Cooperative aid
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When Mark and Joseph Pace, 16, took up their bishop on a suggestion for an Eagle Scout project, the twin brothers of Fresno, Calif., say they had no idea the project would be so large, involve hundreds of Boy Scouts from another state, or give them a chance to meet others of the Islamic faith.
Nor did the brothers of the Alluvial Ward, Fresno California North Stake, fully realize how their work would have an impact for hundreds living in the Middle East.
The Pace's bishop, Mark Scofield, works with a Fresno based non-profit foundation which had recently built a 500 bed hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. For the past three years, Bishop Scofield and the foundation have gathered donations of medical supplies and equipment from Fresno area hospitals and doctors for the hospital.
With the hospital ready to open, the medical supplies needed to be sorted and staged for shipment. As the Pace brothers were looking for a service project, Bishop Scofield saw a perfect fit.
With their Eagle project behind them, the two reflected on their service. "Not many projects are like this one. It is much larger than I expected, but it was good. It is going to help save lives," Joseph said.
Mark added, "I didn't think it would be so massive until I went to the warehouse and saw everything. It took teamwork to do it."
Knowing many hands would be needed to complete this task, the two Scouts and their leaders invited other Scouts from the Alluvial Ward and youth from the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno. The two groups worked together on the first day of the project, Saturday, May 17.
"The joint humanitarian work of the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a beacon of light and hope as we bring people of diverse faith communities to work together for the common good," said Kamal Abu-Shamsieh, Director of the ICCF. "It's heartwarming to see Muslim and Mormon youth and adults join hands to serve people in need, get to know one another and build bridges of friendship and respect."
As the Pace's project in Fresno progressed, Boy Scouts in the Utah National Parks Council gathered coats, warm clothing, blankets and baby supplies for the Utah-based foundation The Afghanistan Orphanage Project, started by Utah National Guard soldiers who served in Afghanistan, including Church member and reigning Miss Utah Jill Stevens.
The Utah group made a connection with Bishop Scofield and the Fresno foundation agreed to include the Utah donations in its first shipment to the Kabul hospital.
The Utah Scouts dropped off their donations at West Desert Airpark near Fairfield, Utah, west of Utah Lake, upon arriving for their Aerospace-O-Rama encampment there May 16.
Members of the Utah National Parks Council Silver Beaver Colony donated their time to unload, sort and box the donations to be loaded onto a semitrailer truck provided by the Church. They also repacked crib quilts, newborn kits and school kits donated by the Church for the orphanage project. Many of them responded to calls for help only hours before. They were joined by several BYU students who volunteered.
Aerospace-O-Rama chairman Wid Tolman had previously made contact with the Church to get the orphanage project approved and arrange for the donation of the truck and Church humanitarian supplies.
Bishop Scofield traveled to Utah and helped with the sorting before personally thanking the Utah Scouts for their help.
"It is amazing how word of this has spread and how so many are now coming together to help other people," Bishop Scofield said.
The Utah truck arrived at the Fresno warehouse the week of May 19th. Robert Pace, father of the two Fresno Scouts, said he was amazed at the amount and quality of the items donated from the people of Utah.
He and his wife, Shawna, joined their sons and other young men from the Alluvial Ward for a second Saturday of sorting and staging donations.
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com
