Collecting Wheelchairs with Bernie

Isn’t it amazing how God is always leading you? Just like how God has been leading Bernie Punte all these years.

One day, while listening to the radio, Bernie heard about Joni and Friends. He instantly connected to the mission and felt the Lord tug on his heart to give. And for that, he received a note of thanks and a Joni book. He picked up the book and began reading right away.

Like so many others, Bernie was inspired by Joni’s story. He began to wonder, “What have I done in my life to serve others?”

He could sense God leading him, but to what? Where was he to serve?

Well, when he connected with Joni and Friends, he learned about Wheels for the World and that really got him energized. He decided to travel with us overseas as a wheelchair mechanic on a Wheels outreach team.

For Bernie, serving on the outreach was life changing.

It was a real chance to make a real impact. Not only was he helping people impacted by disability by giving them a wheelchair, but also handing out Bibles and the message of salvation.

He was enthused by this experience and was asked if he would also like to collect wheelchairs with us. At the time he had a full-time job and politely declined. He couldn’t imagine having the hours to collect wheelchairs, too!

Little did he know that God had very different plans. For the next two days, all Bernie could think about was collecting wheelchairs! He felt strongly that God was leading him to give it a try.

And so, he signed up to be a Chair Corps volunteer. Immediately, he felt such peace knowing that he had responded to the Lord’s call.

God had led him from one thing to the next… and now, he knew that his service in the kingdom would be to collect wheelchairs.

These old wheelchairs that he collected would be restored, so that disabled people who have nothing could now experience the freedom of mobility.

And now? For fifteen years, Bernie has been faithfully collecting wheelchairs in the Baltimore area and beyond. Through this experience, he has made great friends with many leaders, organizations, and businesses in his community. He’s building relationships and sharing seeds of the Gospel. And for that, God has responded with such favor.

Bernie has been able to forge friendships with wheelchair donors who sometimes give as many as 60 wheelchairs at a time! As his success grew, it became necessary for Bernie to acquire a permanent storage space for all these wheelchairs. Through the help of some friends, he acquired a trailer that can store about 120 wheelchairs at a time.

This faithful Chair Corps volunteer has collected thousands of wheelchairs and even continues to travel every year as a mechanic with Wheels for the World.

Serving on outreaches and fitting restored wheelchairs to people impacted by disability moves Bernie’s heart.

Every year he sees new people whose lives are changed by the gift of mobility and hope in Jesus. That is what energizes him to keep on collecting wheelchairs!

God led Bernie all this way… so that he could be used by the Lord to bring people to Christ.

Look, God might be asking you to serve as a Chair Corps volunteer. If so, Bernie would say: “Give it a try.” And as Hebrews 13 says, “He will equip you with all you need for doing His will.”