Local relief effort prepares kits for displaced Syrian families
By Dave Mast
April 26, 2014
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As the crews for Relief Kits for Syria were preparing for what would soon be a hectic Saturday morning rush April 12 at Troyers Country Market, there was one problem.
The towels for the relief kits were stuck in Columbus, and would not be shipped in time for volunteers to put together close to 1,000 kits.
No problem, when you have put your faith in God being in charge of your program from the very beginning.
Myron Weaver, pastor of Berlin Mennonite and chair of the Syria project, picked up a telephone and made a call to one of his congregation, Perry Chupp.
All he wanted was to borrow a truck, pay for the gas and get the towels back to Berlin.
Perry wouldnt have any of that, said Weaver. He told me that they had a truck coming up close to Columbus, and they would just pick them up and deliver them that Friday night. There are a couple of things like that which really show that God has His hand in this.
A number of local churches and individuals purchased items for the kits, which consisted of four large bars of bath soap, one plastic bottle of shampoo, four large bars of laundry soap, one squeeze tube of toothpaste, four adult-size toothbrushes, four new medium-weight bath towels, two wide-tooth combs, one fingernail clipper, one box of adhesive bandages and one package of 18-24 count, thin sanitary pads.
All of the items were sealed in a five gallon bucket, and on April 12 and 19, volunteers packed them full in the Troyers warehouse.
Virgil Troyer, director of MCC Connections in Kidron, said that while there is need all over the world and even in local areas here at home, a number of people have seen the incredible suffering in the Middle East and in Syria in particular firsthand, which is why there has been such a big push to create the kits.
This is something that people can get engaged in and have a real hands-on experience with giving and serving, said Troyer.
While the initial goal was 2,500 kits, the 1,500 kits which were created will go a long way in providing essentials for many families in Syria.
The 1,500 care kits were placed on skids and shrink-wrapped, loaded in a truck and sent to the MCC warehouse in Akron, Pa. Within a couple of months, the kits should be providing Syrian families with some much needed essentials and a sense that they are not alone in their struggles.
Daryl Byler has seen those struggles in Syria firsthand, having served as a missionary for the past six years.
Its overwhelming, said Byler of the situation overseas. After three years, there are 60 percent of the people in Syria homeless, with the vast majority still in country.
Kits like this are an enormously important part of our response. It gives them hope, and part of this is simply letting people there realize that there are others who understand their struggle, and care about them.
Mennonite churches of Berlin, Longenecker, Walnut Creek, Martins Creek, Millersburg and two Dover churches joined forces to make the kits.
Not only will the Syrian families who have been displaced by war over the past several years be blessed with the receipt of the relief kits, those bonding together to make it all happen on this end are also being blessed by the act of giving.
Were building community here, said Weaver. We are being a blessing for many, and at the same time feeling blessed.
Weaver said that the hope is that this effort spearheads other mission projects, which will entice different churches and local organizations to unite for a common purpose.
