. I
tell people to think about sharing about free will tranmission.
I think the more people that follow us on social
(33:24):
media and just communicate about what we're doing, the more
people that will be activated to help or know that
we exist if they need help. And the third is
to give up your heart, give up your treasure, give
up your mind as a volunteer. And the ways to
do that is just to contact us at freewilltremission dot
(33:44):
org and look us up and we're on every single
social media platform that exists and just learn.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Okay, I love it. I'm so grateful for you and
all the work you guys are doing. This was a
fabulous conversation and thank you so much for taking the
time time to share your message.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Thank you for having me Jenna.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Wow. Thank goodness for Nuka. When you strip it all down,
this episode is about something incredibly human, the freedom to move.
My younger brother, he's a professional dancer. His whole life
is movement, and I think about him and what his
life would be if he didn't have that. It's everything
for him. This is just freedom. I think about all
(34:33):
the good things Nuka's doing. They're giving freedom to go
to school, to work, to see friends, to exist in
a community without being trapped in your circumstances. Nuka reminded
me that real change doesn't always come from massive systems
or grand speeches. Sometimes it comes from a well designed chair,
a thoughtful solution, and I think most importantly, a deep
(34:55):
respect for the people that you're serving. And that's the
kind of ripple effect that lacks. So if you want
to learn more or support the Free Wheelchair Mission, you
need to check out the show notes. Their work is global,
it's practical, it's profoundly life changing, and I'm going to
be thinking about them for a while. I'd also really
love to hear from you guys. What's something in your
(35:15):
life that you didn't realize was a gift until you
really stop to think about it. Okay, you've got mobility
health community support. In my case, I don't know, the microwave.
That's pretty cool. You guys realize how awesome that is.
You can just reheat your food about a being about
a boom. All right, that's a big deal. I don't
know why I thought of that, but here we are
talking about the microwave. It's pretty great. Listen, I want
(35:38):
you to share your thoughts with me hashtag ripple effect
or tag me at Jeniekim Jones because I read them.
I promise I do. And for everyone who has reached
out to me, thank you. It's been amazing to hear
from you. And coming up next week, we have one
of the more surprising stories that we've ever told on
this show. After an attack on an LDS church in Michigan,
one man responded not with anger, because that's what you
(36:01):
know we'd naturally respond with, but he responded with compassion. Okay.
He started a fundraiser for the attacker's family, And this episode,
it's complicated, it's tender, and what he did was deeply
human and I can't wait for you guys to hear it.
Until then, take care of yourself, take nothing for granted,
and keep those ripples moving outward.
Hey there, it's me Jennikin Jones and welcome back to
the Ripple Effect, the podcast that proves small ideas can
create very big change, even when those ideas seem almost
too obvious at first. Here's something I was thinking about recently,
my legs, or really not thinking about them, because it's
time for me to shave them. Guys, we're deep into
winter and I gotta get going. But the reality is,
(00:29):
I don't think about my legs that much, not since
middle school. There was one lady who stopped me at
church once and told me that I had sturdy legs,
kind of like tree trunks, and I would have made
a pioneer in the Old West and done a good
job of it. And ever since then, I've tried not
to think about my legs. I'm gonna be honest, that
one hurt. But I think about shoes. I like shoes.
(00:50):
I'm a woman, Yes I'm cliche. I like my shoes.
I think about, you know, having to use my legs
when I'm carrying laundry up and down the stairs or
picking up toys for the ninety seventh time that day.
I think about when I've parked too far away because
I couldn't find that golden spot up front. But I
don't ever think about the fact that, Like I don't
have to think about that. I can just get up
(01:11):
and go. I never have to worry about that. Mobility
is basically invisible when you have it. It's just there.
It's quietly doing its job. It's like the Wi Fi
that magically works, or your liver that somehow does something
in your body. I don't know. I'm not a scientist.
I don't understand it. I just know it works right now.
And you don't appreciate that until it's gone, or until
(01:34):
you meet someone who's made it their life's work to
restore mobility for others. And that's where we get into
the episode. Today. Our guest is Nukahrt. She's the CEO
of the Free Wheelchair Mission. Her organization started with one
moment that never let go of its founder, seeing a
woman dragging herself across a road in Morocco, and that
(01:57):
image eventually turned into a question, and then it into
a solution that would literally change millions of lives. What
if wheelchairs could just be made simply? What if they
could be affordable, durable, and built to work in places
with dirt roads instead of smooth pavement or sidewalks. What
if they were given free, not as charity, but as dignity.
