Please Keep our Volunteers Busy

 We Very Much Need Your Material Donations

Keep this room filled to the ceiling--as it sometimes is--
and we'll see your goods get into the hands of those in need.

Volunteers who work at Orphan Grain Train--Michigan every Tuesday and Thursday can only process goods previously donated to us. 

These workers have become so efficient that they sort, evaluate, box, inventory, and warehouse goods nearly as fast as they are received.

As our branch continues to grow we need vigorous involvement from churches, individuals, and organizations to gather donated goods
and bring them to Sebewaing.  Thanks for making this known.

Boxes by the Thousands from McDonald's

     Thousands of boxes have been donated by McDonald Restaurants over the last four years.  They come from Sebewaing, Marlette, Sandusky, and Bad Axe.  Jerry Brade is one, among others, who have retrieved and generously delivered boxes to our Orphan Grain Train Center.  Our thanks to him, to Brenda Jandereski, Randy Haas, and Dave Wiltse also retrieving boxes continually.

Simultaneous Deliveries

 

     Judy and Maynard Chaussee from Trinity Lutheran Church, Midland (center), and Michele and Michael Marone from Trinity Lutheran Church, Oscoda all happened to arrived at the same time to deliver beautiful quilts prepared by devoted women in their respective parishes.  

    These friends also toured our branch and learned first hand the marvelous ways God is blessing the mercy ministry of Orphan Grain Train here in Michigan. 

Loading a Container August 22 for Malawi, East Africa

This was the Michigan branch of Orphan Grain Train's

first shipment to Africa 

(tenth shipment overall) 

     Volunteers included an enthusiastic team of students from Christ the King Lutheran School, who loaded 1,594 boxes of clothing, shoes, quilts, hygiene supplies, toys, school backpacks, school kits, and sewing machines.
     God bless those who prepared these goods, those who sent them to those in need, and those in Malawi who will receive them.

      Although we had to re-schedule for a week later, volunteers helped for a couple hours on Tuesday, August 22.  A 40-foot shipping container arrived at Orphan Grain Train in Sebewaing at 10:00 a.m.  We had the inventory ready and loaded within a two hour window.  These are great and joyful occasions for our Michigan branch.

Beautiful Help from the LWML South Macomb Zone

      Hygiene kits prepared by women of the LWML Macomb South Zone were brought to Orphan Grain Train by these terrific friends: Caroline Alnip and Kate DeVeny of St. Peter Lutheran, Eastpointe; Nora Baars of Hope Lutheran, Warren, and Wilma Wagner also from St. Peter's.  Here they are with branch manager,  Pastor Dave Reed. 

We are on the Verge of Making the Long-awaited Shipment to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Sudan

     FINALLY ... after two years planning, the special shipment to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Sudan and Concordia Lutheran Institute for Holy Ministry appears to be cleared of all logistical and documentary barriers.

      This is the closest we have been to sending this load on its way.  We hope to send the shipment in September.  Delays for many months have been beyond our control.  Civil unrest on the border between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, compliance certificates, and unavailable freight forwarders all taught us patience. 

      But it looks like we have a breakthrough.  We have verbal assurance from Flexport, a freight forwarder, which is willing to carry this container with ecclesiastical and relief cargo all the way to Yambio.  Please continue to pray for success.

Quilts and Shawls

Judy and Wally Laux bringing an abundance of quilts and shawls from
the LWML Blanket Makers of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth. 

"I Was So Impressed"

      Sandra Schafsnitz and Lucy Markhart from Christ Lutheran, Reese delivered goods, and are here being helped by Orphan Grain Train--Michigan volunteer Roger Bloomfield.  Sandy wrote after visiting our center the first time, “I was so impressed with your warehouse and organizing skills… BTW, Miss Lucy will be 92 this month.”  One is never too young or old to share in the Lord’s mercy ministry.