International (MNN) — Bright
Hope International is putting the personal touch on some of the Med Packs they
give out.
In fact, they're hosting a decorating event in Illinois on
July 17 for this purpose. Med Packs give
Bright Hope's partners a tool to reach out. They've been used in Haiti, Uganda and Kenya,
with the most recent response of 5,000 Med Packs in the wake of Haiti's
earthquake.
Med Packs are a simple concept. Each one is a box that contains antibiotic
cream, toothpaste, a small toothbrush, lotion, talcum powder, cotton swabs, soap,
petroleum jelly, Band-Aids, a washcloth, a travel pack of facial tissues, and
a Bible.
You can either purchase an empty Med Pack to be
decorated and filled with supplies and sent to Bright Hope for packing and
later distribution, or you can sponsor a Med Pack and Bright Hope will fill it
with supplies for you.
With the first option, Med Packs come in quantities of 20 only
(minimum) at $15 each ($300). This covers the cost of adding a Bible to each
pack and shipping the boxes to Haiti and all distribution costs (transit and
in-country expenses). Each empty box contains complete instructions for
filling and returning it. Many times companies, churches, Sunday school
classes, scout groups, and homeschoolers take on this project as an introduction
into missions.
The second option allows a donor to sponsor a box by sending
the funds. However, that means the boxes
remain plain. Since Bright Hope likes to
send all MedPacks with a personal touch, they are holding a decorating event July
17 from 10 am to noon at the ministry headquarters in Hoffman Estates,
IL.
A hand-decorated box holding the
supplies helps the recipient of the Med Pack know that someone cares for their
needs. A Bible verse or a picture
creates a special connection for the recipient. While this event is a regional
one, you can still get involved. Click here for more details.