(02:19):
The Free Wheelchair Mission has now delivered over a million
wheelchairs around the world, opening doors to education, work and
community for people who had felt left behind. Today, Nuka
joins me to talk about the power of mobility, the
ripple effects of independence, and what happens when innovation and
compassion meet. And it's a beautiful thing. Let's get into
(02:42):
this amazing conversation. I think this one might change the
way you think about something that you've probably never thought
of at all. Nukah, it is so nice to meet too.
Thank you so much for talking with us today. I
can't wait to get to know you a little better.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
It is so much fun to learn about amazing things
happening in the world, and you guys at the Free
Wheelchair Mission are doing pretty incredible stuff. I'd love to
dive right in and learn about your origin story. How
did this all begin? Maybe you can tell us about
your founder, Don Showindorf. I think I'm saying that correct.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Bravo, break I did it.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Thank you, so let us know about who you guys
are well.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Thank you again for having us Jenna, and thank you
for being interested in learning about free will trimission. Free
will trimissions started nearly just about exactly twenty five years ago,
and you mentioned Don Don Schwindorffer is our founder, biomedical
engineer by trade who saw a problem in the developing
world that he wanted to do something about. And the
(03:57):
issue was that there're eighty million people in the world
any given time that need a wheelchair. And he decided
to activate and to do something by innovation. So he
used innovation. He basically took an idea to create a
wheelchair to lift people off of the ground, and to
(04:19):
create a wheelchair that would be cost effective and also
durable and easily accessible for people in developing countries, like
a woman that he saw many many years ago on
a trip in Morocco who was dragging herself along the ground.
And he couldn't unsee that horrible image. And he innovated
(04:40):
and created that cost effective wheelchair that he originally thought
he would sell the patent for the design of to
different countries and organizations, and he had a higher calling
to really start an organization and to do it himself.
And so he put people around him amazingly generous soul
(05:00):
who were like minded, and he gave out the first
hundred wheelchairs in India to individuals like the first woman
in Morocco who needed one. And so from there, twenty
five years later, we've given out one point five million
wheelchairs all over the world. Oh my god, and we've
developed several other designs of wheelchairs, all to solve that
(05:22):
problem of providing the gift of mobility to people who
are deserving and in need.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
My gosh, one point five million is wow. How did
you become involved in all of this? Where does your
origin story begin with the Free Wheelchair Mission? I certainly
didn't know anything about wheelchairs.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I'm not a biomedical engineer, but I had who can.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Really be okay, I mean, my goodness. Well, well, it's.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Funny because majority of the people who come to work
with us know nothing about wheelchairs, but they may know
a lot about nonprofit or humanitarian work. And that's where
my background has been. I've had a career in nonprofit.
I was recruited to work at Free Will Tramission to
really take that origin story and scale it and honor
the legacy of it and take us into the future
(06:10):
by shoring up our ability to do this work. For
a long time, and I've been with Free Will Trimission
since twenty seventeen. It's been a fantastic ride. And since
that time, I would say I've been honoring also my
own heritage. My story is that I come from people
(06:31):
that originated from Haiti, and I don't forget that every
single day that Haiti is a forest country in the
Western Hemisphere. So I'm intrinsically aware of the importance of
this work and I've seen it firsthand, and I think
I add to the team a little bit more of
an understanding about why what we do is so important.
(06:54):
And I also understand what it means to run a nonprofit.
And so I came along here trying to extend my
professional career, but also personally trying to do good for others.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Which is amazing. I'm so grateful for people like you.
So let's learn a little bit more about your background.
You went to Dartmouth, yes, for school, Yeah, and you
got a degree in studio art.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Studio art was my major at Dartmouth, which means a
lot of people don't know what studio art means. It
means that I did art in a studio. It means
that I applied the art that I studied to an
actual canvas and worked in a studio.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And do you still do art?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I have an easel behind me here. I don't know
if you can see it. And the answer is not
as much as I should. My Christmas cards this year
were an art piece that I created, portraits of my
self advancement. But that was the first thing I would
say I painted in a year, which is not good.
