GLOW Wheelchair Ministry

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GLOW Wheelchair Ministry

GLOW stands for God's Love on Wheels. The ministry coordinates and distributes free wheelchairs to i Chairs are distributed as a free gift.

GLOW assists in distributing used, refurbished wheelchairs in the Philippines for indigents who need mobility assistance in cooperation with Philippine Relief and Development Services, Inc. (PhilRads), Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines (CBAP), Luzon Convention for Southern Baptist Churches (LCSBSC), and Christian Foundation for Persons with Disabilities (CFPD). GLOW partners with local churches in the Philippines whose pastors care for and follow up on the spiritual and emotional well-being of the wheelchair recipients and their families. The two-fold purpose of GLOW is to give people mobility, and ultimately, to lead them to the hope of Jesus Christ. These used wheelchairs come from Japan through the ministry of Wheelchairs of Hope. Wheelchairs of Hope collects the wheelchairs from individuals, hospitals & rental companies in Japan and in turn, GLOW helps disseminate them in the Philippines. Anyone who is financially unable to buy a wheelchair is eligible. In 2010, a container from Japan with 127 wheelchairs was shipped to the Philippines and were distributed within two years. In September 2012, another container arrived and is awaiting to find the 125 families who will be blessed by this ministry. The third container arrived in 2016 and another one is slated to come later in 2021.

16/08/2025

At 45, Margie Santos was diagnosed with Stage 5 polycystic kidney disease and is a candidate for a kidney transplant.

Her husband, Ferdie Santos, is the pastor of Jesus the Shepherd Community Church in Cavite. They have three grown children, all serving the church. The eldest, Jennifer (24) is the Music Director, Jasmine (22) is a Worship Leader, and the youngest, Janine (19) and a Sunday School teacher.

Despite Margie's health status, she continues to serve as a Youth Teacher, a job she has held since 2007. Her 26-year-old kidney donor backed out, but Pastor Ferdie believes the Lord will provide. He added that the Lord has been faithful to the family. The Lord provided for the youngest daughter's expensive brain surgery, as well as the life-saving medicine Margie needed when she had COVID in 2020.

Margie continues to inspire everybody in church as she serves. Pastor Ferdie believes that the Lord has provided this wheelchair so he can more easily and quickly bring Margie to her thrice-a-week dialysis in the hospital. Truly, God is Jehovah Jireh!

-- Based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

02/08/2025

At 47, Myra Gelvoligo from Kawit, Cavite, has survived three strokes. The first one occurred when she was 42 and the second one happened when she was 45. Her third stroke made her body extremely weak that she could barely stand, much less, walk.

In addition, hypertension is an issue. It runs in Myra’s side of the family. Her parents died from the it, and almost all of her eight siblings have hypertension.
Myra’s husband, Forts, is a CAD operator in a stainless fabrication company. They have a 19-year-old son who is in Grade 11. On weekdays, Myra is left alone to fend for herself, so the wheelchair enables her to do chores in the house.

Forts says, "Thank you to Wheelchairs of Hope, as it greatly helps her. You can see the rice cooker (it is on the floor) so she can reach it. Now, it is easier for Myra to move around the house. Thank you very much."

-- Based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

Support GLOW Wheelchair Ministry through GLINTS: glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow

12/05/2025

Ruben Meneses is 79 years old, a widower who lives with diabetes and has been unable to walk since undergoing prostate surgery in 2021. His adult children, Gerardo (38) and Mary Jane (29), are doing their best in taking turns providing care for him. In addition to their financial support, other relatives also contribute.

Ruben was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) based in Hong Kong when he was younger—first as a construction worker, and then later as a handyman for a German couple on their household staff. He recalled that the German employer was very demanding, asking him to work over 12 hours a day, sometimes even 24 hours. He could not even eat rice as the wife hated the smell of rice and Ruben was forced to eat noodles instead.

It was during his stint in Hong Kong that Ruben developed symptoms of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). He was sent back to the Philippines and was compensated to seek medical treatment. However, instead of taking care of his health, Ruben used the money to build a house for his family.

Ruben received a wheelchair from Wheelchairs of Hope and GLOW about nine years ago, after another recipient passed away. What Ruben had was already dilapidated, so he needed a replacement. With the use of his second wheelchair, Ruben keeps himself busy with household chores like cooking, gardening, and laundry.

Truly, this ministry is effective in its reach—sometimes one wheelchair can benefit more than one person.

--Post based on report provided by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

14/03/2025

“Tondo District lies on the outskirts of metro Manila, Philippines, and has a population of about 631,000. Tondo is a collection of temporary housing units constructed on a dump site and is known as one of the worst slums in the country. The odor of decay hangs in the air on every street and is a lingering heaviness.” (See article from Samaritan’s Purse).

At 84, Rosalina Turla from Balut, Tondo, suffers from several conditions, including osteoarthritis, kidney and pancreatic stones, GERD, acid reflux, and of hearing.
Rosalina and her late husband supported their eight children as Metro Manila Aide street cleaners.

