Many refugees arriving in this area have been helped with your gifts of time, furnishings, clothes, and finances. Thank you.
Containers
We shipped a 40-foot container of aid to Matamoras, Mexico in February. Two containers are being prepared for Kosovo. Medical equipment and supplies will go to the hospital in Pristine and the other will go to The Trauma Center (for women and children).
Medical Cases
My report on the January trip to Kosovo spoke of many people needing medical treatment. One of the most urgent was that of Visar, a 17-year-old boy with leukemia. There had been desperate efforts in Kosovo to raise money for his treatment in Macedonia but it was not enough. Our efforts to provide a stem cell transplantation ended in disappointment until a call to a Baylor doctor got immediate response. However, he first needed more information. We immediately called Visar's father only to be told that Visar had died the day before. The pace of my days slowed to a crawl as I grieved for the loss of one so young because there was not enough money for his surgery. Have I not known before that Visar is one of millions who die every day needlessly? I have known. But when I chose to hear the plea of a heartbroken father to help his son, I chose to share his pain. Likewise, have I not known that ten thousand die of starvation every day in a world that has no shortage of food? I have known. Mother Theresa of Calcutta challenged us this way, "We do not have because we do not share."
The Sanctuary
A place of peace and protection
Our work from the beginning has been with people who do not qualify for
help through normal channels. Some require housing for a prolonged period
of time, which can be very difficult to arrange. In order to meet this
recurring need, we are considering the purchase of a property near Tyler.
The property includes a farm house and a four room lodge with recreation
room. Our first residents will most likely be Kosovar's needing medical
treatment. Most are very young who will virtually have no life in their
homeland without treatment.
At our annual meeting some of you met Bob Clark who is presently living
with his family in Akutan, Alaska. An anonymous donor has agreed to pay
Bob's salary for up to two years so that he can join the work of Love
in Action. There are not words to describe our excitement as we anxiously
await the arrival of Bob and his family in August. He is not only resourceful
and energetic but more importantly, he has a servant's heart. Bob's primary
focus will be the possibility of The Sanctuary.
Sierra Leone
Samir (not his real name), an asylee, was referred to us because of the
difficulty of his situation. He miraculously escaped from his West Africa
country of Sierra Leone in the midst of fighting. His wife and five children
are waiting in two different locations (Guinea and Sierra Leone) for their
papers to be processed by IOM. They are relatively safe where they are
but it will be very dangerous for them when they begin to move toward
their pick up point. Also, once they are processed, Samir is faced with
purchasing their plane tickets. He still needs $3300 of $6,000 required.
Remember, "To the world, you may be one person; but to one person you
may be the world." (author unknown)
Thank you,
Rae England
Executive Director
Immediate needs: Furniture; clothes, sewing machines, fabric, yarn and
all supplies for needlework for The Trauma Center; medical supplies and
equipment; funds for plane tickets for Samir's family