Page 27 - Presbyterian Connection

Connection
MISSION & OUTREACH
St. Andrew’s Newmarket Supports the West Indies
presbyterian.ca
SUMMER 2021
By Christine Samuel,
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newmarket, Ont.
The La Soufrière volcano in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the West Indies erupted on Friday, April 9, 2021, spreading ash throughout the island and forcing approximate- ly 20,000 people to evacuate their homes to go to shelters and nearby islands. Subsequent eruptions and volcanic activity (lava flows, earth- quakes and ash plumes) continued for weeks afterwards. The United Na- tions declared it a humanitarian crisis
as the island was left without clean water and electricity.
The Phillips family of Toronto, Ont. (who migrated from Saint Vin- cent 51 years ago), turned to their friends at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newmarket, Ont., for help in responding to a request sent out by NEMO (National Emergency Man- agement Organization) for immediate supplies for the island’s people. The congregation stepped up to support this emergency response by donat- ing essential hygiene items, including deodorant, soap, toothpaste, tooth- brushes, face masks, sanitary nap-
kins, diapers and toilet paper. NEMO distributed these items to people in shelters.
In early May, the eruptions subsid- ed, but many of the evacuees con- tinue to remain in shelters as there is still seismic activity on the island, and many homes impacted and un- inhabitable.
Thank you to the Phillips family and everyone at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church who donated generously to this outreach. Every little bit counts!
See more outreach activities at St.
Andrew’s, Newmarket in the Activi-
ties & Events section on page 21. send to victims of a volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
PRESBYTERIAN
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Meals for Mission in Fergus
Members of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newmarket, Ont., collected supplies to
Linda and Tom May pick up their dinners from Quinn Dyce. PHOTO CREDIT: THE WELLING- TON ADVERTISER
By Chris Clements, Youth & Discipleship Pastor, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Fergus, Ont.
In March 2021, the youth mission team from St. Andrew’s Presbyte- rian Church in Fergus, Ont., hosted a Drive-Thru Chicken Dinner fund- raising event. A team of 19 people, including some parents and grand-
parents, joyfully served 280 dinners. Dinners were pre-ordered by the local community and pickup was offered street-side, adjacent to an industrial-sized barbecue. The ten- foot-long barbecue produced quite a bit of smoke while cooking the chick- en, making the event noteworthy with the local fire station, who sent a scout vehicle to ensure the volume of
Cody Mehlenbacher (left), and Jim Mehlenbacher cook the chicken to perfection. PHOTO CREDIT: THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER
smoke was nothing to worry about. Funds were being raised for a food program in El Salvador, which the youth mission team had intended to visit in March 2021. Although a March 2021 visit could not take place
due to COVID-19, the team hopes to be able to visit at some future point. Both the host congregation in El Sal- vador and St. Andrew’s youth en- joyed exchanging letters and photos during 2020.
The youth team at St. Andrew’s was reminded of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John: “In this world you will have trouble, but take hear t—I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).