Visiting the holy sites in Israel is a dream for many, but walking the sites is an impossible task for some. The steep hills, rough ground, and slippery rocks makes it difficult for those with limited ability to get around, however one ministry is making it all possible. According to CBN News, Luke 5 Adventures is a ministry with nine chapters in the United States that helps disabled people move around with a unique wheelchair. For many, Luke 5 Adventures is the answer to many people’s prayers who hoped that, through a miracle, one day they would be able to visit the holy sites in person and up close.
Pastor Kevin Schwieger, the founder of Like 5 Adventures, shared that they just completed their 800th hike in the last 3 years using the accessible wheelchair. The Joelette, as it is called, is “a thin, one-wheel wheelchair with a long, attached pole running along each side of it. Those poles let a person in front and a person behind move the Joelette. They can either roll it or hoist it.”
Dr. John Delancey, who “leads tours combining Israel’s archaeology, history and the Bible,” embraced the opportunity to partner with Luke 5 Adventures to offer the tour to those with physical disabilities or limited mobility. Delancey praised Schwieger’s invention as an answer to a prayer.
“I thought right away this was an answer to prayer. God orchestrated this,” said Delancy, adding “This opens the whole new door for really going anywhere.”
Delancey’s first tour using the technology was in January 2023 with tourist Victoria Odom. Odom recovered from a traumatic brain injury and total paralysis, but even after re-learning how to walk “step by step,” she still could not tackle the rough terrain of Israel’s holy sites. Not being able to walk on slippery rocks or climb uphill, Odom depended on the Joelette to get around the holy sites.
The technology was also used by a girl who was completely blind and hearing-impaired. With the help of the Joelette, she was able to feel the trees, the rocks, the breeze, and all that comes with the experience of walking through the holy sites.
The trips were such successes that Delancey is planning more tours with Luke 5 Adventures for 2024. Giving everyone a chance to experience the holiest sites, Schwieger and Delancey are working together not just to make dreams come true, but to help those with limited mobility have dreams they never thought they could dream before.