On
Friday, October 12, 2018, Barbara, Bin-Sie, Linda, Janet and I went to
the Compassionate Warehouse in Esquimalt.
We learned that the mission venture began in 1999 by a retired RN, Dell Marie Wergeland. When she returned from a visit to impoverished, Honduras, she decided she must do something to help. Dell attends the Church of the Nazarene and the church supported her efforts. The first container full of needed items went to Honduras that year. Since then there have been 471 containers sent to various places in the world. The 472 container is currently in Delta getting loaded on a ship to Moldova. It costs $10,000 to $15,000 to ship one container.
Sometimes specific requests are made. Orphanages may need plates or cutlery. Ground sheets and blankets may be needed following a disaster in an impoverished country. There are also times when many sewing machines are sent to a volunteer teaching sewing in a poor area. Electric sewing machines are okay to donate because they can often convert them to be used with a hand crank.
We learned that the mission venture began in 1999 by a retired RN, Dell Marie Wergeland. When she returned from a visit to impoverished, Honduras, she decided she must do something to help. Dell attends the Church of the Nazarene and the church supported her efforts. The first container full of needed items went to Honduras that year. Since then there have been 471 containers sent to various places in the world. The 472 container is currently in Delta getting loaded on a ship to Moldova. It costs $10,000 to $15,000 to ship one container.
Sometimes specific requests are made. Orphanages may need plates or cutlery. Ground sheets and blankets may be needed following a disaster in an impoverished country. There are also times when many sewing machines are sent to a volunteer teaching sewing in a poor area. Electric sewing machines are okay to donate because they can often convert them to be used with a hand crank.
The
containers are full of medical supplies, medical equipment, tools, clothing,
school supplies, sports equipment, non-breakable kitchen wares, sewing machines,
sewing kits, hospital linen, household linen, towels, toys (non battery),
embroidery supplies, wool, crochet supplies, art supplies, kitchen utensils and
cutlery, kitchen pots and pans and 5 gallon cleaned buckets with lids.
The workers use biscuit tins to pack cutlery or tools, etc. Shoe boxes and other durable boxes are packed with various items. Every tin, bucket, box, etc. is labeled with its contents and by number. The numbers tell them when the items arrived so that they can ship out the oldest items first. Shoe stores give them boxes. However, they would be pleased to receive your biscuit tins or boxes, too.
Electrical appliances are not accepted as
most of the countries where the containers are sent have no electricity. A retired registered physiotherapist
volunteers regularly in Haiti. She cleverly refits wheelchairs to suit those in
needs. She is currently refitting a
wheelchair to suit a young boy. It is
wonderful she is so handy at adapting the equipment changing the wheelchairs or
walkers.
One volunteer was in the yarn and material section.
She does quilting
and a group of volunteers take small pieces of material home to make quilts to
send overseas. Our tour guide normally
works in the office and school supply section.
In this section the workers sort supplies for students into donated
backpacks. Items useful for teachers are
separated as well. One elderly man takes
home pencils to sharpen and discards pens that do not work before they are
shipped.
There were men at the warehouse organizing tools. They need to sand
off rust from tools or tighten screws, etc. They spend a lot of time sorting
screws and nails into the correct sizes. They also carefully wrap long handled
tools like shovels so that the sharp ends do not cause harm to anyone when the
containers are opened.
The workers use biscuit tins to pack cutlery or tools, etc. Shoe boxes and other durable boxes are packed with various items. Every tin, bucket, box, etc. is labeled with its contents and by number. The numbers tell them when the items arrived so that they can ship out the oldest items first. Shoe stores give them boxes. However, they would be pleased to receive your biscuit tins or boxes, too.
One volunteer was in the yarn and material section.
Stuffed
animals are used as packing material and also bring joy to young children.
Old
sheets are used for bandages so do donate faded and even sheets with holes.
They are needed. The people receiving
items are very appreciative. They make good use of everything. There were numerous pictures of happy people
holding or using donated items such as the smiling children in the Ukraine with
donated bicycles or the two happy teenage girls in Iran holding sewing
machines. There was also a very happy
young woman wearing a donated wedding dress.
The
warehouse is open on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Volunteers are always welcome and can work as little as an hour each
month. The warehouse is located on
Devonshire Road in Esquimalt. For more
information phone (250) 381-4483 or email them at crwarehouse@gmail.com Their website is: www.crwarehouse.ca
Monetary gifts and donations of useful items are very welcome. At SPPC we have a large box for donated items. It is located under the coat hangers near our front entrance. There is a big CW sign on it.
Monetary gifts and donations of useful items are very welcome. At SPPC we have a large box for donated items. It is located under the coat hangers near our front entrance. There is a big CW sign on it.
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