Sending a truck off to do what UMCOR does...

UMCOR has a T-shirt that says it very well...

"What happens at Sager Brown...

doesn't stay at Sager Brown."   

 

This week our team came with health kits made by children at Breakfast Club and people attending our worship in Central Park Plaza.  We saw thousands of the health kits leave the building, get loaded on to a truck, and start the journey toward the Philippines.  

In about 2 hours 47 pallets of kits with 28 boxes per pallet were loaded onto the semi trailer container. That is 10,752 health kits and 10,416 school kits which weigh 38,540 pounds at an estimated value of $243,600.     After the last box is placed, all hands were joined and a prayer was offered to send the container on its way.  Great morning.   Great feeling.  

Carol hands the pallet down to Jimmy on ground level. 

  

Gene and his #4 team are unloading a pallet.

 
 

Chuck and his #3 team are loading the last pallet.

 

Chuck puts the last box on the truck

 

Forming the prayer circle with all volunteers.

Half and Half

Today was a half and half day.   Half day of work and the other half our choice.   The team went to the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St. Martinsville, LA  for a bit of enlightenment about the Acadians (Cajuns) and the Creole cultures.   The weather was a little cool but the sun was bright so we were thinking warm.  

A look at the Acadian farm along the Teche Bayou

How about a 350 year old tree?   There were 3 such
trees on this Farmstead and Plantation. 

 

Yes Flat Reggie was with us tonight and was trying to be part of the
music group at the Pont Breaux eatery.  



 Reggie and Susan were to have been with us for our time at Sager Brown but they were not able to join us at the last minute as Reggie had a bit of a problem with his foot.  

"Flat Reggie" you would have missed getting under another trailer today to shut off the sewer line that had been leaking.   Eldon and Chuck had been walking around in muddy water until they realized it was sewage water.   OOPS.    Since Gene had so much experience, he was selected to get back under that trailer (on a piece of plastic) to cap off the sewer pipe that was leaking.  So "Flat Reggie", you are missing a whole lot of fun. 

Another great day in Baldwin...

Eldon worked on the ramp and Gene helped repair kitchen
cupboards.

                                                                                                                                                   

Joyce loves to have her photo taken so she posed for
this one....it was break time and time to meet new friends.

Our volunteer spots changed a bit today but not much.  Just enjoy the photos.  

Thanks to Eldon and his smart phone...we have photo #1.  Getting photos of what the guys do out in the community is much more difficult.   Bonnie just may have to take a field trip.  

 

Max scared us all when he took off his pants!!!

Eldon is working on his fly rod and Dennis is on his
IPad.

Marlene is working on stuffing health kits. 

Susan came back to her newly braided handles.
It had something to do with being on break too long. 

Our team is now complete!!!

Darlene and Chuck arrive Monday afternoon.   

Darlene and Chuck have arrived safely.   The challenge for their trip extended from Indiana through Mississippi so they were very happy arriving in Baldwin on a cool, sunny day with temperatures in the low 50's. 

 

All volunteers participated in a mandatory training this morning before reporting for "duty.  We were reminded over and over that it isn't about the work.   It is about being one with others through Christ.    

 

In one of the training pieces this morning we learned the "stuff" that comes to a distribution center is sometime inappropriate and "stuff" gets in the way of doing what is necessary for those whose lives have been turned upside down by a disaster.   So donations really need to thought out carefully before giving.   Good rule of thumb is to "ask before you collect" to be sure what you are sending can be used by those in need.   A heavy coat for Haiti is not what is needed.   Clothing in general is not needed in a disaster.   (Ask the people in Henryville.  They had semi-s full of clothing that took tons of space and lots of volunteers to sort then and pitch all the items that weren't fit to hand to a person.  Need does not equate to "this is better than nothing". 

 

Bonnie, Connie and Susan spent their day in the sewing room.   Susan was a "pinner", Bonnie was a "surger" and Connie seemed to be a "mover" or "tester".  She used at least 4 sewing machines.   

 

Max, Eldon, Gene, and Bob were out in the community repairing some plumbing and installing a door (two work crews). Gene's job was to fix the drain for the toilet under the house.  He just arrived back to the dorm... SHOWER TIME!!! 

 

Della, Sandy, Dennis, Carol, Joyce and Marlene put together personal hygiene kits.   We may be loading a truck tomorrow that will be on its way to the Philippines.   That doesn't happen every week so we are all looking forward to being part of the "packing" team. 

Connie on Machine # 1  

 


Dennis and Gene doing Kitchen Ministry

Chocolate pie for dessert!!! 

 

Focus on Hunger for January and February

Leading up to February 22, the National/International Mission team, United Methodist Women and Hilltop Ministries will be sharing information and opportunities for our worshiping congregation to become more aware of the issues of hunger here at home and around the world.  The mission focus for January was for ECHO.  ECHO address "world hunger" through crop development and soil studies.   Their goal to improve the yield on crops and the nutrient content of the crop. 

 

We hope you do know what is special about February 22... we are having a Kids Against Hunger Packing event at 1st UMC Valparaiso.   Volunteers are needed for the morning and afternoon sessions.   Please signup between services to give 2 1/2 hours of time on the 22nd.  

 

Another way to volunteer is to support our local food pantry though an activity we are doing with the younger children.  Children ages 3  - 9 years old  will be packing food for children in our community who are on free or reduced lunch programs.   These bags of food will be given to families coming to the food pantry the week before Spring Break.  With children at home for the week, this will help provide some breakfast and lunch items for the family.   

 

 We would ask EVERYONE (whether you can volunteer on the 22nd or not) to bring the following items to church so our children might sort and prepare the bags of food for distribution.  Our goal is to have 50 bags of food to feed a child for 3 days during Spring Break a breakfast and a lunch.  

 

Items needed:

 

Canned Pasta (pull top can)

Chicken Noodle Soup (pull top can)

Easy Mac-N-Cheese (individual serving/microwaveable)

Granola Bars - no nuts

Individual bowls/boxes of cereal

Crackers/Cookies/Chips - individual serving size

Juice with vitamin C  - individual serving size

 

You may also contribute money to purchase these items.  Bring items or a check  to the church, marked Spring Break Bags on or before February 16.     



Two more team members expected on Monday

Thirteen of 15 team members have arrived safely after doing variety of travels before arriving in Baldwin, LA on Sunday, February 2.    Darlene and Chuck Myers are expected to arrive Monday after getting off to a late start...had something to do with snow in the north.  Does anyone up there know about snow?  

Our team this year consists of Marlene and Eldon Versteeg, Bob and Joyce McMurtrey, Connie and Max Roach, Carol and Dennis Deeter, Bonnie and Gene Albert, Darlene and Chuck Myers, Della Bozarth, Sandy Coolman, and Susan Larson.   Darlene, Chuck, Sandy, and Susan are the new kids on the block with this being their first time at the UMCOR distribution center.  

Please keep Darlene and Chuck in your thoughts and prayers that they may arrive safely for this first mission experience at Sager Brown.

 

 

 

 

On our way SOUTH!!!

 

Susan Larson on her first mission trip to Sager Brown!!!

One carload of Sager Brown Mission team members have arrived safely in Birmingham, AL to enjoy a beautiful day outside and a meaningful day inside.   The weather was perfect reaching a high of 65 today.   We spent several hours going through the Civil Rights Institute.  All of us are "young" enough to recall the events of the 50's and 60's but were moved to tears to hear first person accounts of the history of that area today.  

We were across the street from the Baptist church that suffered the bombings on 3 different occasions.   Somber thoughts. 

Baptist Church on 16th Street in Birmingham, AL