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Mercy in Action at MERCI
9/16/05
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Marion Edwards Recovery Center main building
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Dedicated Evergreeners at work
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Six Evergreeners traveled on Friday, September 16, to the Marion Edwards Recovery Center in
Goldsboro, NC, for a day of hands-on relief work and Christian fellowship with other workers
and volunteers. Walton and Marion Haywood, Herman Knieriem and Mary K. Tripodi, and
Russell and Caroline Stott were provided transportation thanks to the loan of Joyce Baird's
large van and to a gift of money that covered the gas from Michelle and Ron Duncan. To
get us off to an early start, Herman and Mary K. hosted us for a great breakfast in their lovely home.
Thanks to good weather and Russell's careful driving, we made it to MERCI just in time to join
another group, including folks from Graham United Methodist and some from Franklin, Virginia,
for our training in putting together health kits to send to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
We put together new kits from scratch according to very specific guidelines. Loads of kits
already assembled came in throughout the day, and these had to be spot checked. If mistakes
were found during spot checks or the kits appeared poorly assembled, the whole load of kits would
be unwrapped and redone properly. We worked hard at a good pace, and the time passed quickly.
Kits were packed in boxes of ten each, taped up (Russell's chosen task), loaded onto wooden pallets,
wrapped in plastic and loaded with a forklift onto a tractor trailer. Part of the group
assembled outside to join in prayer for the drivers who were leaving on a fifteen hour drive to
deliver the goods. We estimated that about 3,000 kits were loaded and shipped out that day.
Some groups brought a picnic lunch and shared that at tables provided in the warehouse. Our
group took a short drive and enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant. It was full of locals and
other MERCI volunteers.
MERCI is a North Carolina Conference endeavor, but it has become a staging facility for assembling
and distributing relief and rebuilding supplies in coordination with the Methodist Church at large.
Training sessions are provided for those who can be on call to volunteer to go into disaster areas.
The day we were there, other groups were working on layette kits and flood buckets. When supplies
ran out for assembling a complete health kit, some of our group helped with the flood buckets for a while
before time to head for home. We came home tired but very satisfied that we had been able to do
something concrete for those in so much need. We felt blessed with the opportunity and recommend
the experience to others.
If you are interested, you need to call MERCI Ministries (1-888-440-9167) and schedule a day to volunteer.
Submitted by Caroline Stott
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