Last summer two young sister missionaries volunteered at different organizations on the island of Palau, to include the Koror Elementary School. Having gotten to know the Elementary School Principal, Mayleen Ngiriou, they found out some of the children did not have school supplies which hindered their learning. A few packs were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Different world circumstances make travel and tourism challenging, which Palau relies on for their livelihoods. This makes it difficult for some of the parents to purchase the needed supplies their children need to learn and be successful in school.
After some consideration from the Church Welfare and Self-reliance Department in Guam, it was determined that a large donation of seven-hundred backpacks with school supplies could be donated to the entire student body of this school during the month of December in conjunction with a school Christmas program.
Amidst a mild typhoon, a prominent island chief passing away, and cancelled Christmas programs, the Koror Branch Helping Hands service project was still able to continue and be a success.
The fun started with a truck bringing an evening delivery of supplies to the school library. By eleven that night the tables were donned with all the school supplies, conveniently opened and ready for the energetic branch members to grab one of each item.
Come the next morning, not only did the branch members show up but some of their friends as well as the Palau Zone missionaries and their Mission President Hicks and his wife. Fashionably dressed in the Church’s “Helping Hands” vests, they all proceeded to grab a backpack from the stacked pile at the back of the room. One of each item from the tables were put into the packs, then the packs stacked into a room at the end of the supply-covered tables. Now they are ready for eager students to receive.
Giggles, smiles, and chatter filled the room as the supplies were happily put into the packs, dropped off into the room, then it's back for another pack to fill. Clean-up was quick and easy with so many “Helping Hands”. Goodbyes were said to the young missionaries as they went off to another project while the Relief Society sisters distributed box lunches to the Koror Branch members and their friends, delivered by Umi’s, a local restaurant.
As the Church launches their Light the World initiative, the glimmer of light in Palau seems to be a bit brighter as the Koror Branch selflessly gave of their time and energy in service to others.