MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its international Newsroom websites to share what leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
Philippines: Typhoon-Hit Hospital Receives Church Donations
The Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) was one of the structures in the path of super typhoon Yolanda more than a year ago. Dr. Aileen Espina experienced the devastation firsthand in November 2013 as she witnessed the sea inundate the medical center.
LDS Charities stepped in to help improve patient services and upgrade equipment. The EVRMC, one of five hospitals hit by the typhoon, received vital services aimed at indigent patients and women getting ready for childbirth.
Go to the Philippines Mormon Newsroom website to read how the Church has helped since typhoon Yolanda.
Brazil: Mormon Helping Hands Introduce Citizens to Community Services
Throughout Brazil on every Saturday in November, in more than 220 Mormon buildings, a multitude of services were offered such as mammograms, information on the prevention of drug abuse, cutting hair, blood glucose testing, job interview workshops and many others.
More than 140,000 Mormon Helping Hands volunteers were involved in the weekly classes that benefitted thousands of people. In Rio de Janeiro, the big attraction was the coach of the Brazilian volleyball team, Bernardo Rocha de Rezende. He gave a motivational speech based on his career experiences.
Click on the Brazil Mormon Newsroom website (Portuguese) for additional information.
Pacific: Samoan Students Receive School Supplies
Latter-day Saints recently teamed up with families and staff of Auckland, New Zealand’s Northcross Intermediate School to provide a Samoan school with school furniture and supplies.
Church Welfare Services was instrumental in transporting the items to Samoa. Andrew Bolland, the school’s property manager, said, “This furniture would have ended up at a recycling plant being trashed and reused as other goods. It’s good to know it’s getting a new life.”
Read more about this story on the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website.
Australia: Adelaide Mormons Give Blood, Sweat and Tears to Help Their Community
More than 100 Mormon Helping Hands volunteers weeded, painted, raked, hammered, swept and washed windows for the Gilles Plains Primary School.
School principal Tina Treffers was impressed with the way Church volunteers all worked together. “There is a wonderful feeling here in your community of people today,” she said. “People are laughing and working together.”
The Australia Mormon Newsroom website shares some behind the scenes comments about the Latter-day Saints’ efforts.
Ghana: Two Faiths Unite Voices and Hearts in Concert
Four Latter-day Saint choirs participated in a concert with the Seraphim Evangelical Presbyterian Choir in early December with music focused on Jesus Christ.
Reverend (Mrs.) Patience Yawa Akator, general overseer of the Seraphim Church, called the experience "an eye-opener." She said, until this experience, “I had never considered it possible that I would come this close to the Latter-day Saints, let alone have such a relationship with them.”
Go to the Ghana Mormon Newsroom website for more on the concert and how the two religions see their relationship in the future.
Australia: 35th Anniversary of the Church in Papua New Guinea Is Celebrated
Local community leaders in government and business recently celebrated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the 35th anniversary of the Church starting in Papua New Guinea.
There are now approximately 23,000 Latter-day Saints in the country. Mormons meet in a number of different structures based on membership numbers, from bamboo and sago palm leaf shelters and “bush chapels” to buildings in the main urban centers.
Read how the Church welfare system has helped members as well as the communities on the Australia Mormon Newsroom website.