A Moving Delivery (by Chuck Ruane)

7:00 - All hands in the meeting room to setup the presentation of 80 wheelchairs at the Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre. Press present. 16 additional chairs were given to the Rotary Club of Blantyre for later distribution. David Ross of Blantyre Rotary presented a First Day Cover Rotary Malawi 75th anniversary to Bill McDade.

The recipients began arriving by truck, crutch, by crawl, to receive their wheelchairs. A compelling and compassionate sight. After demonstration, a round of applause to USA Rotarians with many nice comments and thank you in their native language, translated by the President of the Blantyre club. It was very moving to hear the testimonies from the recipients. They said the wheelchairs will help them to work or to find a job. One man said he now felt like a rich white man. Many others said that this was the first time they were allowed inside the hotel, and they always wondered how it was like.

Then DG Larry Scott spoke to the crowd, also translated by the President of the Blantyre club. Thanks and gratitude. We saw many different elements, many deformities, twisted feet, no legs, polio victims. There is no way to describe the scene and the words of thanks.

All recipients of chairs left proudly by the front door of the hotel.

10:30 - Group departed the hotel after waiting for Kirk and his laundry. A local Rotarian from the Limbe club, Henning von Ribbeck, followed us with his car. A few of us went with him to free some space in the crowded bus. Celebrities in the 4 wheel-drive included Chuck, Chuck and Philippe.

In route, we stopped to take pictures of the tea taker, and arrived at the Thiolo District Hospital, 12 noon, and dropped 40+ chairs.

Departed 12:30 with fuel stop, arriving at Mulanje Hospital at 1:20 pm. Deli lunch on site supplied by McDade: peanut butter, jelly and bread crumbs.

It rained heavily throughout the delivery and it dampened our spirit for a little while.

Depart at 3:30 for Malamulo Mission Hospital. Met Mussa, an old acquaintance of Bill McDade. We dropped 40 wheelchairs.