MONTEGO BAY, St James — Over 200 disabled individuals across Jamaica are set to benefit or have benefited from the gift of a wheelchair courtesy of the work of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

According to president of the conference, Pastor Glen Samuels, a need was recognised and the conference took the steps necessary to make it a reality to provide access to mobility.

“West Jamaica Conference looked at its territory and we see a number of persons in our visitations who have to be lifted from their homes, to the car, to the doctor and such, and so we had discussions with a foundation in the United States called Chair The Love Foundation,” Samuels told the Jamaica Observer.

These discussions proved fruitful and a total of 240 chairs were provided to them courtesy of the support from anonymous donors to the effort. The brand-new chairs were manufactured overseas and shipped to Jamaica.

Samuels said considering the number of chairs donated, it made sense to make donations outside of the realm of the conference, as there was an islandwide need.

“We gave 47 to Portland and St Mary, to our Adventist offices there, and they gave to the people without regard to denomination,” he said.

“We gave 40 to Trelawny and St Ann, and 45 to St Catherine. On Friday, East Jamaica — that’s Kingston and St Andrew and St Thomas — we sent theirs to them as well,” he declared.

Also benefiting from the donation of chairs will be Cornwall Regional Hospital and Noel Holmes Hospital.

Other chairs, Samuels explained, will be donated to individuals in various communities in the conference based on recommendations from church members and other stakeholders.

Two such individuals turned up last week and were provided with chairs after interventions were made by the Cornwall Combined Disabilities Association on their behalf.

Beverly Hills resident Lettisha Reid couldn’t hide her joy after being provided with a chair, something that she had been wanting for some time.

“Mi really appreciate it because mi want one long time,” she told the Observer.

“I really appreciate it because I really wanted one to move around because I have to use the stick and because my knee bend a way, I can’t get to move around,” she explained.

She said that she had a wheelchair some years ago, but that is no longer usable and therefore she has had to be dependent on her crutches.

“I get an injection near my spine 2006 and it crippled me where I couldn’t walk,” she said.

Glendevon resident Antonette Moodie also shared that she has challenges with her mobility but financial impediments have made things difficult.

“I feel good because at least I don’t have to spend what I don’t have,” she disclosed.

She also explained that she had a chair before but it’s currently not working. This donation has therefore made a world of difference.

“I feel comfortable, feel overwhelmed, I am happy about it, I give God thanks,” she declared.

“It will help me when I am at home to cook and things like that, to move around with it,” she stated.

For Pastor Samuels, it was easy to donate to individuals even outside the denomination, given what it means for the work that they do as a church family.

“For us, real church takes place after you’ve left the building called church. The church building facilitates worship and administrative stuff for church, but in terms of representing Christ, He said as much as you’ve done it to the least of these,” Samuels related.

“Beyond the preaching of the gospel, we believe in helping to feed the hungry, helping to clothe the naked, and helping to provide mobility to those who can’t move,” he said.