Our friend, Isak, is finally the proud owner of a new red Tuk Tuk. As you can see in the picture, it's a motorcycle type vehicle that has room to haul passengers.
Isak has been crippled since his youth from polio and doesn't have the use of his legs. When we first met Isak in 1999, he was walking all the way from his home at the top of a steep hill near us into town using his hands as his feet. He was always smiling and pleasant even though it must have taken him over an hour to make the trip into town to work at his small sidewalk shoe repair business. He has a wife and three children that he must provide for.
When we returned this time, Isak had been given a hand pedaled tricycle that made his journey into town easier. He keeps it stored at our home because the hill up to his home is almost straight up and even taxi's and most motorcycles don't attempt the steep road.
Thanks to several years of saving on his part and the generous gifts of several of our friends and family; Isak's dream of owning his TukTuk has finally come true. With this vehicle, he is going to start a taxi service which should help him provide for his family and allow his children to attend school.
Isak is a wonderful example of someone who chooses "joy" even in the midst of poverty, pain and hardship. He's one of my "wake up calls" whenever I decide to feel sorry for myself. JOY is a choice and has nothing to do with circumstances.
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