Elder Gong commemorates mobility aid achievements in Paraguay
Since 2011, the Solidarity Foundation and the Church have distributed 10,000 wheelchairs in Paraguay, improving mobility for thousands and aiding in developing assessment teams
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, third from right, and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, second from left, accompany Oscar Mersán Galli, president of the Solidarity Foundation, and Roberto Urbieta, vice president of the foundation, along with other leaders of the foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, were accompanied Nov. 11 by Elder Alan R. Walker and Elder Eduardo Gavarret, members of the South America South Area presidency, along with their wives, Sister Inés Walker and Sister Norma Gavarret, at the Solidarity Foundation in Paraguay.
Over the past 13 years, the Church has donated nearly 10,000 wheelchairs to the foundation, with a recent donation consisting of 1,576 wheelchairs and 330 assistive devices.
An empowering movement
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong; Elder Alan R. Walker and Elder Eduardo Gavarret, members of the South America South Area presidency, along with their wives, Sister Inés Walker and Sister Norma Gavarret; and local Church leaders meet with leaders of the Solidarity Foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gong met with Oscar Mersán Galli, president of the board of directors, and other leaders from the foundation. This meeting marked a milestone for the Church and the Solidarity Foundation, as they’ve worked together over the years with the goal to improve the quality of life for individuals with reduced mobility.
According to a news release from the Church’s Paraguay Newsroom, 17 wheelchairs — two specially designed for children with cerebral palsy — were delivered to beneficiaries in Asunción, Paraguay, at the event on Nov. 11. This donation is one of 42 outreach sessions planned over the next two years throughout the country, sponsored in partnership with Itaipu Binacional, an energy company that promotes sustainable community development.
This donation will not only enable the creation of an additional assessment team within the foundation, but also decrease the waitlist of over 800 people awaiting a wheelchair or assistive device.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, meet with local leaders and leaders of the Solidarity Foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, accompany senior and service missionaries at the Solidarity Foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, were accompanied in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024, by Elder Alan R. Walker and Elder Eduardo Gavarret, members of the South America South Area presidency, along with their wives, Sister Inés Walker and Sister Norma Gavarret. Also pictured are Elder Robert Rivarola, Area Seventy, and Óscar Mersán Galli, president of the Fundación Solidaridad. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, were accompanied in Asunción, Paraguay, Nov. 11, 2024, by Elder Alan R. Walker and Elder Eduardo Gavarret, members of the South America South Area presidency, along with their wives, Sister Inés Walker and Sister Norma Gavarret. Also pictured are local Church leaders and leaders of the Solidarity Foundation. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, accompanied by senior and service missionaries, as well as Elder Eduardo Gavarret and his wife, Sister Norma Gavarret, and Elder Robert Rivarola, Area Seventy, in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Oscar Mersán Galli, president of the Solidarity Foundation, are pictured with members of the community in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024.
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Oscar Mersán Galli, president of the Solidarity Foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, right, and Roberto Urbieta, vice president of the Solidarity Foundation in Asunción, Paraguay, on Nov. 11, 2024. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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