MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its 80 international Newsroom websites as well as those from around the United States to share what members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better to serve their communities
Cambodia: LDS Charities Partners With Community Leaders for Flood Relief
The 2018 wet season brought an abundance of rain in Cambodia following a drought last year. The Mekong River overflowed its banks beginning in early August, flooding over 21 provinces in Cambodia, the worst flooding in more than five years. Nearly 135,000 families were impacted by the flooding over the last two months, and more than 12,000 families were evacuated from their homes during the worst of the flooding.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responded to the crisis through its humanitarian organization, LDS Charities, in a partnership with the Cambodian government and other international disaster relief organizations to provide food for the displaced families. LDS Charities has provided food for 1,760 families.
Go to the Cambodia Newsroom website to see learn more.
Jamaica: International Coastal Cleanup Day Attracts Latter-day Saint Helping Hands
Latter-day Saint Helping Hands volunteers from three areas of the Caribbean island of Jamaica spread out along the Kingston Harbour, Fort Augustus Drive, Portmore, cleaning the beach area. The event was International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2018.
Volunteers collected over 100 bags of waste — 54 jumbo bags with plastic bottles and 58 large bags with waste, mainly Styrofoam. Members had fun as they teamed up, combining hands and hearts to reduce the pollution impacting marine life and to beautify the beach.
Go to the Jamaica Newsroom website to read more.
Bolivia: Latter-day Saints Prepare for Prophet’s Visit
In advance of President Russell M. Nelson’s visit in October, more than 100 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wanted to beautify their community. They cleaned, weeded, planted seedlings and completed other activities.
A member of the Bella Vista neighborhood board said, “We are grateful for the service that members of this church performed.”
The Bolivia Newsroom website (Spanish) offers more information on the activity.
India: Church Helping to Keep Rajahmundry Clean
LDS Charities and members of the Indian Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have partnered with city leaders to find solutions to the daunting sanitation challenges. Rajahmundry, a historic city on the banks of the sacred Godavari River, has been called the cultural capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Latter-day Saints collaborated with city officials to collect over 200 pounds of household refuse in receptacles that can handle both bio-degradable (wet) and recyclable (dry) waste. The process will benefit 36 streets and approximately 2,500 people. The city will empty the receptacles daily.
There’s more information about this project on the India Newsroom website.
El Salvador: Latter-day Saints Serve in Community Cemetery
An opportunity to give service in the Mejicanos, El Salvador, cemetery was welcomed by members of the Church. The activity allowed Latter-day Saints, missionaries and workers of the mayor’s office to remove garbage and waste from around trees and plants.
Community leaders were hopeful to clean the cemetery in preparation for the day of the dead, Día de los Muertos, which is celebrated in El Salvador every November 2. The work completed by the volunteers helped community workers take care of other cemetery needs.
Read more about the project on the El Salvador Newsroom website (Spanish).
Ecuador: Clergy Discuss Interfaith Concerns
Education, health, citizen security and values were discussed among an interfaith group of Catholics, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lutherans, Muslims, Evangelicals and members of the Bahai community.
The faiths explored alternatives that may help resolve challenges in each of the areas of concern.
The Ecuador Newsroom website (Spanish) provides additional insight into the discussions on the topics.