Members of the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Campo Novo do Parecis, located in the western part of Brazil’s Mato Grosso state, recently came up with a different way to thank health system workers during the COVID-19 crisis: they made 150 disposable lab coats and donated these to the city health department.
Elaine Aparecida da Silva, who developed the idea, is a member of the Central Church and coordinator of the Municipal Mobile Emergency Service (Samu). According to her, the action involved several members of the congregation. The aprons were delivered by the Municipal Health Department.
“The City Hall donated material and thread, and our volunteers made the lab coats. The Church promptly went to great lengths to make the materials so that nurses and everyone who facing the coronavirus could take care of themselves and take care of all of us,” Elaine said.
For Adventist Solidarity Action (ASA) leaders in this region, the initiative is critical. This is a period to show solidarity, help save lives, and protect those who are fighting the disease. The Department of Health, health posts and ambulance drivers benefited from the donations.
Food collection
Faced with the pandemic, many families are financially helpless. The Adventist Church in the western region of Mato Grosso has collected food for these families. Members are encouraging friends through social media campaigns to get involved in the project.
Caring for those who are without daily food on the table and without financial means during the pandemic has become the volunteer’s goal. More than three thousand baskets have already been collected. In many areas, masks, made by the volunteers, are exchanged for non-perishable food.
To help with the donation of food and hygiene products, those interested can contact Facebook Adventistas Oeste Mato Grosso
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site