September 27th, 2024 Newsletter
Bikes Distributed to Sustainable Community in Honduras
Honduras has experienced its fair share of disasters over the last several years. From hurricanes, to flooding, to droughts, it can be hard to find a “normal.”
Many people work so hard to build up enough financial resources to take care of their family. They work long hours, multiple jobs. Walk a long way to get where they can make money.
But, in a blink of an eye, it’s gone.
In November 2020, two hurricanes – Eta and Iota – raged through Honduras within two weeks’ time. These were absolutely devastating storms. They brought flooding, mudslides, and washed out roads and bridges to already poor and in-need areas.
For people like Astrid, everything they worked for was gone. (You can read more about her story in the Summer Update.)
Food For The Poor, one of Midwest Mission’s shipping partners, decided to create a solution in the midst of the devastation.
They started building Sustainable Communities — completely self-sustaining, fully built communities filled with people who had lost everything from the hurricanes. Food For The Poor built houses for hundreds of families, organized a functioning governing body for the community, created food and water access, and created schools and jobs for the community members.
Now, the communities are thriving.
Midwest Mission is supporting these sustainable communities by providing items they need to be even more self-flourishing.
With your help, we’ve sent sewing machines that allow families to make a living through the beautiful items they make.
Most recently, we distributed bikes to local children.
As the families gathered around to choose their bikes, you could see the joy in the children’s eyes, anticipating which bike they would take home.
The bikes aren’t just a fun, whimsical toy that they now get to use in their free time. They are life-changing items. The children can get to school quicker and safer, and the older children can get to the market to sell items like produce, sewn clothing items, or handmade bags.
Because people like you were willing to part with an item that was just collecting dust in the garage, lives have been changed in Honduras.
Slight Change to Accepted Bikes
Based on feedback we have received, we are no longer accepting thin-tired bikes, like many of the older 10-speed bikes have. These thin tires are not suitable for the terrain of the developing world, where many of the bikes are sent. Parts, especially tires, for bikes are very expensive and hard to find. To save the time of our bike shop volunteers, and the resources to replace parts, we are asking that you find a different home for thin-tired bikes you no longer use.
We are still happy to accept all other bikes that are in good, working condition, and have minimal rust.
Iowa Bucket Brigade Brought Joy to Participants and WIll Bring Needed Relief to Disaster Victims
On Wednesday, September 25, Midwest Mission Iowa, hosted an event we called the Bucket Brigade, with the intent of assembling disaster relief supplies into 5-gallon buckets. We had such a great turnout of people from all parts of Iowa, that we actually expanded the event.
We would have quickly been done assembling buckets of supplies we brought from our main location in Pawnee, IL. It was a God-thing, really.
Rather than a simple bucket brigade, volunteers experienced our other off-site mission opportunities, too, including packing Rice and Soy Blessing Bags, Student Kits, and Personal Dignity Kits.
This volunteer event comes after the devastating disaster season Iowa had experienced this past spring and summer. Midwest Mission was able to respond by sending buckets of disaster relief supplies to Greenfield, IA after the spring tornado, and three locations following the summer flooding.
You could feel the joy and sense of purpose in the air, as over 75 people filled buckets, packed Rice Meals, assembled Kits, and learned about the impact they were making. The Bucket Brigade event will build up Midwest Mission’s supply of disaster relief, so that we are prepared to respond to the next disaster — whether local or abroad.
“It’s one thing to see from a distance the effects of disasters,” Lisa Rigoni, Development Manager, said. “But it’s completely different to talk with people who have been directly impacted by disasters in their own communities, and then choose to volunteer to help out the next wave of people who will experience crisis as a result of disaster.”
We are also thankful for the local Jefferson Ace Hardware that made a generous donation of 50 buckets and lids to this event.
“That is a sizable donation,” Midwest Mission’s Director of Operations, Brad Walton, said. “We are thankful that Ace Hardware is stepping up to be a part of the disaster relief efforts. Those buckets aren’t cheap, and the less we have to spend on acquiring supplies, the more we can send out. The community is coming together to serve, a local business is supporting the initiative — you just don’t see that everywhere.”
Over four hours, enough supplies were prepared to impact the lives of over 6,000 people in need. Thank you to everyone who participated in showing God's love in a practical way, so we can send hope and empowerment around the world and around the corner.
On Thursday, September 26, local volunteers came to Midwest Mission Iowa to learn how to repair sewing machines and bicycles in our new Sewing Machine Repair Shop and Bike Repair Shop.
If you’d like to learn more about being a regular volunteer in one of the Shops, email alaire@midwestmission.org.
Comments