Total Access: Bringing Accessibility to Guatemala

By |Published On: June 5, 2012|Categories: News|

Cutting the ribbon at the Municipal BuildingWheeling up the Municipal ramp for the first time

In 1994, a handful of dedicated workers, most of them with disabilites, opened a wheelchair repair shop in Guatemala named Bethel Ministries International. But repairing wheelchairs was just the beginning… In their community, access to public buildings was sorely lacking! So the team dedicated themselves to raising awarneness about the importance of accessibility. This year they celebrated a milestone as a result of their labor – construction of a ramp at the Municipal Building! Working side by side with the workers at Bethel Ministries International was Joni and Friends Total Access, a team of construction professionals who demonstrate the love of Christ by offering professional expertise and hands-on help. At the ramp dedication, tears of joy streamed down the faces of the people living with disability and their families. The crowd broke into applause as the ribbon was cut and those who worked so hard were able to roll up to the Municipal Building in their wheelchairs for the first time. Mr. Edgar Ariel Gómez, one of the founders of the wheelchair repair shop, said, “I want to thank God for making this ramp possible. A lot of people who are disabled cannot get in many buildings and places here in Guatemala. Now this is a great joy because with the encouragement and support of Joni and Friends and Bethel Ministries, the authorities are willing to become a great help for people with disabilities.”

Please visit our Total Access page to see how you can partner with us to help make schools, homes, and hospitals more accessible to people with physical disabilities around the world.

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