Tuesday, September 15, 2009

McKayla's Humanitarian Project

McKayla is working on one of her Young Women's Value Projects.

"GOOD WORKS: I will help others and build the kingdom through righteous service.

Serve others. Volunteer in the community, gather items to
meet humanitarian needs, spend extended time assisting with child or elderly care, or tutor in school or in your community."

She headed up a project that would gather supplies and disperse them to children who needed them through our church's Worldwide Humanitarian Project.

First, she made this poster showing samples of the materials that needed to be included in each school kit. That included pencils, eraser, a set of colored pencils, ruler, pencil sharpener, scissors, and spiral notebooks. Her goal was to gather enough to make 30. She ended up with enough to make almost 50.

She had to go around to different groups and ask for supplies. People were so generous. With the extra supplies, we donated them to a young man who is gathering school supplies for an Eagle Scout project to benefit a local charity.

She brought all the materials together and got them ready. She showed how to assemble and then had the group put them together in an assembly line method. Here are some pictures from the event.

She did a great job. Those school kits will help students in another part of this world have the resources to learn.

I am so proud of the work she did. I am glad that we belong to a church that believes in charity and service and leadership training and education and values and action.

At first, I was a little worried that this would be a difficult project because of the economy. Many people are dealing with either job losses or reduced hours. Many people are living on less and watching and counting every penny. This is a project that required things to be purchased. I knew that we would have plenty of people willing to help sew the bags. But the materials? They costs money. Actual dollars that people would have to spend.

The result was overwhelming. Everyone gave what they had. Some gave fabric. Some gave their time. Some bought things on sale. Some people donated cash. It was a wonderful thing to see everyone donate what they had. I know that blessings will abound. I know that we gave the gift of education to nameless strangers. But we also received the gift of peace and unity. Blessings will abound among each and every person that contributed.

Matthew 25: 35- 40
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

1 comment:

D3AB said...

Thanks for this post! What an uplifting start to my day! Good job McKalya!