Compassionate service has always been a by-word for women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the Relief Society in the Modbury Stake recently embodied that heritage to bring relief to families in need.
A clothing drive conducted throughout the stake produced stacks of apparel and footwear for babies, children and adults. The night the clothing was amassed for sorting, the women also sewed up basic track suits and put together children's packs.
In addition, sisters spent time, money and love making baby blankets and quilts.
The items went to SPARK Resource Centre, an organization that endeavours to help single-parent families, largely women and their children, who find themselves in difficult circumstances. To such SPARK provides clothing and counselling without charge, relying almost entirely upon donations from caring community members for supplies.
SPARK director, Kath Silard OAM, received the mountain of carefully packed bags and expressed her sincere thanks and great regard for the givers of the large gift.
The last few years members of Modbury Stake's Relief Society have participated in major service projects to aid women in other countries—making blankets for the Addis Abba Fistula Hospital and Birthing Kits that went to Madagascar.
"This year," said Helen Kirk, Stake Relief Society President, "we decided on a project to bless the lives of women and children here in Southern Australia. The sisters responded, as before, with great generosity and love."