Charities For Children

Only 13 at the time, Walter Mendoza had been hit by a garbage truck on the streets of Guayaquil and had awakened from a coma unable to walk or talk. Confined to a wheelchair that was all but useless on the steep, craggy dirt streets of his barrio, Walter found himself in a strange new world – incapable of functioning without another caring soul to direct his every move. I felt like I could relate, if only a little.

Lucky for Walter, and a hapless gringo like me, Raul Yunga was there to lead the way. As the veteran staff driver for the Guayaquil agency, Raul showed up every week after Walter’s accident to take him to physical and speech therapy and provide moral support. The two became fast friends, and as a result of Raul’s guidance, Walter now stands on his own two feet.
 
I can’t wait to ask Walter about the recovery he’s made when I meet him in person again today. And I hope Raul will be there to escort us to his young friend’s home and relive the memories. It’ll be a great way to kick off a return visit to Ecuador.
 
And this time, as I sit in the hotel lounge and read what Walter himself has to say about the help he’s received through sponsorship, I’ll take comfort in the fact that even when we feel vulnerable and alone, with the right support and determination, we can all stand tall. Right, Frank...
 
“For what is a man, what has he got?/ If not himself, then he has naught./ To say the things he truly feels;/…The record shows I took the blows/ And did it my way!”

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Read the original article about Walter’s accident and the help he received from Raul and the sponsorship program.

Damon Guinn is a senior staff writer with Children International. Check back every day this week for updates from the team that is currently on the ground in Ecuador.