We have had two ladies from a little town close by come over to volunteer this week and yesterday I got to meet one of them.
They have been working with one of our Long Term Volunteers sorting supplies people send in that cannot be used in the kits. There are strict government regulations as to what can be shipped overseas and what cannot. I have no idea just what big government agency decides this but I'm sure it's well paid.
The supplies that people send in that are not usable in the kits go to various agencies in the area but have to be sorted. When you are putting a kit together there is a big tub you can put something in that cannot be used, then it is taken to another lady and she sorts it all out and others know where it can be used. Some go to the Abuse Center, some the a medical center, some of it is boxed up and sent to Haiti.
If people making the kits would read the directions on the internet and not make this mistake we could eliminate this step but well...it's all put to good use.
So, here are these ladies working and I mean working. They never stopped and they are both in their 80's. One of them mentioned she made scarves for the Hospice Center and also little "ditty" bags. Yesterday she brought both of these in for us to see as we had given her a lot of fabric we could not use.
She makes the scarves for them to wear and puts foam in the front and folds the scarf over it to a perfect triangle. The bags are draw string type with the most wonderful assortment of personal items in there. She DONATES all of this. She does get help from some churches collecting items like tooth paste, deoderant, etc, but this woman does most of it herself. She is 81.
One of the women sewing said her daughter was just recovering from colon cancer and uterine cancer and her hair was growing back in and she had dyed it light green and said she was "Kicking ASS Cancer"
God at work? Youbetcha!!!!!
Thank you for your work, Ellen, and for telling us these details!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to meet THOSE ladies!
ReplyDeleteIsn't Haiti overseas? Different rules for them?
Well, we have to pack EVERYTHING as if it is going overseas. Then when a disaster hits, no matter where, we know the stuff will go. After we pack it they store it up in the Depot shrink wrapped with maybe 200 health kits or 500 school bags and can be pulled off quickly. Some of it might sit there 2 or 3 months before it's used.
ReplyDeleteThey said when Katrina hit they were sending ANYTHING because we were delivering it ourselves.
Kim, you might like to borrow Phyllis's video. Don't know why I never gave one to you. IF she doesn't still have it I'll see you get one.
Yes, Ellen and Kim - I still have the video. I still wish I could be there with you! And Ellen - you told me that the specs that I have for the kits are not relevant. What is the Internet address/link, so I can get the current lists and/or instructions?
ReplyDeletePhyllis, I'll try to find that and put it on your FB page, O.K.?
ReplyDeleteI can pretty well tell you and if I can't find it myself I'll do just that TOMORROW.
Tonight is Vespers and I'm bushed. Been walking every day fter work.
How is Susan?