THE PET REPORT, FLORIDA
( P.E.T. = Personal Energy Transportation)
Vol. 6  THE GIFT OF MOBILITY, THE GIFT OF HOPE Spring 2004

The wheelchair that goes where wheelchairs can't go

ALICIA'S STORY

 Alicia Yessenia is 19 years old and lives in Honduras. She was 18 months old and just learning to walk when she contracted polio and has not been able to walk since then. She could crawl for short distances with wooden blocks to protect her hands and completed third grade but couldn't go farther as the next school was too far away. She is from a very poor family and could never afford a wheelchair. Dr. Raul Ugarte, who receives PETs from Missouri PET and us through the Washington, Missouri Overseas Mission, found her and gave her a PET. Dr. Ugarte reports, "It is hard to put into words how excited she was to receive this chair. Her whole body was shaking and she began crying. 'this PET is going to change my life. I can get around without someone having to carry me'. Her mother was in tears as well"

LETTER FROM UGANDA

I am Noah Segawa. I am 32 years old. When I was 18 1 had polio and I cannot stand or walk. I depended on others to move me around. With the PET I can now move myself for miles without difficulty. Right now I have set up a workshop where I do my work of radio and TV technician. I feel glad and so blessed with the PET. I express my gratitude and happiness.' in the name of Jesus Christ for such a wonderful gift from your organization which I could never afford before.

This from Mel West, PET Missouri;
PET comes to life when the stories are told. With each PET there is a story. When most first hear about or see a PET it is just a cute little cart. Hut when they hear the stories of hose who receive them the little machine comes alive as a gift of God to God's people. it is also the stories that are the "paycheck~ for the volunteers and donors. They tell us who we are and "whose" we are.

THE PET PROJECT IS GROWING
Given the tremendous and ever growing need and the very successful PET vehicle in meeting the need for a wheelchair that can go where a normal wheelchair cannot, we are very actively seeking to replicate the PET project in as many places as possible. We have successfully enabled a robust center to be established in Luling, Texas and are currently at various stages of development with 5 other groups around the U.S. One of these is in Tampa, Florida where Jeff Sukup of the Davis Islands Baptist Church is the initiator.

Jeff has worked several times in our center making and using the templates he would need and we have been down to his center to help hen set it up. Here we see Jeff at work in the Tampa Center creating a PET body. His own church strongly supports the project with funds and volunteers. Other churches in the area provide funds and volunteers as well..
Is God calling you to initiate a PET production center where you are? If so, we stand ready to assist you. We can see that the best way to start is for two or three key people to spend a minimum of two days working in our center, creating and using the templates they will need. While here they will be exposed to the other things that constitute a successful center such as the legal structure, promotion and fund raising, web site, newsletter, recruiting parts partners, and distribution of PETs. As enablers, we will reserve and pay for accommodation and meals on our retirement campus for up to 3 individuals for 3 days for training here. When you leave you should be able to go with the basic templates you have made and used yourself, one complete PET packed and ready for shipping that you can assemble for show and-tell when you get home and from which you will have a sample shipping container, a hook of engineering drawings for the metal parts, sample packing and assembly instructions, pictures you have taken, and the basic knowledge to set up a PET production center. We stand ready to go to your place and assist you personally at some point if needed.

JEFF IN THE WELDING SHOP   

WILL THERE BE A PET PLACE IN TENNESSEE?

Janet Wichtman and Freddie Brown and a very supportive pastor and congregation of a United Methodist church near Muifreesborough, Tennessee think so. In the picture below we see them ready to load the templates and samples they helped create and worked with while working in our center for two days recently. In a letter received from Janet aft' their visit she says, "Freddie and I are still doing PET presentations and trying to get more money for this project- We are still very excited about this. -All Systems ARE Go !!"

Yes! I want to bring mobility to a person. whose legs do not function! Please find my check enclosed.$                        for PET's at $250.00 each toward the purchase of a PET.