And my new year's resolution is to do better and
(07:58):
to create something at least one piece of art per month.
So that's my own little I've just said it to
the world, so now I actually have to do it.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
That's right. You've said it out loud, and if we
all heard it, and now we want to see that art,
that is so cool. Oh my gosh. To be able
to make a Christmas card that's like real art, I can't.
I can actually not even get Christmas cards made. So
I'm impressed doubly for that.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Well, you're an artist. You're doing a podcast, so you
use the communication to paint canvases and words and all
of that are your ways, Your brushstrokes your words.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
That's right. Words are my definite forte When it comes
to drawing anything, it's a lost cause. Let's talk more
about Free Wheelchair Mission. When you were telling me that
you've delivered one point five million wheelchairs around the world,
You've had different designs of wheelchairs. All I'm thinking is,
how does this get done? Wheelchairs are They're not just
(08:52):
something that's easy to pass out, you know what I mean. Yes,
my niece was in a wheelchair for she's passed away since,
but she was in a wheelchair. I know that it
can be complicated getting the right kind of wheelchair. So
how do you guys make all of this work so well?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I will start by saying, nothing's easy, yeah, but we
get it done.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
There's a life lesson there, guys. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I think any business has its complications. But we've been effective,
I feel, and our nonprofit is a little bit unique
in that there are some really well funded and really
well intentioned nonprofits that refurbish wheelchairs. Ours are all brand new,
So it means that what's not easy is that we
actually have to design them and we have to manufacture them.
(09:36):
So we manufacture our wheelchairs in two different factories in Asia,
and the designs from the beginning, from the origin story.
We're all about adorable solutions. So a wheelchair that through
the design will withstand the treacherous terrain that you see
in a lot of different countries that we serve, that
may not have pavement, that may not have dry seasons.
(09:58):
So our wheelchairs are considering all of those factors and
we manufacture them so that they can fit at least
approximately five hundred wheelchairs at a time in a shipping container,
and we look at volume because it's the most cost
effective way to get them out. And then the containers
of wheelchairs are loaded, unassembled, each in its own box,
(10:23):
and then they're sent to the countries that we work in.
And since our founding we've touched ninety five countries and
we've we're currently in about thirty five countries. And once
they are loaded and go onto the ship and arrive
at that country, we work with a whole network of
(10:44):
NGOs non governmental organizational partners who receive those containers and
get all of everything in that container for free. Once
they get the container, they then have to assemble the wheelchairs,
assess the beneficiaries of the wheelchairs, and provide the wheelchairs
(11:06):
safely to each of those beneficiaries, and we train them
as to how to do all of that work.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Okay, So there's a whole process.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Here for this, Yeah, a whole process. So I said,
it's not easy. It's not just we make wheelchairs and
drop ship them from an airplane like a bag of rice.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah, and everyone else well yeah, and it's.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
A medical good, right, So we have to be very
careful in who we give it to and how we
provide it, meaning each one comes in a different size.
We have to consider the disability and the needs of
the patients. We have to think about languages. You know,
if we're currently in thirty five countries, think about the
(11:46):
multitude of dialects and.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Languages Oh my gosh, right, just in.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
One continent a loan of Asia or Africa, if you
think about that. So there's many more things that I
could say, but that's as simply as I.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Could put it. I mean, I'd love to get into
some of that. What I read is like the top
five countries that you guys have served Vietnam, China, India, Peru,
and Pakistan. Africa also is a place that you've done
a lot of work in. So what like when you
get those chairs to one of those countries or any country,
(12:19):
what is that first challenging thing. You've got your NGOs
that are helping you. I mean, how long is this
process and what are some of the things you run into.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Well, I just came back from Vietnam. You mentioned Vietnam.
