Misha's New Wheels!

Update: I wrote this post several weeks ago, but due to our lengthy hospital stay, I'm just now getting around to publishing it.

Philip and I have been so blessed over the last two months by your prayers, gifts and words of encouragement. God has used so many different things to demonstrate His provision for our every need, even before we know those needs ourselves. The following story is a beautiful testimony to this.

When we were preparing to leave the hospital 6 weeks ago, three days after Misha's leg amputations, Misha was very nervous about how we would get from the car to the front door of our house. Our home is not handicap accessible and he was really worrying about how we were going to pull this off. Everyone at the hospital assured us that everything would be fine, but Misha wasn't convinced. After hours of quizing him we began realizing that his big concern was our old wheelchair bumping him around to much and not allowing him to recline to the position that was comfortable for him. We decided to just rent a reclining wheelchair for a few weeks in order to give him peace of mind.

(Misha's old wheelchair)

When the day came to return the wheelchair, Misha had a doctor appointment and since the rental company was nearby we decided to just drop it off on our way home. Just for fun, Philip decided to price wheelchairs while we sat in the car. Minutes later he came out, picked up Misha and told me that the saleman was really nice and had suggested we just bring him in for a look around. As we entered, a used electric wheelchair caught his eye. Philip placed him in it and to all of our amazement he began wheeling himself around with great skill and ease. From the look on his face you would have thought that someone had just handed him the keys to a new Ferrarri. He was clearly impressed!!

However, we left that day realizing that an electric wheelchair simply wasn't something we could wisely spend money on. Two weeks later the salesman called and said that the owner had willingly offered to reduce the price. We were amazed at what a good deal was being offered to us; yet, trying to collect money for Misha's adoption must be our number one focus, so we decided once again that even though it was a great deal... it was a luxury that we just couldn't afford right now.

Several days later, Misha had another doctor exam and we found out that he would be hospitalized for several weeks. After the surgery to connect him to the Wound Vac, I had the opportunity to talk with several patients who also had this machine and began realizing that several weeks is a very hopeful estimation. Everyone I talked with had already been hospitalized for at least 6 weeks and most thought it could possibly still be months before they were able to go home.

The thought of Misha being hospitalized for that much time overwhelmed me for many reasons. How would I juggle hospital and home? How could we make a needy child more independent... quickly? These and other questions raced through my mind.

Suddenly my phone vibrated and brought me back to reality. The wheelchair had been privately donated to Misha by its owner. What a shock! And WHAT a blessing!! When I called the store to thank all who were involved with making this gift happen they connected me with the owner of the wheelchair. I was so blessed by the generousity of a total stranger and yet after only moments on the phone our spirits connected by a shared faith. The owner asked that I not reveal their names but gave me permission to share the blessing.

God used this sacrifice to demonstrate several things about Himself to me. His Omniscence was revealed in His knowing our needs long before we did. The day we innocently pursued renting a wheelchair, for a scared little boy, had been orchestrated by a loving God who was preparing others to join with Him in meeting our needs.

Misha has had many painful experiences these past couple of months. The Wound Vac machine has tubes that are connected to a sponge that fits inside Misha's legs. This sponge has to be changed three times a week and is a very painful procedure. Misha's wheelchair was presented to him just moments after his very first sponge change. There could never have been a more wonderful gift for the moment.Because Misha's arms and hands are deformed the removal of his legs required him to depend on everyone else to help meet his basic needs. As I've watched him glide around the hospital with a huge smile on his face, I've realized that the wheelchair help give him back dignity that he had lost. In his wheelchair he can pretty much go where he wants to go giving him a feeling of freedom and control that he desperatedly needed.

Since Misha has been in-doctrinated with atheism, it has been especially wonderful for him to witness the mighty power of God, in providing all our needs.