For the fifth consecutive year, the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Mission Church located on Ashley River Road, (Highway 61), have embarked on a global outreach project to ship a twenty-foot container filled with school supplies, theological books, Bibles, church materials, Prayer Books, 1940/1982 Hymnals, medical supplies and relief items, including rice, clothes, shoes, beddings, etc, to the Church and people of Liberia. The Rev. James T. Yarsiah, Vicar of St. Andrew’s along with parishioners of the church, in collaboration with their sister church, the Old St. Andrew’s Parish has undertaken this worthy venture.
The St. Andrew’s Mission outreach project has raised a substantial amount, over $3,000 from external sources and this amount has helped cover the cost for truck services to drop and pick up the 20 foot relief container at St. Andrew’s Mission and transport same to the Port of Charleston. A considerable amount of this money has covered the cost for the freight/shipping of the container from the Port of Charleston, South Carolina to the Freeport of Monrovia, Liberia. The container was loaded on Saturday, March 27th at St. Andrew’s Mission Church’s campus at 2257 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. The container set sail on April 5th and is expected to arrive at the Freeport of Monrovia at the end of May or early June 2010. It is approximated that the relief container will take about 45-55 days to arrive at the Freeport of Monrovia.
This outreach effort is the fifth of its kind at the Church, and it is geared towards helping in the rebuilding and empowerment process of the Episcopal Church of Liberia and other institutions in Liberia. In previous years, St. Andrew’s in collaboration with Churches in the Diocese of South Carolina, other institutions and organizations have shipped relief containers filled with church materials, Prayer Books, Hymnals, library and textbooks, medical supplies, school supplies, computers, dry food items, clothing, etc.
Donors and items given include:
* Medical University of South Carolina - several boxes of miscellaneous medical supplies/disposables (BP cuffs, gloves, bandages, syringes, etc.), equipment, etc.
* St. Francis Roper Hospital – several boxes of miscellaneous medical supplies, cups, and financial assistance ($500);
* The Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge (SPCK/USA), Mrs. Patti Joy Posan, executive director of SPCK/USA – Bibles, Commentaries, theological books, Prayer Books, Hymnals, children books, etc (approximately 2,000 books);
* The Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, Tennessee, donated several boxes of composition books, school supplies, textbooks, clothes, etc and a financial donation of $1223.00 was also made towards the shipping cost;
* The Cuttington University Alumni Association in the USA, College textbooks donated by the Boston University and other individuals who have served as instructors at Cuttington. Financial donation ($500) was made to help cover shipping cost;
* Several Episcopal churches and parishioners in the Diocese of South Carolina donated boxes of used 1940/1982 Hymnals, used 1979 Prayer Books, theological books, acolyte robes, church hangings and linens, Bibles, chasubles, stoles, etc. Used clothing, shoes, beddings, towels, toys, rice, beans, etc were also donated.
* Many non-Episcopal churches, individuals and friends have also donated used clothes, footwears, beddings, towels, toys, etc.
As we anxiously anticipate the loading and shipping of another relief container to Liberia, the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Mission Church wishes to assure all donors that their donations will continue to make a big difference in the life of the church, schools, hospitals, orphanages, community, etc in Liberia. Our beneficiaries are deeply grateful to their American brothers and sisters for the love and support they have received through the Global Outreach Ministry of St. Andrew’s Mission Church, Charleston. To God be the glory for great things He has done!