Out of the 8 children, only one child, Tess, finished school through the Norwegian Missionary Alliance. Tess is presently a part of the finance department of the Luzon Convention for Southern Baptist Churches (LCSBC), one of GLOW’s partners.

Rosalina depends on her government pension and her daughter Tess's support for her medicine, diapers, and hospital check-ups.

Daughter, Asuncion, expressed gratitude on behalf of her mother: “Thank you to Wheelchairs of Hope. This helps her tremendously. Now, she can go outside the house with ease and enjoy the sunlight. She used to walk with the help of a cane, but it was difficult for her. Hospital visits for ultrasound and x-rays, will be easier now.”

Included on the team that delivered the wheelchair were Pastor Levi (in cap) and Sister Diane (gray dress) Velasco from GLINTS, Pastor Eric Ortega (gray shirt) from LCSBC), Pastor Andi Barredo (striped shirt) from Good Shepherd Christian Church, and Judy Raymundo (glasses) from GLOW.

Give a gift to GLOW: glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow

03/03/2025

Cagayan Valley is in the northern region of the Philippines. Nicolas Garvida, a 93-year-old widower, is from there. In 1999, Nicolas fell from a carabao (water buffalo) as he was harvesting bamboo.

The accident left him unable to stand, and walking is a struggle for him. He takes maintenance medicine for hypertension and suffers from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). In addition, he is also showing memory lapses at his age.

His only child, Digna, passed away a few years before his wife did, and Nicolas was left with six grandchildren who now support his needs. He also enjoys the company of his 11 great-grandchildren.

His constant caregiver is his granddaughter, Toni Garvida, a church member of God’s Family Worship. Toni says that everyone in the community likes Nicolas because he is very sociable and often greets everybody as they pass his house.

--Post based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

13/01/2025

At 60 years old, Elvira Masangkay suffered a stroke, resulting in a blood clot in her brain. Since her surgery in 2019 to remove the clot, Elvira has not been able to walk. She was using a second-hand dilapidated wheelchair that her sister based in another province in Negros Occidental, obtained for her. Elvira is in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.

Her husband, Ernesto, used to be a security guard at the National Food Authority in Mindoro, but had to retire in 2016 because of a stroke and the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

Unable to work, Elvira and Ernesto are financially supported by two of their four adult children. The second child works as a gasoline attendant in Cavite. The eldest, Jean May Quinones, requested a wheelchair from Pastor Aristotle Ramos, who leads Christ-Centered Christian Fellowship Church.

The family is grateful for the wheelchair that they can now bring Elvira outside the house to enjoy fresh air and sunlight.

-- Post based on report by GLOW Executive Director, Judy Raymundo

Give to GLOW through GLINTS: glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow

02/01/2025

Pastor Oliver Bayaya, 55, leads Jesus Reigns Church in Pag-asa, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. As he was repairing the church's roof, the roof gave way. Pastor Oliver fell and fractured his thigh bone. Ten days later, at a hospital, a metal was inserted into his left thighbone.

Despite his injury, Pastor Oliver continues to preach at his church. Having a wheelchair from GLOW and Wheelchairs of Hope makes it easier for him to continue preaching and go to hospital check-ups. His wife, Emilie, is a pastor at another church of the same affiliation.

Communication with Mindoro is challenging because of its limited electric supply and weak internet signal. Pastor Oliver had to leave his house to even get a phone signal. Unfortunately, his phone cannot take clear pictures or videos. The video was shot by Pastor Aristotle Ramos, who lives far from Sablayan, Mindoro.

--Post based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

25/11/2024

Sabina de la Cruz has cerebral palsy. At seven years old, she is non-verbal, non-ambulatory, visually impaired, and hearing impaired. Because of these challenges, she requires full-time care.

Sabina's mother, Teresita, recalls that Sabina started having seizures three days after she was born. These seizures required her to stay in the hospital for six months.

She was using a stroller, but Sabina was uncomfortable because she had outgrown it. Teresita contacted Wheelchairs of Hope directly as she desperately sought a suitable pediatric wheelchair for Sabina.

At that time, there was a wheelchair available but its wheels were broken. After finding the rear wheels and being provided with the front wheels, Nelson, Sabina's father, replaced the wheels himself so the chair could be functional. It took about three months to complete the request.

The wheelchair was delivered to the de la Cruz rental unit in Manila. Sabina is supported by her father as a tricycle driver, while Teresita buys and sells food and other items to augment the family's income.

The family is very grateful for wheelchair, as Sabina has to go to a government hospital for check-ups and wait in line as early as 5 a.m. Teresita knows of other parents of children with cerebral palsy who need wheelchairs, and she will refer them to GLOW.

Since they are not affiliated with a church, GLOW Executive Director Judy Raymundo asked Pastor Jose Miguel Pacheco to be part of the delivery team, pray for Sabina, and share the good news about the love of Jesus to her family.

--Post based on report by Judy Raymundo / Video edited by Celine Baldemor

To support GLOW: glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow

11/11/2024

In January 2023, John Anthony Ignacio was driving his motorcycle under the influence and had a serious accident. The 34-year-old father of three insisted on driving his motorcycle home late at night after he had a few drinks with friends. Anthony drove over a gutter, was thrown off the motorcycle, slammed his head into a tree, and landed on the street.

