News Release

Free Medical Services, Songs for Children and A Two-Day Youth Project: Service From Latter-day Saints Around the World 

Featuring stories from the Philippines, Fiji and Guatemala

Newsroom features stories from its dozens of websites around the world to show what members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are doing to serve their communities. Today, we feature news from the Philippines, Fiji and Guatemala.

Philippines: Church Members Help 350 Patients Receive Free Medical Aid

“I’m very happy about the free eyeglasses! I can clearly see when reading now,” said Teresita Estores, one of the patients who attended a free medical clinic made possible by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Mabuhay Deseret Foundation.

The mid-August “medical mission” served more than 350 residents of Santo Tomas, a municipality of Manila, Philippines. Diagnostic services offered included eye, cleft lip and palate, clubfoot, and prosthesis consultations.

Members of the Santo Tomas Branch of the Church assisted by organizing the event. Dr. Noel Catalan contributed his expertise by giving eye check-ups. “We’ve been to many free clinics over the years,” he said, “but this one is unique because of the remarkable support of your Church members, who made the process smooth and easy for the recipients and us.”

Students-from-the-Church-College-Fiji-repaint-numbers-on-the-playground-at-the-Hilton-Special-School.--August-2022
Students-from-the-Church-College-Fiji-repaint-numbers-on-the-playground-at-the-Hilton-Special-School.--August-2022
Two students from Church College Fiji paint the playground at the Hilton Special School on a day of service, Suva, Fiji, August 2022.2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Fiji: Children with Disabilities Receive Service and Musical Performance from Church College Fiji Students

Students representing Church-owned Church College Fiji in Suva, Fiji, spent a day of service at the Hilton Special School for children with disabilities. Participants prepared garden areas, scrubbed walkways, painted play areas and made minor repairs around the school. Joe Vitinavulagi, a student from Church College, presented the Hilton School with a donation of supplies that had been gathered by the Church College. The donation included stationery, books and toys. Pacific Newsroom (English) reports that the college students also sang to the children.

Guatemala: Donation Aids in Medical Care for 20,000 People

On Friday, August 19, 2022, furniture, office and medical equipment, a stove, and a refrigerator were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Health Post in Santa Elena Barillas, Guatemala. The contribution will benefit more than 20,000 people in need of medical care.

The items were delivered by Eber García Godínez, a local church leader, and received by Dr. Betza Echeverría. “It is gratifying to know that there are people with noble hearts who are willing to collaborate,” said Dr. Echeverría. “We thank God that this donation is now a reality.”

Visit Guatemala Newsroom (Spanish) to learn more about this donation.

Australia: Youth Volunteer for Two-day Service Project

Youth from Latter-day Saint congregations in Sydney, Australia; student body leaders of Westfields Sports High School and volunteers from the Youth Intervention Team at CORE Community Services joined forces to sort and assemble 4,000 items of clothing, 110 employment packets and 300 hygiene kits. The project spanned two days.

The service project was organized by Tevita Folau, the student support adviser at the high school and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. The project was an opportunity to strengthen student leadership through community outreach. The items will help individuals and families in Southwest Sydney who need basic necessities.

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Latter-day-Saints-Sept-2022
Milton César Ortega Morales, a popular social media influencer, works with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to deliver food to a neighborhood in need, Bayunca, Bolivia, August, 2022.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Bolivia: Church Members Lift Neighbors with Food Donations

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ were joined by Milton César Ortega Morales, a popular social media influencer (aka El que la hace surrender), in Bayunca, Bolivia, to deliver food in one of the neediest neighborhoods. In an interview with Bolivia Newsroom (Spanish), Ortega Morales explained that the citizens in this neighborhood often eat just once a day. “The majority of these residents are struggling every day to find food. Today they may eat but they’re not sure about tomorrow. Sometimes they may go without lunch or they won’t have dinner and so on.”

Juan Carlos Caicedo, local Church leader, led the service project. “It [makes you] feel a very special [kind of] joy to know that you can serve others,” he said. “I feel pleased, excited, full of joy and gratitude.”

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Latter-day-Saints-Sept-2022
John Griffin of the Black 14 Philanropy poses with a young volunteer at the Salvation Army warehouse where winter clothing is sorted and prepared for distribution, Aurora, Colorado, August 2022.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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United States: Church Members Help Others Prepare for Winter by Sorting Clothing

On Saturday, August 27, 2022, approximately 150 volunteers, including members of the Denver Stake of the Church (a group of congregations), gathered at the Salvation Army warehouse in Aurora, Colorado, to sort winter clothing that local youth had collected and donated. Leaders of the Denver Stake organized the event in concert with Catholic Charities and John Griffin of the Black 14 Philanthropy. Participants came from the greater Denver area, including Aurora, Parker, Littleton, Westminster and Highlands Ranch. Catholic Charities will distribute the clothing to those in most need.

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