(908) Be a source of blessing

The first time I was planning to visit an orphanage in a neighbouring country, I solicited for used clothing months ahead. I remembered how children as young as six were walking bare feet with single layer clothing in cold weather to a school three km away (in northern Thailand). While I was wearing three layers of clothes, there were holes in their long pants ( during the exploratory trip in 2000). Little wonder that most of them had runny nose then.

Since then I have recycled clothing year round, every year. For as long as the children in Khaodee Ministries needed clothes, I used to select and keep warm clothing that were clean and in wearable condition to bring to them during my yearly or bi-yearly trip. Often it involved washing, drying and folding them for storage. Since I was petite then, I would select things that I could wear so that I could leave behind more items.

The last trip that I visited them four years back, conditions improved so much that there was no need to bring clothing anymore. Now I channel clothes to one Filipino maid who has ways to send clothes home to her village through a friend who works in a shipping company. I also send some to an Indonesian maid in Silver City; she will bring them back during her yearly visit. Some I would bring to a social service minded friend in Silver City who would find a use for every item I gave. The rest I either deposit in charity boxes by the road side or give them to a neighbor who recycles to raise fund for disaster relief. From working closely with like minded recycling folks, I learn that even really old and unwearable clothes that are absorbent can be sold for absorbing oil or ink in factories.What is rubbish to us city folks can be turned into cash in the right hands.

For my last trip a week ago, I managed to leave behind six blouses with a local Christian who will bring them to a second hand shop set up to help the indigenous people there. She was kind in offering to wash two that I did not have a chance to wash.

For I believe that it is not important how well I dress or how many wardrobes of clothes I own during my life time, but it is how many poor people I help to bring clothes to that matter. I only will pass this way once, if I can, I will choose to be a blessing to those I am in touch with.