Shipment 36 Heads to St. Lucia, Bringing Medical Supplies and Hope
October 30th, 2026 Newsletter
On Tuesday, October 27, we sent out our 36th international shipment of the year! This shipment is heading to St. Lucia, an island country in the Eastern Caribbean.
But in a country full of beauty, beaches, and tourism, poverty also exists. Over the past several years, COVID-19 pandemic leading to unemployment, and natural disasters have added to the challenges the country faces.
Our partner, Food For The Poor, has worked in St. Lucia for almost 40 years, helping provide relief to the poorest of the poor. Every year, we work alongside Food For The Poor to pre-stage disaster relief supplies in St. Lucia because of the frequent hurricanes and flooding the island experiences. But this shipment isn’t full of disaster relief supplies. Instead, it contains medical supplies and Kits to help meet the needs of people living in poverty.
Because of this shipment, hundreds of people will have access to medical supplies they desperately need. Access to these items isn't the same as it is here in the United States. Insurance may not cover crutches, a wheelchair may be out of reach, and neighbors may not have spare slings for an injured arm. People living in poverty often have to go without the equipment that could help them heal because they can't access or afford it.
Without a wheelchair, someone may be confined to their home. Without crutches, they may have to rely on family members for everyday needs. Without a cane, someone may struggle to move safely around their own home, putting them at risk of falling and getting hurt.
But when someone receives the equipment they need, their life can change. They gain greater independence and freedom, and they have a better chance to heal. Just as importantly, they are reminded that they are loved and cared for, even by people they may never meet!
We are thankful for the opportunity to send this shipment and help meet these needs.
Shipment #36 contained:
135 Walkers
12 Wheelchairs
Crutches, shower chairs, orthopedic supplies, canes, and hospital linens
1 Dental Chair
1,710 Handmade Day Pads
1,120 Personal Dignity Kits
560 Layette Kits
231 Cover Them With Love Quilts
50 Sleeping Mats
8 Treadle Sewing Machines
27 Electric Sewing Machines
54 Midwest Mission Desks
Value: $154,995.00 of in-kind supplies.
You can help make more shipments like this possible!
Here are a few ways to get involved:
Collect and donate medical supplies. Reach out to local nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals to see if they have excess supplies they can donate.
Sew handmade items for our Layette Kits and Feminine Hygiene Kits.
Make a monetary donation to support ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty and bring hope and empowerment around the world and around the corner. Give online at midwestmission.org/donate or mail a check to 1001 Mission Dr., Pawnee, IL 62558.
These shipments wouldn't be possible without so many of you praying, serving, and giving. Thank you for helping bring essential supplies and hope to people who need them!
Thank You, NOMADS!
For three weeks, the NOMADS served at Midwest Mission in Illinois, working on construction, painting, and other projects for the organization.
NOMADS Mission Volunteers is “a Christian RV ministry where retirees and other believers travel across the United States serving churches, camps, and communities through construction, repairs, maintenance, and disaster rebuilding. Volunteers demonstrate God’s love through both their work and their relationships with those they serve. Whether building, remodeling, painting, cleaning, sewing, or providing other needed skills, NOMADS members answer God’s call to serve wherever they are needed.”
Each year, the NOMADS bless the ministry of Midwest Mission with their service. Because of their hard work, we save thousands of dollars in labor costs. They always work with a cheerful heart, and become part of the Midwest Mission family by the time they leave.
This year’s crew finished 28 different projects around the Midwest Mission campus, including:
Prepped the ground for concrete or gravel for multiple different areas
Moved the bike tent
Cut pine tree limbs
Painted storage containers
Power washed exterior of building and Brick By Brick display
Set parking curbs
Moved bike tires above bike shop
Taped floors for extinguishers and electric boxes
Ran waterlines for refrigerators
Set up a container with bike racks
Added exterior lights to the Studio and Suite
Laid engraved bricks
And so much more!
Thank you, NOMADS, for all your hard work, your servant hearts, and your Christ-like attitudes — not only here, but for all the organizations you serve.
If you’re interested in joining the NOMADS, visit https://www.methodistnomads.org/.
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