Work…
Christy
Christy and kids spend a fair bit of time in our café which is conveniently right next to our apartment. This location has become a key place for all sorts of people to meet as they come for meetings, volunteering and of course a really good coffee!
Last week she was in there and seated at the table next to her was a group of people who were visiting from Africa. They are submitting an application form to request a shipment of goods from us and were meeting to discuss their work. A container from us can help to furnish places such a school, a hospital or an orphanage. It can be a huge blessing to the recipients as it enables them to help more hurting and poor in their communities. In a busy day of chasing children and changing nappies it was such a good reminder of why we are here doing what we do. At times we forget that we are living perhaps differently then we would in our home countries. Our normal life consists of boxes, 40 foot long containers, forklifts, daily interacting with people from over twenty nations, thinking it is cool at 30 degrees, battling the biggest ant infestations ever seen and seeking ways to encourage the local community in helping those in need.
Tom
In the past month Tom has been helping an Australian man collect, repair and prepare medical equipment for shipment to a medical centre in remote Papua New Guinea. The centre was once a hospital that served the needs of the local population. In recent decades it was ‘demoted’ from hospital to medical centre after it became neglected and rundown because of a lack of funding and poor maintenance. The centre is currently unfit for patients, it has no running water, power for only five hours per day and no patient access to toilets.
Local people who should have used the centre as their closest facility for life-threatening conditions like malaria, tuberculosis or neonatal illness have been choosing instead to travel many more miles to a larger hospital. Others, unable to travel further, simply seek no treatment at all or rely on traditional village remedies.
Things are about to change, a non-profit organisation in Papua New Guinea has been restoring the centre. The only thing missing is the furniture and medical equipment that will truly bring it to life. This month we loaded a large quantity of high quality, valuable medical equipment donated by Hong Kong hospitals, as well as office furniture, computers, wheelchairs and consumable medical supplies. The monetary value of these goods is enormous and we were so thankful to be able help this hospital become operational once more.
Looking for a Change?
We were inspired the other day after speaking to some friends of ours who were seeking a change in life. We jokingly suggested that they should come join us in Hong Kong to work alongside us. Surprisingly just a few days later we received an email that they were bringing their entire family for three months! So to you, dear reader, we extend the same offer, come join us in helping the poor. Our organisation has some urgent needs:
- Accountants: We lost one of our accountants at the end of last year. We are urgently seeking one more.
- PA to Directors: Our director is in urgent need of PA support.
- Actors, teachers and those with ‘youth worker’ skills for our Global X-perience simulations.
- Graphic designer: We need one full time, on staff, in order for our Communications Dept to manage its load.
- Phones: Our reception area needs support; someone with a heart to communicate.
- Help for our Locals Outgoing Goods Office: one with Cantonese skills and a love for people in need.
We also have ongoing needs for people:
- with IT & COMPUTER skills: web designers, software developers and systems administrators.
- with ADMINISTRATION skills: PAs, managers, systems analysts, book-keepers.
- with WAREHOUSING skills: packers, forklift drivers, inventory managers, truck drivers.
- with COMMUNICATION skills: public speakers, grant writers, translators, graphic designers, digital designers, layout specialists.
- with TEACHING skills: people short and long term, primary and secondary.
- with CATERING skills: a cook is needed to help supervise the preparation of lunch meals for over 100 people each day.
- with HUMAN RESOURCES skills: training and member care skills, care-givers, cooks/caterers, counsellors.
- with CONSTRUCTION skills: landscapers, ‘handyman’ enthusiasts, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, engineers, architects, gardeners.
- with CAFÉ & MARKETPLACE skills: buyers, sellers, servers, baristas.
- with THEATRE skills: actors, producers, dancers.
- with DESIGN skills: people for set construction, theatre production.
If you see yourself in any of the above, please feel free to contact us.
A Little Bit of History…
We currently reside and work on an old British military base. There is much history on this site and we sometimes have the opportunity to meet people who lived here many years ago. This particular building on our site is going to be listed as of historical significance in Hong Kong. It is now a beautiful building that is often used for corporate teams having a day of service or as place to socialise as a team. You may also note the large, old looking trees in the area. During World War II most trees were cut down for firewood except for those on the untouchable military bases. As a result, we have a large variety and some of the oldest trees in Hong Kong.
Family…
Evelyn
Evelyn has had her first two teeth come through and is dealing with it rather bravely. She gets excited when the tube of gum numbing Bonjella is waved in front of her. We have tried several foods with her but to this point she is not the least bit interested in them (an enormous contrast to Peter who couldn’t get enough from first spoonful!). She is a joyful little girl who loves watching her big brother run laps around her.
Peter
Peter is loving his time in preschool and learning new things each day. We are enjoying watching him grow and are proud of our considerate little guy. He will often run to the kitchen and come back with enough little cups for each of us to have a drink or bowls for a snack. Peter’s train obsession continues, everything becomes a train track and he will often be found with a selection of trains keeping him company in bed.
Bruno
Turtle Update: Some may recall we had a turtle for many years. You may be sad to hear that, in what must have been the slowest escape in history, Bruno (the turtle) climbed out of his tank, jumped off the balcony and has escaped into the wild. In all honesty, we are a bit relieved after discovering how long turtles actually live and not knowing what to do with him! Think we will stick with kids rather than pets for now.
