A Work In Progress

Humanitarian work is on our mind everyday. We have a team of other senior couples we work with and communicate with several times a week, sometimes every day. These humanitarian couples serve in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Cape Verde, and us here in the Baltic States. We have traveled to several charity organizations working to develop good projects with them. The approval process can take some time while other approval comes quickly.

For example, recently, a boat with 90 passengers set off from Gambia, Africa to immigrate to Spain and ran out of gas. The boat floated with the currents until rescuers brought them to Boa Vista an island in Cape Verde. The local authorities helped the passengers who were dehydrated and hungry. Two passengers died on the boat ride. They were taken to an indoor soccer stadium and attended to. The local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints heard about this and responded with provisions for several days’ worth of food. Because of the seriousness, this project was quickly approved. We expect more needs forthcoming and will surely help again as needed.

Most all other projects are a slower process. For example, an organization who mentors at-risk youth may take several weeks. One project proposal is to provide computer and projectors for continuing education in a local prison. Projects such as this require visits to the facility, project write-up and development, legal agreements and monies to provide educational equipment for the benefit to teach and mentor. This equipment will eventually help hundreds of at-risk youth by teaching basic reading and writing, develop career building skills, and encourage self-reliance. But proper development takes patience, cooperation, and planning to insure positive results.

Many projects require translating communications. We us Google Translate to decipher what foreign language emails and documents say. We also use human translators to help us have discussions with directors and managers of a variety of charity organizations. If they speak a foreign language like Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian or Russian we figure out ways to communicate so our work is not hindered. 

Traveling is another aspect of developing humanitarian projects. We have traveled to cities within Latvia and Lithuania to meet with charity organizations. Next week, we travel to Finland to meet directors of a local food bank to develop a project. The United Kingdom has many projects ongoing which involve refugee and asylum seekers assistance. Our local church congregations are actively involved in helpful projects that are kindly assisting the vulnerable populations find food, clothing, housing, jobs and other much needed help.

A driving principle of our work is to help in ways our Savior Jesus Christ has set an example for us to follow. He helped the stranger, the sickly, the blind, hungry, or down-trodden who are without hope. He brought his light and love to all, and in a small way; I hope to be directed to those whose prayers will be answered by stepping forward with a helping hand and a kind heart.