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 the communities in which they live
USA: Twin Girls Give Back to Children’s National Medical Center
A couple of hours after identical twins Sofia and Mirabel Atkinson were born, Mirabel was rushed to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where she spent the first two difficult months of her life. Diagnosed with complex congenital heart disease, Mirabel underwent three major open-heart surgeries and three heart catherization procedures before her seventh birthday. At 13, Mirabel is doing better.
The Atkinson twins had a desire to give back to the hospital that treated Mirabel and enlisted the help of four of their friends. They thought of many service possibilities. “We thought about knitted hats for babies or toys,” said Mirabel, “but I wanted to donate something that patients really need.”
Find out what the girls did on the Mormon Newsroom website.
Sierra Leone: Blood Donations and Community Service Given by Latter-day Saints<>
The annual All Africa Service Project this year brought out community leaders and over 2,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Service included cleaning drainage areas, streets and roadsides; working at a hospital and orphanage; taking garbage to dump sites; beautifying roadsides; and painting flower pots and benches.
“It is not what you bring that is most important,” said Pastor Daniel, director of the Spur Road Orphanage Home. It is, “the smiles you put on the faces of the children.”
Go to the Sierra Leone Newsroom website for additional comments about the successful day of service.
Kenya: Hospital Receives Latter-day Saint Helping Hands
More than 200 Latter-day Saints and friends of the Church helped Kenyatta National Hospital clean and paint the facility’s kitchen and visited the children’s cancer ward. Toys, books, yogurt and fresh fruit were donated, in addition to the volunteers’ time on this service day.
Some families with small children picked up trash and cleaned up the grounds. Young single adults gave blood, amounting to approximately 60 pints of blood.
Read more about the day of service on the Kenya Newsroom website.
India: Smiles Tell the Story
Several people in India have bright smiles after receiving wheelchairs from LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The 10 recipients, ages 14 to 37, are the last of 851 people to receive wheelchairs through the current project.
Recipients were thrilled for the opportunity to be able to move around at home, school and work. Last year, LDS Charities provided wheelchairs to 55,000 people in 48 countries.
The India Newsroom website features short stories of three people in need of wheelchairs.
Canada: Latter-day Saint Youth Serve in Anticipation of World Humanitarian Day
Latter-day Saint young people in Calgary prepared for World Humanitarian Day by serving at Grow Calgary, Canada’s largest urban community farm, providing fresh produce to low-income and vulnerable families — 95 percent of whom are women and children.
Approximately 800 youth donated over 2,500 hours of labor transplanting, weeding, mulching and harvesting some of the 40 varieties of vegetables grown for those in need.
Read about the lessons learned during this activity on the Canada Newsroom website.
Russia: Puppet Show Delights Children
Latter-day Saints created a puppet show to help children understand how to improve their lives. The annual charity event also celebrated Cheburashka's Birthday, a game for the make-believe city of Cheburgrad, where everyone can learn something new.
Children were issued passports and currency for the city called Chegs. Following instruction, the children were given choices of professions, including postman, banker, car mechanic, doctor, salesman, reporter, confectioner, ecologist, sailor, fireman, hairdresser, librarian, rescuer, artisan, policeman, logistician or instructor.
Learn more about this unique activity on the Russia Newsroom website (Russian).
Czech Republic: International Youth Conference Focuses on Service
More than 100 young adult members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Central and Eastern Europe participated in a four-day conference focusing on serving as Jesus Christ served.
Among the activities was a project of completing 1,000 hygiene kits. Each package contained soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a brush, a comb and handkerchiefs. LDS Charities distributed the packages to poor Roma settlements in eastern Slovakia.
Go to the Czech Republic Newsroom website (Czech) to read comments about the project and information about other activities in which the youth participated.