What Does Catalyzing Look Like?

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Karen Rispin

Do you remember the fictional character Radar O’Reilly of the 4077th M.A.S.H unit fame? 

Photo Credit: FanPop.comM.A.S.H. was a very successful TV comedy many of us enjoyed watching.

Radar was a corporal, the administrative assistant to the Colonel overseeing the M.A.S.H. unit. If it weren’t for Radar’s often unorthodox expertise at managing resources, the M.A.S.H. unit would not have functioned at all.

Catalyzing is a little like that.

In the AT Catalyst context, it involves bringing needed resources together to get people with disability the equipment and programs they need to lead a more normal and productive life.

An example of this has occurred over the last few months.  As a result, a container is almost ready for shipping to Kenya. 

It all started with the contents of a warehouse in Omaha, Nebraska, that was bought by an individual who buys abandoned warehouses and their contents and then sells them. It turned out that one of these warehouses was full of wheelchair equipment. Rich, an acquaintance of the man who had bought the warehouse contents was asked where it might be useful.

Years before, Rich had volunteered in Kenya with Dr. Dick Bransford who had started BethanyKids. Dr. Bransford had Rich contact Karen, who has begun to get a reputation as the wheelchair lady. Karen asked Rich to take photos, and we shared the images with Luke, a Physical Therapist who works with BethanyKids in Kenya. Luke said it was “dream” equipment—exactly what was needed.

The owner of the equipment graciously indicated that if it could help kids in Kenya, he wanted to be paid only what he had invested, about a tenth of the value.  Karen asked Rich if maybe his church would like to get involved, and Rich’s Sunday school class came up with the money.  Now the wheelchair equipment needed to be moved quickly.

Several years ago, Karen had invited a man named Mark to come to Kenya. Mark is now leading Bee Line Wheelchairs and is interested in providing wheelchairs for BethanyKids. Karen knew Mark was thinking of putting together a container for BethanyKids. She contacted Mark, who sent a truck to pick up all the wheelchair equipment. 

Now it was necessary to find a shipper.  In the meantime, Mark found a donor who paid for 90 Bee Line pediatric chairs. Karen contacted “Friends of Tenwek” who funded 10 more Bee Line chairs for Tenwek Hospital. These were added to the container bound for Kenya. The wheelchair shipment was getting bigger! 

Karen learned that Kijabe Hospital has an agreement with Samaritan’s Purse. If BethanyKids could arrange for the Medical Director of Kijabe Hospital to request the shipment of wheelchair materials, Samaritan’s Purse would ship the requested materials. Luke and David with Bethany Kids worked with the Medical Director, and the shipment was requested.

There are still a few more wrinkles to get ironed out. But Karen’s business contacts and friends have been brought into the AT Catalyst Project, bringing resources together. The result is that very soon, our first large container of much needed wheelchair equipment will arrive at faith-based hospitals in Kenya.  Like RADAR O’Reilly, Karen was able to bring resources together to facilitate others as they do their jobs.

You can become part of this effort—repeating stories like this one many times over—by joining us as a financial partner.

Please consider giving to the AT Catalyst Project. 

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