As he lay in the street, onlookers assumed Anthony was dead. But someone from the local government brought him to the hospital.

He was in ICU for six weeks with a cracked skull and a broken right clavicle. Anthony’s injury affected the right side of his brain and caused difficulty in moving his left leg.

A wheelchair from GLOW was delivered to him at his mother’s house in Las Pinas. Anthony’s mom, Maria Dichoso became his full-time caregiver. While he was cared for there, his three children stayed in their home in Pampanga and cared for by his in-laws. Anthony’s wife works as a domestic helper in Oman.

Anthony accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior just one week before he received the wheelchair. Grateful for a new lease on life, he promised to change his ways. He goes to the covered plaza every morning and exercises his paralyzed left leg.

Because of the trauma from the accident, he no longer drives a motorcycle and cannot imagine driving one again. In fact, Anthony’s family gave his motorcycle to the man who brought him to the hospital.

Anthony has so much hope in his newfound faith. He promised that as soon as he can work again as a roof installer, he will 'pay it forward' by providing free roof installation to those in need.

Pastor Pio Raymundo from Greenheights Community of Believers prayed for him and counseled the family.

-- Story based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

24/09/2024

Sixty-year-old Rita Martirez Durwin had a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mini stroke, temporarily disrupting blood flow to the brain. The symptoms resolved then. Three months later, Rita received a J & J vaccine. The vaccine was administered on a Friday, and half of her body was paralyzed by Monday. The family had no means to bring her to the hospital for treatment, and her health deteriorated quickly.

Her family, who provided care for Rita, were not aware that an underlying health issue, like a stroke, was a factor that contributed to the effects of a vaccine.
Today, Rita cannot walk, has to be assisted during feeding, her speech is slurred.

Rita lives in a remote town where the phone signal is weak and unstable. Her family is ministered to by Pastor Nestor Pagunuran from the Gabot 1st Baptist Church. Pastor Nestor sought the help of Pastor Mac Haluag from Tuguegarao to ask for a wheelchair.

Rita has two daughters who have families of their own. Both try to help as much as possible with their meager income. One daughter is a department store merchandiser, and the other daughter helps her husband-farmer sharecropper.

Although her speech has been affected, this function is not completely gone. Rita is sobbing because she could not verbally express her appreciation for receiving a wheelchair.

--Post based on report by Judy Raymundo, GLOW Executive Director

Support GLOW: https://www.glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow/

14/09/2024

Mark Justin Naval or MJ is 15 years old. At 13, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the bone. This type of infection is caused by the same bacteria that develops into pulmonary tuberculosis but is not spread through the air. Bone TB can affect different bones and joints, but most commonly, the spine. It can be treated with anti-biotics. Although bone TB is a relatively rare condition, it is more common in developing countries.

MJ became unable to walk and the curvature of his spine became very prominent. In February of 2023, MJ could no longer attend school in person. His teachers allowed him to attend classes online and provided him with modules to complete at home.

MJ’s father, Leonard, says that MJ was very active and fond of playing basketball. Leonard and his wife, Maribel, noticed that their son was continuously losing weight. They consulted a doctor, who prescribed vitamins. But after a few months, MJ’s weight did not improve. He barely tipped the scale at 19.5 kilos (43 lbs).

Only then did the doctors conduct more tests to confirm that MJ had contracted tuberculosis of the bones. During the pandemic, MJ’s father lost his job as a laborer at a company engaged in metallurgy. However, Leonard and Maribel did not give up. They became garment sewers based in their house. "I had to learn fast how to sew as I have no choice so that my family can survive,” Leonard said.

MJ and Pastor Phonny Jorquia’s son are in the same class, and that’s how Justin was connected to the wheelchair program of PhilRADS.

Pastor Jorquia leads Pag-ibig (Love) Baptist Church and MJ received the chair through the church.

--Post based on report by Grace Baga, PhilRADS

27/08/2024

GLOW partners with Philippine Relief and Development Services (PhilRADS) in identifying individuals in need of wheelchairs. Through the PhilRADS Wheelshare program, several people in Bangued, Abra, received wheelchairs provided by GLOW. Another person in this area who received help through PhilRADS is 80-year-old Teresita Go.

After suffering a stroke in 2020, half of Teresita’s body was paralyzed and she had difficulty speaking. She recovered from the effects of the stroke, but she had a fall in 2021. Teresita slipped on the floor on her way to the bathroom that left her with a fractured hipbone.

She is thankful that her grandson took her in and is relieved that her daily needs and medical expenses are covered by her government pension. However, that was not enough to purchase a wheelchair.

Teresita was using a walker and was experiencing a lot of discomfort. But now with the use of a wheelchair, she has a safer mode of mobility and she is much more comfortable. The chances of falling are decreased and Teresita no longer has to worry about balance issues brought on by arthritis.

-- Post based on report by Grace Baga, PhilRADS

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+63272149213

Website

https://www.glints.org/partners/gods-love-on-wheels-glow/

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