Ambulance Sent to Honduras to Help Save Lives

June 19th, 2026 Newsletter

Wednesday was an exciting day at Midwest Mission as we sent off an ambulance that will support emergency responders in Honduras.

This ambulance was generously donated by the Maine Township Fire Department and MABAS District 3 in Northern Illinois. The donation came through relationships built by Midwest Mission Ambassadors at Glenview UMC in Glenview, Illinois, who have been instrumental in raising awareness about the ongoing need for fire and emergency gear and equipment.

One of those Ambassadors, Rev. Marilyn Robb, helped connect Midwest Mission with the Glenview and Niles Fire Departments last year, resulting in both a fire truck and ambulance being sent to Guatemala.

Remembering the impact of that previous donation, Chief Greiner of the Maine Township Fire Department looked at the ambulance sitting unused in his lot and decided it could make a greater difference elsewhere.

After learning how this vehicle could support emergency response efforts in a developing country, Chief Greiner with IK from the district chose to donate it to Midwest Mission.

The ambulance will be sent to Midwest Mission’s partner, CEPUDO, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. CEPUDO works alongside local emergency responders to distribute donated gear and equipment so firefighters and emergency personnel can respond more safely and effectively.

During a visit to Honduras a few years ago, we witnessed firsthand the challenges many departments face. Funding is often available for personnel, but critical equipment and emergency resources remain limited.

Donations like this help bridge that gap.

Every piece of emergency equipment sent represents more than supplies — it helps equip first responders to protect their communities and return home safely to their own families.

Want to help?

There is a huge need for fire gear in departments in Guatemala and Honduras. Talk with your local fire department about donating fire gear or emergency equipment that is unused or “expired.” Download our flyer to learn more and share the opportunity.

Sew Much Joy: Two Decades of Stitching Hope

What began with a closet full of fabric scraps has grown into two decades of service, friendship, and purpose.

Nearly 20 years ago, while helping clean out a closet at her church, Jane Johnson and another church member found fabric that was perfect for making book bags for another organization. Rather than tackle the project alone, Jane invited a few retired friends to join her. Together, they gathered in her home, enjoyed fellowship, and proudly completed 20 bags.

"We were just all excited that we got 20 of them done," she recalled.

That simple sewing day became something much bigger.

Today, Sew Much Joy meets every other week in the basement of Jane’s home. The group includes around 20 women, with 15 to 18 typically attending each gathering. Every member contributes in her own way.

Over the years, the group has created countless items for Midwest Mission, including one-handle bags, receiving blankets, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and many other supplies that help people facing difficult circumstances around the world and around the corner.

The group's connection to Midwest Mission runs deep. Through years of volunteering and supporting the ministry with her husband Jeff, Jane saw an opportunity to put her sewing skills to work in a meaningful way.

For Jane, the ministry is about more than sewing. She believes God continues to have a purpose for every person throughout every season of life. "I feel like I'm still useful," she shared. "God has a plan for all of us, and we're not done until the day we die."

The impact of Sew Much Joy extends beyond the items that leave the sewing room. For many women in the group, the gatherings provide friendship, encouragement, and a place to belong.

Each item created by Sew Much Joy becomes part of a larger story of hope. What began with a few pieces of fabric and a handful of friends has grown into a ministry that has touched lives for nearly two decades. Through every stitch, these women continue to share compassion, build community, and remind others that ordinary gifts, placed in willing hands, can make an extraordinary difference.

Use Tracking Tags to Know Where Your Donations Go

Did you know you can add a Tracking Tag to your completed Kits and handmade items and find out where they are shipped?

Tracking Tags help Midwest Mission identify who donated completed Kits and select handmade items so we can notify you when and where your donation leaves our warehouse.

Simply fill out the tag in it’s entirety, attach it to your donation (please pin tags to handmade items, and tape it to your box of completed kits),  and we’ll send you a shipment notification email when it ships!

Midwest Mission can track:*

• Boxes of Completed Kits

• Treadle Sewing Machines

• Fire Gear

• Handmade Items (Cover Them With Love Quilts, and handmade items for Kits) — Please limit Tracking Tags to one per type of item. For example, if you donate 20 quilts, only place a tag on only one quilt.

  
  

How to use tracking tags:

1. Print a Tracking Tag — or write the same requested information on a blank sheet of paper. Be sure to include your email address.

2. Tape the tag to your box or pin it securely to the handmade item in an easy-to-see location.

3. Deliver items to Midwest Mission or to a Collection Site near you.

4. When your donation ships, you’ll receive an email from Midwest Mission stating when and where the items were shipped!

*Please note:

• Individual items donated for Kits cannot be tracked. For example, if you donate bottles of shampoo, you will not receive a notification. However, if you donate a completed Personal Dignity Kit, you will.

• Tracking Tags placed on items outside of the approved categories listed above will not receive shipment notifications.

• While we do our best to track every tagged item, tags can occasionally become displaced during transportation and processing. Because of this, we cannot guarantee shipment notification emails in every case — but we are continually working to improve the process.