BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/01/2009

Big-hearted couple bound for Belarus

AFTER eight years working behind the scenes for a charity, a Port Seton couple are travelling more than 1,000 miles to see first-hand how their work is benefiting needy children abroad.

Lyn and John Marshall, of South Seton Park, were due to leave for Belarus yesterday (Thursday) to help distribute 12,000 present-filled shoeboxes donated by county residents as part of the Samaritan's Purse charity's Operation Christmas Child.

The annual programme encourages residents to donate a shoebox filled with small gifts such as toys, sweets and toiletries, for distribution among children in need across the world

Lyn and John have been involved with the project for nearly a decade, with former Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council chairman John collecting the shoeboxes from across the county and Lyn working in the warehouse where the boxes are stored.

Lyn, 43, who helps organise Cockenzie and Port Seton Gala, said: "We are both anxious about the trip but we are looking forward to the whole experience and would like to thank everyone who filled a shoebox.

"We hope we will get a chance to hand out Scottish boxes to the children and we will make sure the people over in Belarus know that the folk in Scotland are thinking of them."

The pair will fly from Edinburgh - via London and Prague - to join 14 other volunteers from across the UK in Belarus.

The couple were introduced to the annual charity drive through their church, Chalmers Memorial in Port Seton, and were told in August last year that they were successful in their applications to travel to Belarus.

John, a senior development assistant at the Port Seton Centre and an officer in the Boys' Brigade, will celebrate his 51st birthday whilst they tour the country for six days.

They will visit various schools, hospitals, nurseries, shelters and orphanages - as well as a prison for boys aged 14-21.

Since 1990, Operation Christmas Child has helped more than 60 million boys and girls throughout the world.

Many county towns - including Cockenzie and Port Seton, Prestonpans, North Berwick, Musselburgh and Longniddry - donated shoeboxes last year.

Source:

http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/articles/1/32611/

Google
 


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by