by Mary Beth Coudal

"In the summer months the youth volunteer. They fully understand what is going on in the world. Some of them are so mission-minded. They say -- this is what I will do. And they do it," marvels Glenn Druilhet, director of Depot Operations, UMCOR Sager Brown, Baldwin, Louisiana.

Glenn herself is a young woman who gets things done. She oversees the 48,000- square-foot warehouse that processes and ships school kits, layettes, health kits, flood buckets, bedding kits and sewing kits. UMCOR delivers these needed items to people suffering from disasters around the U.S. and around the world. The Women's Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries owns the UMCOR Sager-Brown Depot.

Every day the packages pour in from United Methodist Women's local units. Just within the last month, health and sewing kits have come from Stella, NC; Searcy, AR; Scottsville, KY; Mason, TX; Rabun Gap, GA; Wahepton, ND; Owassa, OK; Cincinnati, OH; Esmond, IL and Hagerstown, MD, among so many other local units. Soon the kits will be on their way to parts of the world where women and children are in need of the items and the respect, love and concern that the simple items represent.

Young women are among the United Methodist Women members who keep the depot stocked with material resources, such as new linens, flood buckets, paper plates, baby wipes and soap. These are just some of the items UMW have provided to folks around the world whose lives and homes are ravaged by wars or other disasters, like hurricanes and floods.

"This year has been a good year for us with material resources coming in and with the number of volunteers we have. This month we are doing three shipments — one to Liberia, one to Azerbaijan, and one to Armenia. Last month we did one shipment to Haiti," says Glenn.

Sending in material resources is one way to give. Another way to give is to work at the Depot. In February 2003, I was lucky enough to work in the Depot preparing health kits. My task was to check the expiration date on toothpaste for the health kits. I asked Glenn if the warmth, laughter and camaraderie I had shared with other volunteers that winter morning was typical of volunteer's experience.

Glenn laughs and adds, "It's good to see the volunteers with such enthusiasm. It uplifts us as well." Glenn notes a highlight for volunteers — when they witness a shipment being sent out. Says Glenn, "That's the closure. They want to go back to encourage their church to do more. Once they come here it's like -- "WOW! We can't wait to go back and send in more materials.'"

Hazel Freeman, UMW from Stella NC, says sending in resources was a meaningful experience, "This is our first time. Will be doing this again for sure. Every little bit helps, when we all work together."

For information on how to send items to Sager-Brown Depot, and receive Material Resource Specifications, visit this webpage: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/print/kits

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) web site (http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor) gives directions for items needed at the UMCOR Depot.

If you would like to volunteer to unload, sort, pack and ship resources at the Depot, call the Depot at 1-800-814-8765.

To locate more places and ways to give, order Material Resources for Mission Catalog (#2579/$4.50) from the Service Center, 1-800-305-9857. The Material Resources for Mission Catalog lists items needed at various National Mission Institutions that are supported by United Methodist Women's undesignated giving.

Mary Beth Coudal is executive secretary for Mission Opportunities, Women's Division

	See Also... Topic: Children |  UMCOR |  Volunteers |  Youth |  Geographic Region: United States |  Source: Women's Division
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Umcor Sager Brown Material Resources View Listing of Missionaries Currently Working in: United States

Date posted: Jun 08, 2004