The Material Resources department is responsible for shipping material aid to those in need around the world. Volunteers sort clothing, make blankets, collect and sort kit materials and prepare them for shipping.

We have been astonished by your tremendous response to the needs we have presented to you. We made more than 53 separate shipments by summer of materials worth $1,763,558. The volume, variety and beauty of the materials we receive are inspiring and make our work here a wonderful experience. Thank you very, very much. We also wish to thank those of you that come to the warehouse to work. Some sort and fold clothing, some quilt or make rugs. People of all ages have come individually or as groups to help make up kits or to fill refugee buckets. Everyone comments how much they enjoy visiting and helping at the warehouse; so if you haven’t had the pleasure yet, call us up and make a date.

Highlights:

• Where did it all go? The Vancouver Refugee Food Bank received bedding, personal hygiene, and food. 11,444 combined school and health kits were sent to North Korea. Kosovar refugees from Yugoslavia were sent 12,793 blankets and 1,300 refugee buckets. Ninety-eight blankets went to Bangladesh. Warm clothing, shoes, soap, oil, and food were sent to various locations in Russia. Hurricane Mitch saw us sending soup mix, dried fruit, water, clothing, 1,774 refugee buckets, 9,260 school kits and anti-malaria medicine to Honduras.
• We were also able to supply a number of church missions groups with a variety of material resources for them to distribute. MCC school kits and layettes went with MEI to Haiti and Kenya. Clothing, school kits, sewing kits and health kits went with East Aldergrove MB Church to Haiti. Aldergrove Bethel Church took school and health kits as well as soap with them to Mexico. More school kits went with church members to Paraguay as well as clothing to El Salvador. It is no surprise to any of us that people in need are found everywhere and there are many ways to respond as Christ’s disciples.

On a personal note, Anne and Herman Falk finished five years with Material Resources at the end of June ’99. Fred Kaarsemaker, who has a wide variety of MCC experience, has taken over the role of Material Resources Director and looks forward to meeting and working with all of you.

Fred Kaarsemaker, Director

For more information on how you can get involved, contact Fred Kaarsemaker at (604) 850 6639, 857 0011 toll free from Vancouver or 1 888 622 6337 from outside the Lower Mainland or e-mail him at mccbcmr@uniserve.com