36 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered at a church meetinghouse in Thornlie earlier this year to lend a hand to expectant mothers in developing nations.
The service project was part of celebrations around the 173rd anniversary of the founding of the Latter-day Saints’ organisation for women, the Relief Society.
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The volunteers assembled 1,400 complete birthing kits to be sent to developing countries. Each kit contains a plastic sheet, soap, two gloves, a sterile scalpel blade, three cords and five gauze squares. These items were assembled in a small bag.
According to one of the volunteers, Geri Campbell, “Those who participated enjoyed the shared activity and the realisation that they helped secure safer births in areas where mothers do not have access to hospitals.”
The Relief Society began in March 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinios, United States. Today its work continues in building faith, strengthening home and family, and seeking out and helping those in need.
The Relief Society creates a sisterhood for women in the Church and opportunities for rendering service to all members of their congregation as well as to others in their local community or further afield.
Members of the Relief Society serve in leadership roles, share the gospel, provide service, teach, train and deliver sermons. They also work to help foster self-reliance, literacy and other needed skills for individuals. The Relief Society is one of the oldest and largest women’s organisations in the world.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members support humanitarian initiatives in 185 countries around the world.
Watch a short video about Latter-day Saint humanitarian efforts.
See photos from the most recent General Women’s Meeting of the Church.