I literally have been back for just a little bit
over twenty four hours. So forgive me if.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I see you, Jet Lack.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Oh yeah, yeah, Vietnam, Yes, one of our top five
countries we've given to. And the why behind that, and
one of the complexities is because there's a lot of
neat in Vietnam. I just got the latest stat there're
seven million people that have disabilities, and fifty percent over
fifty percent of them need wheelchairs. They have some sort
(12:58):
of mobility related disability from multitude of reasons. And the
complexities are really around things that we can't control. So
you asked me how does it all work? And I
talked about the shipping container. If you have a pandemic,
a change in the economy, pirated ship or just in Vietnam,
which happened to us about a year and a half ago,
(13:20):
a change in policy in terms of what they will
allow to be imported. Those are all complexities that our
organization potentially has to contend with. So you load the
container on a ship. It can take as much as
two months for it to arrive, but then you hope
and pray that it arrives without a hiccup. It's a
little bit like, to make it simpler, when you're ordering
(13:42):
a dresser from another country and you put your money
online for this thing to be delivered, and you pray
that whoever the carrier is is going to have it
arrived to you in the time that you expected. And
then you find out that there was a hiccup, they
sent it to the wrong address, there was some other thing,
(14:04):
and you need to now figure out across the ocean
how to get your thing to your doorstep right your dresser. Yeah,
and in this case, it's five hundred or so.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Wheelchairs casually, five hundred wheelchairs. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So in Vietnam, Yeah, Like I said, one complexity was
a change in certification that we needed to have so
that our wheelchairs could be received and imported into their country.
We've now solved that, and so I was going to
have strategic conversations and to give out wheelchairs to people,
which is always my favorite thing to do in this role. Yeah,
and to see the work firsthand. So that's just one
(14:39):
example of the challenges we face. There are others.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I'm sure sounds like you could come up with anything
and it could happen to you, Yes, honestly, but yeah, like, okay, random,
I mean, okay, So thinking about that, what is it
like giving out the wheelchairs? You say you've done it
and it's amazing. Is there an experience you could share
(15:02):
with us about what that's like.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Amazing is a limiting word. It's transformational, it is life changing,
it is humbling. It's an honor. It's a privilege to
get down on one knee and to serve someone, someone that,
in the case of some of the people I saw
(15:26):
this past week, has been waiting and waiting and waiting
for a wheelchair. There was a case that I shared
with the team this morning that, I mean, this trip
was heart wrenching. There's so many challenges that these people face.
Sometimes the stories are super gritty and sad. Sometimes they're
(15:47):
sad but yet triumphant. I just felt like this week
was definitely a sad week, and the wheelchair was not
just lifting up the person and giving them that safety,
but it was also just lifting the heart of the
people they are caring for them. But there was a
case that I shared with the team that a girl,
i should say a woman. She's forty some years old,
(16:09):
and she we believe was born with some sort of
mental disability, but physically she was okay. And her father
also had a mental disability, as did her brother, and
sometime around the time of her teens or tweens, she
was institutionalized. There was some primitive thinking along the way
(16:30):
within her family, and at the time she was institutionalized,
they decided that the reason why she was acting the
way she was acting with her disability was that she
was possessed by some demons no, and so they decided
that they needed to cast out the demons, and they
(16:53):
put her in some sort of ring of fire. So
they put fire around her to hold hope that the
fire would cast out the demons within her, and unfortunately,
she was burned and that's what caused her to have paralysis.
She spent multiple months in the hospital for her injuries
(17:15):
to be treated, and she was not allowed to go
back to the mental institution because they couldn't care for her.
So she lives in what's called a compassion house. So
it's a house that the government of Vietnam provides for
families who don't have a dwelling or who have situations
(17:36):
like these. She lives by herself in this house made
of cinder blocks, and the house has dealt with all
they've dealt with all kinds of issues in terms of
flooding and whatnot. The wheelchair is going to provide her
the opportunity to get outside. That is the goal. Sometimes
(18:00):
the wheelchair in the more I would say visually triumphant stories,
is providing a job, or it's providing the mobility to
get to school, or lifting a child up so that
the mother or the father don't have to carry the
child into their teens in adulthood, and so the parents
can have the removal of the burden to then be
(18:21):
able to be independent economically. But in this case, it's
simply simply so that she can sit up and be
on a porch, sit up so she can have a
breath of fresh air, have sunshine. Yeah yeah, And I
mean I could go on and on about her how
heart wrenching that story was, but you know, she cracked
(18:45):
a little bit of a smile when we went out,
and it was raining that day and very cold, so
we could really take her down the road, but we
wheeled her out onto the porch. But who was smiling really,
really brightly was her aunt and her aunt and uncle.
