Adriatic North Mission packages 5,000 hygiene kits to Light the World

This month, as part of the Light the World initiative from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, full-time missionaries in the Adriatic North Mission prepared more than 5,000 hygiene kits to be delivered to those in need throughout the countries of Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia.

The Light the World initiative invites all to serve others throughout December as Jesus Christ served.

Working together in assembly-line fashion over a period of several days in different cities, the missionaries packaged soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, bandages, toilet paper, feminine supplies, wet wipes and a treat into each kit in time to deliver them by Christmas.

Under direction from Adriatic North Mission President Brian Cordray, the service projects came about after several months of planning with local non-governmental organizations and agencies. The organizations told the senior humanitarian missionaries about people with desperate needs this year, such as refugees and others experiencing poverty or homelessness in those countries.

Together with the Church’s humanitarian services office at the Europe Central Area headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, the humanitarian missionaries and agencies determined which items would be most helpful, how many were needed and how to order and deliver everything.

Half of the mission met in Belgrade, Serbia, on Dec.10 for a zone conference and to participate in the service project. Young full-time missionaries and senior missionaries all participated. When finished, the kits were given to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) — a Seventh Day Adventist organization — and to the Center for Youth Integration in Belgrade.

Sister Marcinelle Sarager, who serves as a humanitarian missionary with her husband, Elder Andrew Sarager, said it was “an incredible experience” from beginning to end.

“This was one of the best experiences we have had with our missionaries,” Sister Sarager said.

The other half of the mission met on Dec. 12 in Zagreb, Croatia. Sister Kathryn Bates, a humanitarian missionary who serves with her husband, Elder Reid Bates, saw miracles along the way — such as when they were waiting for the delivery of supply pallets at the Church building in Zagreb.

“We had a prayer that the delivery would arrive as early as possible, and one minute later I heard a strange noise, and we went to check, and there was that blessed truck,” Sister Bates wrote to the Church News. “We couldn’t believe our eyes.”

In Zagreb, around 80 young missionaries and senior couples assembled thousands of kits in under an hour for the Rotary Club covering Slovenia and North Macedonia and for the Slovenia Red Cross.

When it was time for the service project, Sister Bates said she and Elder Bates gave some instructions about logistics, and also reminded the missionaries they should take time to think of the recipients and the purpose behind what they were doing.

Several missionaries commented on this as they loaded sacks full of hygiene products. “I felt connected to the people we were serving, especially as I thought about how each item could help those in need,” said Elder Caden Hall from Kaysville, Utah. “I hope we were able to make a difference.”

Sister Bates said she couldn’t believe how smoothly everything went. “There didn’t seem to be a feeling of [rushing], more a spirit of cooperative helping. The missionaries even broke out into Christmas carols, which just added to the spirit.”

She said witnessing so many hygiene kits come together so efficiently had to have been a miracle. “I thought over and over that surely angels were there helping us to accomplish an impossible feat.”

Ivan Majc, the Church’s communications director in the area, drove with his wife from their home in Slovenia to the Zagreb chapel to load all the boxes of kits and deliver them to the agencies, crossing the border several times with all the necessary paperwork. “They were angels for us,” Sister Bates said.

Local news media in Slovenia covered the story as well.

Elder Bob Huch, a senior missionary in the Adriatic North Mission and a Rotary member, said the deliveries on Thursday, Dec. 19 were a wonderful experience. He went with other Rotary members to nursing homes to hand out gift bags and meet residents.

“One staff member expressed how grateful she was as she knew this would be the only Christmas gift some of their residents would receive,” Elder Huch said, adding that an older gentleman shed tears. “Experiences like these make all of the work and even the headaches so worth it.”

Other kits went to youth and young people from socially disadvantaged families. Miroslave Štravs, the district governor of Rotary District 1912 covering Slovenia and North Macedonia, wrote to Sister Bates that the Church’s willingness to help “demonstrates your dedication and selflessness.”

“We deeply appreciate your support and collaboration, which enable us to create a brighter future for those who need it most,” Štravs wrote.

Meanwhile, the missionaries also set aside supplies for the youth of the Adriatic North District to assemble during their youth conference from Dec. 27-28. Youth will attend from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro. They plan to give 200 hygiene kits to Jesuit Refugee Services.