The Container Has Gone!

The container-packing "gang".

Dear Friends of the Children of Zimbabwe, THESE THANK YOUS HAVE TO BE IN BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS!!! Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of people, with the word spreading via email, conference newsletters, and osmosis—whereas we feared having enough to fill a 20 foot container, there was almost too much for the 40 footer we actually loaded on Saturday, September 9. Responding as Individuals, Churches, Vacation Bible Schools , and even as Annual Conferences, boxes came in by post, UPS, and FedEx, and by the car, truck, and van-load. Many boxes arrived almost anonymously. The key to the biggest response were two emails to Lorna Jost and Greg Forrester, UMVIM coordinators for the North Central and Northeast Jurisdictions. Their network was golden! Altogether, people in 20 states contributed 1150 boxes and bags of useful books, school supplies, hospital and medical supplies and even cold weather clothes. Five primary schools, three high schools and two hospitals were the principal recipients. The most notable item, however, is a communion set for Bishop Nhiwatiwa sent by his countryman relative, Rev. Elias Mumbiro. A number of inspiring stories reached us. To tell a few: A Medina, Ohio high school sophomore, set a goal of 100 books at her church’s VBS. It took a truck to bring the 1,500 she actually collected. A number of women vied for top honors for collecting the most boxes of good useful materials. Business people and companies were persuaded to donate books or to provide free shipping. Others drove hundreds of miles to deliver loads. A retired school librarian went shopping at a publisher’s clearance warehouse. An active VIMer persuaded a Catholic missionary hospital order to send us 30 boxes of hospital goods from their new warehouse [Our Chatham, IL UM Center had helped them with their shipments in the past. ] Perrigo, a producer of generic over the counter materials, once again made a generous donation of their products. The list could go on–and maybe it should. A sincere and grateful thanks to all those who collected, shipped, sorted, labeled, and loaded. Group effort made it happen! While this has to be the last container we two can organize, it is obvious that there is a fertile field for expanded work. The United Methodist school system in Zimbabwe is becoming aware of just how much difference books for young children to read is making in their school success. The more ambitious primary schools are making space and arrangements for such libraries. The US response indicates that there there are tens of thousands of books waiting to be donated and collected. It is both challenging in the detail and greatly rewarding in the results. We will be happy to help. Children are waiting for something to read—it will make a tremendous difference in their lives. Which one of you is going to step up to the challenge of organizing and shipping the next container? It has been a wonderful, challenging, exhilarating, and exhausting experience to be the focus of such an outpouring of generosity. " Christian Love in Action," the motto of UM Volunteers in Mission, is certainly apt! Shalom, Morris and Ann Taber PS We will try to keep you posted on the progress of the container and the results on our Zim website annmorristaber.net