For us to provide them with that gift of the
wheelchair is a relief, you know, that they needed to
(19:09):
be able to feed her with her sitting up in
that chair will be a huge difference. These people are
senior citizens onto themselves, right, so it is a massive
physical burden for them to care for her and also
just emotional support. You know, sometimes people who are caretakers
need their own upliftment. You know, we talk about the
(19:30):
wheelchair lifting people off of the ground, in this case,
it's lifting the spirits of the caretaker. So that's just
one example of what it's like. And in that case,
it's humbling, right to experience. To see the situation. She's
laying there in the bed, no TV, there is no
music playing. It's really humbling to see someone passing their
(19:57):
days just laying there and being by themselves.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
That's what kills me. And to be able to go
outside and just see something at like you were saying,
she has no entertainment, just to see something stimulating. That
was different.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
And in the week I spent in Vietnam, there were
at least four other cases of the multiple wheelchairs we
gave out that were nearly identical to that in terms
of people living by themselves, laying in a bed, not
being able to get out. And they may not have
had the tragedy of the fire, but it's still the same.
(20:37):
At the root of it, that solitude and the need
for us to remember that there are people that need community.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Right, yeah, to need to be seen and oh yeah,
I love it. It's beautiful, it's tragic. Well, you mentioned earlier
that there's something about, you know, getting in there and
sing someone, and I'd love for you to elaborate on that.
What is that, like, what is the power of that
or the importance of that?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah, Well, the getting down on one knee is something
that we take very seriously when we give out wheelchairs.
At some point it's important not just for the sake
of adjusting the wheelchair, but getting on the eye level
of the beneficiary of that wheelchair is critical. Being at
their vantage point, at their eye level, I think is
extremely respectful and It's something that our team really tries
(21:30):
to do with every wheelchair we give out, and we
coach our partners to do the same, because if you're
sitting there in the wheelchair, or have been sitting in
a bed or laying in a bed for a long time,
you usually have to look up at people, and when
you get down on one knee, you're bringing yourself down emotionally,
hierarchically and in service to the level of that person,
(21:54):
not that they're beneath you, per se but demonstrating that
you are an even with them, which is, you know,
psychologically when again when you look up at someone, there
is that just natural assumption of hierarchy. But serving while
you're doing that, I think is a gift. Service is
(22:14):
a gift that keeps on giving. Right as I said,
I came back from a trip, and coming back from
this trip, it's a reminder of not just what I
need to be doing in my job to continue to
perpetuate this work and the impact that we're making, but
it's the gift of remembering that I am just a
(22:36):
tiny blip on this earth, that there are millions, billions
of people in this earth that are impoverished, that are
in need that don't have my privilege of a job,
my ability to have a voice, my ability to have
access to things, and to be able to serve is
(22:56):
a privilege because you get to exchange with people in
those circumstances. You then are reminded of your privilege and
the opportunities you have, so you can only appreciate and
do better in the future. And I say, it's a
gift that keeps giving because every time you give, you
(23:18):
usually get in return, unbeknownst to you. Right, So I
give out a wheelchair, and I usually learn about resilience,
I learn about humility, I learn about sometimes prayer, I
learn something about maybe caretaking and family life that I
(23:38):
may or may not have known, or maybe it's just
reinforced and through service. I get that, and they get
something too. They get that, as you mentioned that they're
not alone, that they are worthy, that the time that
I'm taking, or anybody who serves is taken, they are
(24:01):
deserving to receive. And it's what we would all want
to be done for.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Us absolutely to have that dignity right to be given
that and to know, yes, I have worth, I have value,
I've been seen by you. It's empowering.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
We talk about the wheelchairs as a renewal of dignity.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Oh my gosh, yeah, it feels that way. That's so beautiful. Well,
our show is the ripple effect, so we're always looking for,
you know, these things that we do, what kind of
ripple do they start? And it's amazing to see what
you guys are doing, because I think you're starting ripples
everywhere you go. And could you maybe talk to us
(24:44):
about some of those things that you're doing. You know,
you're giving people wheelchairs, but it might also affect a
different part of their life or the people around them.
