Can you imagine this:  The river near your home has flooded.   The high winds blew the roof off your home.   The police told you to evacuate your home because the fires were no longer contained.   Most of us want to think about something else.   When we read about hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires, we think “those poor people.”    This though is what life is like for those near the major rivers of Illinois and for those who live in tornado alley, just a few miles south of us.  We can drive to these areas in one or two hours.  Hurricane territory and wildfires are a weekly event in many areas of the United States.   The Midwest Mission Distribution Center, located near Springfield, Illinois has requests through-out the year for “personal dignity kits”.    When disaster strikes each person affected must deal with “clean-up.”  There is nothing like a shower to wash away the grime and the misery.     The personal dignity kit holds the essentials one needs for washing the grime.   The shower helps restore one’s dignity.   When you have a few minutes to flee your home, you collect documents, photos and clothes…you don’t remember to take your personal toiletries.   There are several items in these kits, and we as a congregation are collecting two of these items.   Our church is collecting deodorant (two- or three-ounce stick or roll-on) and razors with guards.   We need these by Wednesday, May 29th.    Peggy Literski will take these items to our annual conference, they will be loaded on a Midwest Mission truck and delivered to the center near Springfield, IL.   The challenge is this:  Can our Elgin District obtain over 2,000?   Can you purchase one or two of these items?  These are available in drug stores, grocery stores, and Dollar Tree.
Mission Team Emphasis for May