Cañas was smiling ear to ear today !!! The volunteers arrived early and the mood was more like that of a family reunion. This was the first wheelchair event in Cañas and the expectations and emotions were running high. We wanted to make sure that everyone that showed up (and those that were unable to show up due to their disability) received their much needed wheelchair. Busy tightening the last nuts and bolts on the few remaining wheelchairs we looked up and out of nowhere the lines wrapped around the block with everyone anxiously waiting for the event to begin. Thanks to all of our friends, volunteers and donors many dreams came true today as for one reason or another the people in those lines were in situations where they have been unable to move around on their own. We heard many moving stories of hardship...real tear jerkers. The amazing part of it all was the magnitude of the perseverance, strength and courage of the people we met today.

It's amazing to hear the appreciation that comes from the friends, family and loved ones of the wheelchair recipients. You don't realize it at first but the ripple effect reaches further than just the immediate family. That became quite evident after speaking with an old friend of a wheelchair recipient. Raul approached us with a glow, huge smile and boisterous laugh. Part of daily life here includes friends and neighbors meeting at the local park to have coffee and discuss the recent soccer game, politics, the days of old or just plain catch up on the neighborhood gossip.