Sydney Faith Communities Support Cambodian Orphans

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mortdale, Sydney joined with some of their Muslim, Jewish and Catholic neighbours recently to gather socks and underwear to be sent to orphans in Cambodia.
 
The donated clothing will be sent in the coming weeks to an orphanage in Siam Reap. 
 
The faith communities are partnering with the Stepping Out Support Program, which not only provides food and clothing to orphans in Cambodia, but also protection and education for children and youth there.
 
Those who attended the event were also involved in making tug ropes for animals in a local shelter in Siam Reap.  

 
Mr. Jihad Dib, Principal of Punchbowl Boys High School and Commissioner to the New South Wales (NSW) Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW, addressed those who attended.  His message contributed to the spirit of the evening. 
 
“Always treat people with mutual dignity and respect whoever they are,” he said.
 
Emphasizing the power of unified effort for positive results, Latter-day Saint Francisco Cou invited participants to join in an activity with a purpose. 
 
After forming a circle, participants were instructed to each choose three wooden blocks from a bin, all three blocks being the same colour. Mr Cou then had them place their blocks one at a time on a table, to build a structure as large as they could.  
 
When everyone’s coloured blocks were stacked on top of each other, Mr Cou said, “When we work together, no matter what shape or colour we are, we can build something wonderful.”
 
Local Latter-day Saint leader, Philip Barton, echoed the message of unity when he said, “Our identity as neighbours and brothers and sisters far outweighs our individual differences.”
 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is committed to fostering strong community and interfaith relations as well as supporting humanitarian efforts all around the world.