Over the weekend, we delivered twenty PETs to Mufulira. We worked with Pastor Zemba Wellington with the SDA church who has worked with us many times over the years to help identify those who need help with mobility. In one beautiful act of kindness and selflessness, one woman who had claimed a PET saw others who had come too late and willingly gave up the claimed PET saying “Please give this to someone who needs it more than me.”

We pray that all twenty people will be able to become more active and involved in their families and in their communities now. And that we can continue to provide PETs to those that need them, including that selfless woman. That in providing this gift to others, we can show the love of Christ to a group of people that are too often forgotten.

This is Abram. He is 5 years old and lives in Solwezi. Earlier this year he became very ill with malaria and stayed in the hospital for about 2 months. There were complications that led to his feet and his hands being permanently damaged. He has lost all his toes and many of his fingers. His hands have already healed but his feet remain in bandages. His wish was to have a bicycle, so for his 5th birthday he was given a small bike but because his feet are in bandages and still very painful he is unable to ride the bike. He sits each day on a mattress outside his house while his siblings and friends play on the street and learn to ride bikes. Receiving this new PET has given him a new life, one where he can be mobile again and play outside with his brothers and friends. It has given his mother and father hope for his future and much reason for his family and friends to celebrate! Thank you so much for enabling Abram to have one of these PET bicycles.

Greetings from LUKULU

Just to share with you the joy your PETS brought to two of our friends yesterday when we delivered them to Tom and Precious respectively. The joy on Tom’s face was indescribable. Precious too was so so happy, but is a little less expressive. The PETs will really transform their lives once they get used to them. The third one for Brian is still in Lusaka as we could not fit it into our vehicle but we have arranged transport in about ten days time. Thank you very much indeed!

Blessings this Advent Season,

Pat Hanvery

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Pat helped PET Zambia find three people in the far corner of LUKULU Zambia that needed PETs. We see this happen all the time throughout Zambia, Malawi, DRCongo and beyond. We are so deeply appreciative of Pat’s love and concern for others in need. This is not only a transforming moment in the PET recipient’s lives, but hers too. This is another example of how all PET partners are working together for the greater good of bringing Christian love through the gift of mobility…

We want to wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!

Delbert & Sandy Groves

The PET Master

The rains are here are in full force. Oh my word are they. One of the hardest we have ever seen here in Zambia. We arrived back from Florida in mid-January and the first thing that happened was a lightning strike that took out the Internet tower. The tower was repaired just two days ago. I mention that as a form of apology for not sending an update out sooner. I will try to send a number of short updates over the next few weeks so I won’t make this one too long.

NOW… One of the first things that needed to be done once we arrived back was to start building PETs. We had to shut down the program because of Rev. Jean Kalonga’s death and we were not here to help oversee the needs of the PET program. However, the request for PETs just kept on coming, hundreds of them.

We just finished the first installment of 50 PETs for 2010! We have already started the work on the next 50. Our goal is to build at least 500 this year. We just sent 10 of them today to the Zimba Medical Mission run by the Wesleyan Church about 800Km from here. A number of other PETs are leaving one at a time right out the front gate of the New Life Center.

One I want to mention was a Push PET. This one was a special custom build. Sandy met this little girl, named Ruthie, at the weekly CHE feeding program for orphans and vulnerable children. Sandy and her CHE girlfriends feed 200 to 300 every Saturday in the Zambian compound just down the road from the New Life Center. We’ll send an update about the feeding program later.

This little girl, Ruthie, is severely handicapped and can hardly move her hands or legs. Her mother carries her every place she going, but she is getting very heavy. The mother asked Sandy if she could help her.

Sandy came and talked with Rev. Dickson (the PET master), who is in charge of the workshop for building the PETs, to see what could be done. He and his team are very hard workers and they love to help others by building PETs. He ended up building this neat little Push-PET. He found some smaller wheels in storage and added this long funny looking bent rod he designed that connects to the front wheel tuning fork. Something new for the Push-PETs. Look closely you’ll see it. This rod allows you to push and steer the PET at the same time. Way to go, Dickson, it works GREAT!

Ruthie’s mother was so deeply appreciative. She just couldn’t believe that supporting partners (like you) and Dickson would take the time to help her little girl Ruthie. I’m sure over time Sandy will see her at the feeding program and she’ll have lots of wonderful stories of how this PET has changed their lives……because PETs always do change lives!