All Africa Service Project Mobilizes African Mormons

Europeans and Americans are used to seeing newspaper photographs of humanitarian aid workers in Africa.  The workers are invariably white, and from developed, “first world” countries, trying to lend a hand to poorer Africans.  The photographs are different, however in an article on Vanguardngr.com, a Nigerian paper reporting a major cleanup effort in Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigerian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mobilized in Lagos to clean up Ikeja General Hospital, especially clearing drains that were breeding grounds for mosquitos.  Church members were clad in the recognizable yellow aprons bearing the logo “Mormon Helping Hands.”  The aprons are the same that were apparent at the hurrican Katrina service sites in the U.S. 

Male members of the Church sand filled some failed sections of the hospital road while the females swept the hospital premises and also cleared the garbage at the back of Ayinke ward.  Mormon children also participated.  The exercise also took place in places like Ifako Health Centre, General Hospital, Ogba, Ikoyi Prison, Agege General Hospital, Ajuwon Community Health Center, Ikorodu General Hospital, Surulere Local Government Premises, Onilegogoro Bus-stop, among others.

The same sort of service was taking place all over Africa as part of the project sponsored by the Church.  

“A Ghanaian, Richard K. Ahadjie, said of the exercise: ‘I came for a leadership training meeting yesterday and I was supposed to leave for Accra this morning. I know the project is for all Africans and if I decided to leave this morning, I shall miss this project back home in Accra. So I decided to stay in Nigeria for the three hours exercise.  This exercise has been able to portray Christ’s attitude on cleanliness.’”

“Chairman, National Public Affairs Council in Nigeria, Elder Alexander Odume told Vanguard Metro, ‘We feel great for doing such a thing. Mormons means good; we are here to render service because we believe in service for humanity. This is our own contribution to assist our fellow human beings who need the service more. We have been able to fill some parts of the road with laterite; we have trash bags and we are partnering with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA who will come and evacuate the rubbish as soon as we are through with what we are doing.  Unit leaders of the Church have identified projects that would address the needs of the areas the church is located where members would render service. In some of the projects, we are partnering with organisations, other churches and leaders of other faiths to serve Nigerians.’ 

There are over 88,000 members of the Church in Nigeria.  The aim of the service project is to “sweep the street, clear the drains, paint and mark roads, clean markets and other public places, including hospitals, health centres, police stations, old people’s home, motherless babies homes, among others,” said Elder Odume.

See the full article at Vanguard Metro Nigeria.

LDS Response to Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan

August 21, 2009 — LDS Newsroom Blog

The deadliest storm to hit Taiwan in 50 years, typhoon Morakot surged through earlier this month, killing 141 people and leaving hundreds more missing. Roads to dozens of villages also remained blocked, and thousands of people were living in disaster relief shelters.

In addition to helping church members with immediate needs, the Church is working with government and other agencies to provide relief.  Food, water, hygiene supplies, generators, pumps and other relief supplies have been purchased or rented to assist families and individuals in the community. Donations from Church members of rice, water and other daily necessities have been collected and distributed.

Church buildings are being used as staging areas for cleanup projects.  More than 1,000 Church members from across Taiwan have joined with missionaries to assist in cleanup efforts in affected areas.  Nearly 50,000 Church members in 100 congregations live in Taiwan. There is also a Church temple there.

LDS, Islamic Leaders, share relief efforts

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has partnered with Islamic Relief USA to provide assistance in the wake of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.  The partnership continued with emergency relief response following the May 2006 Indonesian earthquake.  In July, 2009, leaders of Islamic Relief USA met in Salt Lake City with LDS Church leaders.  Together, they toured church humanitarian aid facilities.  Abed Ayoub cited recent talks with the Jordanian government, saying that the LDS Church was highlighted. 

Islamic Relief USA is part of the larger Islamic Relief Worldwide family of charities.  The worldwide entity recently celebrated its 25 year anniversary.  The USA branch has been operating since 1993.  Islamic Relief is one of 1,500 registered non-government organizations and charitable agencies across the world that partner in humanitarian efforts with the LDS Church.

After the 2004 tsunami, the Church provided immediate relief by supplying water, food, hygiene kits, medical supplies, body bags, blankets, and clothing.  Long-term assistance by the Church is still ongoing, with home construction, the construction of schools and clinics, water and sanitation systems, and other projects under way.

In May, 2006, Islamic Relief provided a jumbo jet to transport $1.6 million worth of relief supplies provided by the Church after the Indonesian earthquake.  Islamic Relief was impressed that there were no strings attached to the generous donation of aid.  “[There was] no price tag and no attempts at conversion,” said Ahmad El Bendary, Senior Advisor for Islamic Relief.  “The Church has been welcomed with open arms because of their neutrality.”

The “Third Pillar” of Islam is called the principle of zakat, or the principle of charitable giving.  Muslims donate 2.5 percent of their annual savings, 10 percent of their investment net profits, and a third of their crops to charitable projects.  Mormons donate 10 percent of their income to the Church, and a monthly donation to the poor.  There are also separate funds for education benefits and humanitarian aid that Mormons routinely donate to through the Church.  In addition, Mormons donate many hours of labor to the Church’s humanitarian efforts.  Said Diana Sufian, a senior humanitarian consultant for Islamic Relief, “This is God’s work, whether it be in the language of Islam or the language of the Mormons.  It’s a moral obligation.  We can do it — so we must do it.”

From Deseret News.com