Giving just a little can help others in a significant way. These three church members thought of an idea, and with the support of their congregations were able to share their care and talent across distances.
A growing experience
When Bob McDonald finished college, he embarked on a life-changing experience. In 1970, fresh from completing an agricultural technology diploma, McDonald journeyed to Ghana. He had applied to work for several church organizations closer to his hometown in Glencoe, Ont., but found volunteer work through CUSO — a Canadian global social justice organization.
He admits he had to check on a map to find the location of the small African country, and was unsure what to expect of his first trip away from home. “Once I got there, I just loved the country and I loved the people, and I really liked the work,” he says.
In the isolated northern part of the country where McDonald worked, the climate was extremely hot and the two seasons were rainy or dry. A Catholic mission sponsored his work, and he attended a Presbyterian church. “I ended up spending two more years there, and my heart has been there for the last 35 years,” he says.
For two years, McDonald helped work on small-scale projects to aid local agriculture by introducing plows, improving seed, promoting better chicken varieties and explaining methods to grow gardens in the dry season.
The most enjoyable part of the trip was working with others. “They are just incredible, happy people,” says McDonald.
In the 1980s, he started working with the local chapter of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
“I realized that there were other things we could do in Canada to help people in the Third World countries and I got involved with the Presbyterians Sharing part of our church,” he says.
In 2005, McDonald had the opportunity to return to Ghana when his youngest daughter was studying at a university in Accra. Rev. Theresa McDonald-Lee, one of his three daughters (and minister in Moncton) accompanied her father on the trip along with her husband.
McDonald's church in Glencoe supported a Change for Change fundraiser to buy soccer balls for schools in Ghana. “They needed something like that because they love playing soccer,” he says. “Ghana is soccer-crazy.”
McDonald saw the kids' happy response to the project when he delivered the 23 soccer balls to rural schools without equipment. He revisited the communities where he had worked and recognized some gardens still in use and noted changes in the urban landscape. “In some ways it was totally shocking, and in other ways it was what we expected.”
Working on the family farm in Glencoe, McDonald anticipates his next trip to Ghana. “I've got projects in the back of my mind that I saw this time when I went back that can be done. Not huge projects, but small-scale projects, and I would love to go back and get those going.
“Sometimes it doesn't take a huge amount of money to have a huge impact on people who have very little.”
Faraway friends
Anna McCoskery has never visited Myanmar (Burma), but she has helped a small village undergo significant changes. A member of West Adelaide, Kerwood, Ont., McCoskery was a delegate to Hungary for the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 1997. Over lunch, she met Rev. Vahnei, a minister with the Mara Evangelical Church in Myanmar. He told her of his 10-day trek travelling by foot, rafts, and rowboats until he boarded a plane in Bangkok. “It was just fascinating,” she says. She kept in touch with him, and as president of the Sarnia WMS Presbyterial, McCoskery invited Vahnei to visit her in Canada and share his story.
People who met Vahnei and learned about his life were shocked to hear the oppressive conditions under Myanmar's military government. People live at a subsistence level, lacking water supply, health services, roads, electricity and mail service. Soldiers can visit the villages at any time and confiscate everything.
McCoskery and the West Adelaide congregation raised $1,000 with which the people of Pasei set up a gravity water system, purchasing plastic water pipe and cement. Women and children had previously spent two hours at night travelling up the mountain for fresh water. The gravity water system brings the water to a holding tank at the bottom of the mountain. Money left over from the water system allowed the villagers to buy a used rice-grinding machine and funds were forwarded to two other villages for their own water systems.
Vahnei said the water system increased villagers' sense of self-worth and of being cared for by others. “It's just amazing what that man [Vahnei] does,” says McCoskery, “He can stretch a dollar farther than anybody I know.”
McCoskery englarged photos sent to her by the villagers and toured the “water story” to several churches and nearby presbyteries. “People were just fascinated,” she says. “They couldn't believe what life was like there.” More donations were sent to help with a variety of projects. Loans were made to help women start small businesses, treated mosquito nets were provided for a small cost, water projects were started in other villages, and four women began nursing training.
In 2007, the Mara Evangelical Church will celebrate its Centennial of Christianity. With the help of artist Eileen Wilson, McCoskery sent a silk banner to symbolize the friendship between the Mara Christians and Canadians.
Though McCoskery says it would be too dangerous for her to travel there, she plans to continue her friendship with the people of Myanmar. In the basement of her church, village maps, photos and stories are on display.
McCoskery has travelled and worked overseas. A retired teacher, she says she enjoys attending conferences and meeting new people.
“I'm making a bit of a difference for them,” she says. “Not a lot, but a bit.”
Comforting quilts
In Winnipeg, Helen Smith turned a hobby into helping hundreds of children have a warmer winter. Six years ago, she heard about the Linus Project, which provides homemade blankets to underprivileged children and children in crisis. Smith decided to start a Winnipeg chapter.
“It seemed like such a good thing to do,” she says. She suggested the idea to a couple of other women from St. Andrew's who were already in a quilting group, and the work began. Every Wednesday morning, Smith hosted the quilters at her house. “My basement was always in a mess, with quilting all over the place,” she says.
People donated quilts to her from across the province, including one Catholic group who made over 400 blankets. The unique blankets are quilted, knitted or crocheted in various colours and patterns. Sown into each blanket is a Linus tag with a picture of the Charlie Brown character carrying his security blanket and the words “Made with tender loving care for Project Linus.”
The blankets were delivered to children in need in Manitoba. Some were sent to women's shelters, the Ronald McDonald house, children living in poverty, the Aboriginal centre and children's hospitals.
A retired nurse and mother of five children, Smith says there is satisfaction in helping others and making kids happy. With more than 2,800 blankets distributed, Smith handed the project over to a new organizer at the end of 2005. “I'm a little too old now,” says the 84-year-old with a laugh, “for running around in my car all over.”
