Connections like this make our work worthwhile in spite of obstacles --
April 16, 2003
SFC Blake Rubie in Venezuela asked for a wheelchair back in October for a paralyzed gentleman who drags himself around the ground in order to move around. He lives 20 hours by bus from Caracas. Through Wayne Stephens, LifeNets wheelchair coordinator, we were able to obtain a beautiful chair in Southern Florida. While traveling to St. Louis, Wayne Stephens dropped it off at Ft. Gillem in the Atlanta area. From there it went FREE by military air transport on space available basis to Caracas arriving on April 15th, 2003. Blake Rubie writes:
April 15, 2003 -- Victor, The wheelchair arrived last night. Wow! It is a beauty! My goodness, it looks brand new! What a blessing it will be for that gentlemen waiting for it! Vic, you've been more than helpful and we are so very grateful. We pray that God's blessings be bestowed on you and your organization. May God's divine light be shone on your path, also. We still have to deliver the chair to the gentlemen, a trip of about 20 hours by bus. I'll let you know when the mission is accomplished. We'll take some pictures, too and forward them to you later. Thank you again, Vic, God bless, take care and I'll keep in touch. Regards,
SFC Blake Rubie
Mint condition chair that arrived in Venezuela from Atlanta on April 14, 2003
Administrative NCO, USMILGP-VE,
Unit 4980, APO AA 34037
What I had written earlier:
Another way we leverage our program is through military transport. SFC Blake Rubie, U.S. Military Group, Venezuela found us on the web and asked if we could send a wheelchair for one of his staff who became paralyzed from a fall. All we had to do was to deliver the chair to Fort Gillem in Atlanta and a military transport would take it to Venezuela for no charge to us. This we did. In October it was delivered and he wrote this: The wheelchair arrived last week while I was on temporary duty in Miami. It is in good condition! Thank you very much Victor. It is now in my apartment awaiting tomorrow when Tuscen will deliver it to his friend Eduardo Tuscen is very excited to be able to give the wheelchair to Eduardo...he knows it will be one of the best gifts he could give anybody. Tuscen has told me of another man in the "pueblo" where he comes from...an elderly man of 60 plus years of age...his legs are paralyzed and he drags himself along the ground in order to move around. A wheelchair would be a great gift for him as well. It is a lot to ask you...but we wonder if you could send another wheelchair down here...it would be greatly appreciated.
In December 2003 Blake Rubie wrote, My friend Tuscen can't stop talking about the wonderful blessings this is bringing for all of us...and he's right! Thank you, Victor.
We were able to answer his request for another chair and Wayne Stephens was able to deliver the almost mint condition chair to Fort Gillem in Atlanta (close to the Hartsfield International).
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