It is time to highlight the newest acts of service, and this time they are from all around the world. From Russia to Ghana to the Dominican Republic, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are spreading their love for others.
Heart to Heart in the Dominican Republic
In the city of San José de Ocoa in the Dominican Republic, Helping Hands volunteers participated in the National Cardiovascular Health campaign. Organized by the Heart Care Dominicana Foundation and United Heart, this operation offered free examinations and medication to patients. The Dominican Republic Mormon Newsroom reports that Helping Hands volunteers assisted with patient reception and registration along with other tasks.
Growing Gardens in the Congo
The DR Mormon Newsroom reports saying that members of the community of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo keep gardens to earn more money, but have trouble retaining water in their ponds. The Church has joined with NGO PADIC for a humanitarian project to help with water retention in the community’s ponds.
Spring Cleaning in Russia
The Russia Mormon Newsroom reports that Helping Hands volunteers have participated in an annual spring cleaning tradition in cities all over Russia. Helping hands joined with other community and religious organizations to clean public places such as parks, streets, and playgrounds.
Open House to Teach Job Skills in Ghana
The Ghana Mormon Newsroom reports that in the city of Accra in Ghana, the Church has recently begun to hold free open houses to anyone who wants to learn job skills. In partnership with the Accra and Accra West Self-Reliance Centers, this program offers workshops to help people succeed in the job search, job interviews, resumes, etc.
Carpenters Graduate and Rebuild in the Philippines
Even though it has been six and a half months since a devastating typhoon struck the Philippines, many of the people there are still homeless. Sarah Jane Weaver of Church News reports that a Church program (in partnership with the local self-reliance center and the Perpetual Education Fund) has been set up to train carpenters to help build shelters
Elder Craig C. Christensen of the presidency of the seventy recently oversaw the graduation ceremonies of 620 of these carpenters. Members of the program build several houses (including their own) before graduating with a certificate that will qualify them for construction jobs. Ricky Gonzalez, a teacher in the program, says that “[w]e knew we needed to help one another so that the building of shelters can be completed quicker.”