And have you seen that happen? Oh so many times.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
We gave out a wheelchair to a young man a
few years ago and thence through a subsidiary organization that
we partner with, they gave him a scholarship to be
able to go to school. And you know, people with
disabilities are often cast aside for their disability, but once
(25:18):
they get the wheelchair, they have a little bit of
hope to be able to get an education, get a job,
but it's still a challenge. And so this young man
got a scholarship which gave him the boost financially and
emotionally that he needed to demonstrate to him you have
value and you can do this. He then got a job.
(25:41):
He got an education related to technology, and he got
a job doing online marketing, something he could do from
his wheelchair, So some sort of promotion which he's smarter
than me. I was trying to explain it to me,
and it was like going over my head with the
simplistic way I could say. It is a sort of
online marketing where he's promoting products and getting a return.
(26:04):
So he's getting some sort of commission for the products
sold and also helping to build and believe some sort
of video games or whatnot. And as a result, he
was able to support his brother being able, who is
not in a wheelchair, but the family has very limited income,
(26:28):
and he's able to support his brother financially his school
fees so his brother could graduate. Wow and though he
was making a good amount of money each month to
also support his family, so his parents who live with him.
Through his new job that he got, he decided that
he wanted to give other people who have disabilities the
(26:51):
opportunity to get this work. So he then is using
that skill that he learned to train a team which
are like his employees now or associates, and that meant
that his work is now spread out. So he's going
to get a little bit less income per month because
he's sharing it with others, but he's the ripple effect.
(27:14):
He's seeing them now succeed. I saw that firsthand. I
went to his house. I saw his operation with his
computer where he's got his wheelchair that he wheels up.
It was unbelievable and the pride he had, that dignity,
that sense of value was off the charts. He was
(27:36):
so proud. He wasn't thinking about, oh my bed is
wrinkled and you know, don't come into my right. He
wanted to show us his operation, and he wanted to
show us what he's done for his family. Everybody wants
to be able to help others, and he's doing it.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What a beautiful example of exactly what we're trying to
show people that exists in this insane world we live in.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Absolutely everybody needs hope, and we talk about the wheelchair
in terms of the logical thing. It's keeping somebody from
having to crawl on the ground or lay in their
bed all day, but again it's renewing their dignity and
giving them a hope that they are not lost, forgotten,
(28:20):
not worthy to have a life. And if the life
is as simple as the woman who her life simply
is just to be able to go from bed to porch,
or if the life is going from bed to computer
to a job. Everyone wants hope that they can do
a little bit more than they thought of before, and
(28:42):
especially a lot more than they potentially thought they were
going to be limited by once they have a tragedy
or a trauma like a disability. So that's what we're
providing in the wheelchairs, hope too.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Of course, it's beautiful and your mission is sort of
this like intersection of innovation, compassion and faith. You guys
are a faith based organization. How does that play into
what you do every day?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
In countries where we're allowed to and with partners that
embrace us, we give a message of hope and prayer
with the individuals who get a wheelchair.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
So where we can, we are trying to tell people
that they're loved by God, that they were made intrinsically
and uniquely in the way that they were supposed to be,
and if they were born with the disability, that's Okay.
If they developed the disability over time, that's okay too.
We are all children of the Lord, and so we
(29:40):
pray with them, we give them hopeful messages, we share
love with them, and we're telling them that the wheelchair
is a gift that was given by Him and a
lot of times they have already some sort of faith,
different levels of faith, sometimes tons more than us, because
that's the whole that's been getting them over the hurdle
(30:03):
of waiting a decade or two for the wheelchair to arrive.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Right, it's yeah, that prayerful meditation, that survival.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Yes, yeah, that they've been doing in that room, that
dark room, or the room in fastened with mosquitoes at times,
is that right? And so when we arrive, it's almost
like I tell my team this, it's like we're answering
a prayer in a way that's also a big honor.
But it's not always that we meet people that have
that kind of faith, and certainly not always that we
(30:32):
can say a prayer, because there's sometimes people that are
in places where that's not allowed.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
So right, yeah, it's not always possible, but it's amazing
that you can bring that message of hope. I think
that is beautiful. So you've been with Free Wheelchair Missions
since twenty seventeen, yes, nearly nine years. Well, I know
it's amazing. And how has that How have you seen
your life change or the ripple effects from being part
(31:00):
of this mission for all these years.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Oh, I've used the word humbling. It's definitely been humbling.
