MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its international Newsroom websites 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, Washington, D.C.: Mormons Serve Muslims to Break the Ramadan Fast
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Washington, D.C., metro area worked side by side with Muslims to prepare a meal, called Iftar, to break the Muslims’ fast during Ramadan. Latter-day Saint women in Maryland helped with food preparation.
The mosque’s leader, Imam Bahraini, graciously accepted the Church’s offer to help with Ramadan. President Baird was a guest speaker at the mosque May 13. In addition to President Baird’s remarks, four Mormon women prepared and served food to the women in the mosque. One Muslim woman responded, “This was the best thing that ever happened in our mosque!”
Read more about how the two faith groups worked together on the Mormon Newsroom website.
DR Congo: African Villages Have Clean Water
More than 270,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) near the city of Kinshasa are drinking the benefit of several new water wells. The DRC is a water-rich country; however, three-quarters of the 50 million people there do not have access to clean water. People spend hours traveling each day collecting water for their families, often from contaminated sources.
Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has planned clean water projects in the DRC and around the world to meet the needs of many people to help them become more self-reliant.
Read additional details about the water projects on the DR Congo Mormon Newsroom website (French).
Cambodia: LDS Charities Provides Food for 5,000 Families
Nearly 5,000 families, suffering from severe drought in a region of Cambodia have been given relief with the LDS Charities’ distribution of rice, noodles, cooking oil and fish sauce, enough to last for over a month.
Villagers arrived hours ahead of the planned distribution time, willing to sit on the ground in stifling heat in order to receive the allotted food. They were overwhelmed with gratitude for the generous donation.
The Cambodia Mormon Newsroom website has comments from community leaders concerning the help.
Thailand: Being Self-Reliant Makes One Happy
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 12-week self-reliance courses have been a key to success for Yuvadi Da Singh Mehta (Ma), a Mormon from Thailand. Success didn’t happen overnight, but she never gave up on her goal of becoming self-reliant.
Ma owns and runs a dry fruit business called “Yu-Wa-Da.” Each pack has mangosteen, durian, banana and mixed fruits (which include jackfruit, rambutan, mango and banana).
Read how she didn’t let obstacles get in her way on the Thailand Mormon Newsroom website (Thai).
Brazil: Religious Freedom Faces Three Challenges
Religious freedom has three challenges to overcome according to Dr. Damaris Moura Kuo, president of the Law and Religious Freedom Commission of the OAB-SP. “Religious freedom must be protected, promoted and defended,” she emphasized. Dr. Kuo said the three current challenges to religious freedom are secularism, religious extremism and individualism.
Religious and civic leaders met in Sao Paulo to address the protection of religious freedom.
Go to the Brazil Mormon Newsroom website (Portuguese) for additional comments and insights.
Peru: Latter-day Saints Hold Successful Blood Donation Drive
Mormons in Peru organized and completed a successful local blood donation drive recently. The goal this year is to collect 1,400 units of blood, and so far they have collected 600 for hospitals and clinics.
Latter-day Saints staffed several blood donation locations by initiating the donor selection process, which includes completing the official form, taking a blood test and having an interview to determine who is eligible to donate.
Read more about how Latter-day Saints completed their service on the Peru Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).