‘She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Sister’

For 20-something Aucklander, Irae Partsch, lending a helping hand came easy on Saturday 12 December. Motivated by a community need, he joined a group of fellow young people from his church to pack 200 personal care kits for women experiencing challenging times in their lives this Christmas season.

Lin Penales, who organised the service activity, said, “We're donating the kits to a local women's refuge so they can give them to those who may be in need.”

Each bag included soap, shampoo, deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a razor and other personal care items.

“It's such an awesome feeling knowing that the goods are ready to be given and used by those who may need them,” Ms Penales said.

“I'm really proud of my friends, family and leaders who took some time out of their day to help pack the kits. Throughout the organising leading up to the event I was thinking we'd get it done in an hour or so if we have enough people. So it was definitely a happy moment being able to work together, and have a system in place which allowed us to get it done within 30 minutes. It's amazing what good you can do and how fast you can get things done when you're working together.”

Lin, Irae and the other young volunteers are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Auckland Young Single Adult 2^nd Ward (congregation) in Takapuna.

Joining the young people were Bishop Stephen Dil, the lay minister of their congregation, and his family. Hilda Port, the president of the Church’s Relief Society (women’s organisation) on Auckland’s North Shore, also attended the activity.

Erica Stanford, Member of Parliament for East Coast Bays; and Shanan Halbert, Member of Parliament for Northcote, dropped in to meet the volunteers and help assemble the personal care bags.

The activity took place at the Church’s Sunset Road meetinghouse at 313 Sunset Road, Mairangi Bay.

A representative of a local women’s refuge was on hand to receive the donated kits and to take them away so they can be given to women who may need a little extra support over the coming weeks.

In his remarks, Bishop Dil said that the volunteers were aware of the needs of some women and families in the community, and were motivated to lend a hand to the women’s refuge. He said that members of the group were inspired by the Church’s Christmas service initiative, #LightTheWorld, and the teachings of Jesus Christ to love and lift others.

The organising committee for the personal care kit packing activity included Lin Penales, Alan Mera, Elder Craig Poll and Sister Jackie Poll. The Polls are full-time missionaries who are helping Church schools throughout the South Pacific for two years, before returning home to the United States next year.

Many members and friends of the Church around the world donate to the faith’s humanitarian fund which makes it possible for donations like these to be made. Volunteers from the Church, as well as friends, provide the manpower.