It's caused me to appreciate my blessings a lot more.
It's caused me to understand my culture a lot more
in terms of my heritage culture. It's caused me to
appreciate where I live in the United States a lot
more and the access we have to things. It's really
(31:23):
been about that, the appreciation for blessings because I see
firsthand the problems, and there are a lot of them.
And I say to myself when I go on to
these trips, okay, you know, I know what I'm about
to get into. And every time I get back on
the plane to come home, I'm blown away. It's always
(31:46):
a surprise, it's always a new thing. So those are
the biggest things. And I also I'm grateful that I
do a job that I enjoy and a job that
has a ripple effect. You know, it's not to diminish
other work, but it is exciting to do something that
you know isn't just a transactional engagement, right. You know,
(32:10):
giving a wheelchair has exponential impact, not just for us
in knowing that we did what our donors wanted. We
gave out wheelchairs and that was nice, but that we
serve the beneficiaris on bended knee. Then they potentially were
able to do more with their lives or minimally their
(32:32):
caretakers and their communities were able to witness that there
are people that care, that disabilities are not limiting, and
that there are opportunities out there if you only look
for them and potentially pray for them.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
So, yeah, that's so good. I feel grateful to have
spoken to you and also a little bit inspired. You know,
this is something a beautiful thing. Is there a way
people can help you guys or get involved with you guys?
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I tell people three things. Pray for us, think positive
thoughts if you're not a prayer warrior, because this work
is not easy. It's also sometimes not the safest to
be in some of these countries where we work. I
tell people to think about sharing about free will tranmission.
I think the more people that follow us on social
(33:24):
media and just communicate about what we're doing, the more
people that will be activated to help or know that
we exist if they need help. And the third is
to give up your heart, give up your treasure, give
up your mind as a volunteer. And the ways to
do that is just to contact us at freewilltremission dot
(33:44):
org and look us up and we're on every single
social media platform that exists and just learn.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Okay, I love it. I'm so grateful for you and
all the work you guys are doing. This was a
fabulous conversation and thank you so much for taking the
time time to share your message.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Thank you for having me Jenna.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Wow. Thank goodness for Nuka. When you strip it all down,
this episode is about something incredibly human, the freedom to move.
My younger brother, he's a professional dancer. His whole life
is movement, and I think about him and what his
life would be if he didn't have that. It's everything
for him. This is just freedom. I think about all
(34:33):
the good things Nuka's doing. They're giving freedom to go
to school, to work, to see friends, to exist in
a community without being trapped in your circumstances. Nuka reminded
me that real change doesn't always come from massive systems
or grand speeches. Sometimes it comes from a well designed chair,
a thoughtful solution, and I think most importantly, a deep
(34:55):
respect for the people that you're serving. And that's the
kind of ripple effect that lacks. So if you want
to learn more or support the Free Wheelchair Mission, you
need to check out the show notes. Their work is global,
it's practical, it's profoundly life changing, and I'm going to
be thinking about them for a while. I'd also really
love to hear from you guys. What's something in your
(35:15):
life that you didn't realize was a gift until you
really stop to think about it. Okay, you've got mobility
health community support. In my case, I don't know, the microwave.
That's pretty cool. You guys realize how awesome that is.
You can just reheat your food about a being about
a boom. All right, that's a big deal. I don't
know why I thought of that, but here we are
talking about the microwave. It's pretty great. Listen, I want
(35:38):
you to share your thoughts with me hashtag ripple effect
or tag me at Jeniekim Jones because I read them.
I promise I do. And for everyone who has reached
out to me, thank you. It's been amazing to hear
from you. And coming up next week, we have one
of the more surprising stories that we've ever told on
this show. After an attack on an LDS church in Michigan,
one man responded not with anger, because that's what you
(36:01):
know we'd naturally respond with, but he responded with compassion. Okay.
He started a fundraiser for the attacker's family, And this episode,
it's complicated, it's tender, and what he did was deeply
human and I can't wait for you guys to hear it.
Until then, take care of yourself, take nothing for granted,
and keep those ripples moving outward.
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