Joshua Bizwick’s Story
Few people have ever heard of the tiny nation of Malawi. It is deep in the sub-Sahara of Africa, and in the vast expanse of the continent it is nearly lost because of its tiny size. Yet in this nation that is considered the third poorest on earth live a kind, gentle, peaceful people who seek only to care for their families, tend their crops and live peaceful lives.
In the Dowa District, near the tiny trading center of Madisi, lives Joshua Bizwick. His life is difficult since he has to crawl to work each day. Both of his parents are dead, both of his legs are gone, and Chief Chakhaza, under whose traditional tribal authority young Joshua lives has no resources with which to help him. With his parents gone there is no one that can care for him. Even though he has two brothers and three sisters no one has the resources to assist young Joshua. He lives just 80 kilometers north of the capital city of Lilongwe, Malawi yet he might as well be at the end of the earth. There has been little hope for his future. The local police, fearing for his safety, have advised him that it is too dangerous for him to crawl to work in the busy traffic along highway M-1, and he must find another way to get around. But if he stops crawling to work he will loose his job and his business. If he looses his business, then who will feed his wife and three young children?
Then on December 21 the people from Blessings Hospital in Lumbadzi came to his home with a wheelchair donated by Free Wheelchair Mission in America. Moses Banda, the Communication Director for Blessings Hospital reports, “When we gave it to him we could see the tears running down his face.”
With a giant smile of appreciation young Joshua replies, “Your gift has made it possible for me to care for myself and my family, plus being able to help my brothers and sisters. We will be able to support ourselves, and not have to be given a hand out by others. Your example of helping me has given me the opportunity to tell everyone they must work hard to succeed, as I am doing. Let me be the example for all of them.