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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1991-06-26, Page 11COJAA4UN!TY Times -Advocate, June 26, 1991 Page 11 Exeter family volunteers service on relief vessel By Rhonda Vandeworp. EXETER - Over lair40 million people in the world are blind. Eighty per- cent of all human illnesses would be eliminated with the access to clean water. Almost 35,000 people die every day from hunger related diseases. These are only some of the sta- tistics which Harry and Marielle Rooseboom hope to reduce with their dedication to the Mercy Ships, a non-profit ministry of Youth With a Mission which as- sists less developed countries in the areas of medicine, dental work, construction, agriculture and water projects. The Roosebooms always knew they wanted to be involved m practical missionary work. Harry first became aware of the Mercy Ships program when he was at- tending missionary training school in Hawaii in 1985. Later that year, he joined the crew while the ship was docked in Mexico. Marielle, a native of France, was inspired to join the ship in 1987 when she heard the organization's motto, "Heart and hands to help." "I was attending a similar type of missionary school in France," explains Rooseboom, "As a nurse, I wanted to help people with my hands, and with my heart as a Christian." The crew of four hundred volun- teers representing 25 nationalities and various religious denomina- tions is not an emergency relief task force, but instead. a group of people who desire to teach the na- tive residents how to develop their own communities. Public educa- tion in productive gardening and water treatment, construction, health care and sanitation, AIDS prevention, and first aid insures self -advancement. Harry, for example, is an over- seer for cargo distribution and the agricultural and construction work. During a recent five-month visit to West Africa, he helped to supervise the construction of two schools, one church, two demonstration Crediton news farms, and three homes for African missionaries. "In Togo we built one school for 60 children. his is such a small thing compared to the needs of the country," says Harry. "But did you ever think of the difference it will make in the lives of these children? By helping people one by one, I think I am helping the world." Marlelle is involved in the medi- cal aspect of the program. There are three operating rooms aboard the Anastas s which allow surgeons to perform cleft lip and cleft palate operations, cataract removal, ortho- pedic and other reconstructive sur- geries, all of which do not demand follow up, but are life changing. Whenever Marielle is discou- raged and begins to think that she is not making a big enough impact, she remembers the effect she made on the life of a five-year-old Afri- can girl. "In one village children with cleft lips and cleft palates were assumed to be damned, and were buried alive to kill the demon. We usual- ly find lots of children with this dis- order, but in this village it was hard to find them. One family, however, did not be- lieve that their child was possessed and m their native language named her You are accepted. Even before the Anastasis docked in their coun- try, the family had faith that she would someday be cured. The sur- gery touched the family and the vil- lagers," recalls Marielle. Besides the medical facilities on the ship, work teams are sent into the villages to offer care for those people unable to reach the ship. There is also a team of dentists equipped with dental chairs and a generator which also visits in -land communities. Because Mercy Ships is a non- profit organization, it must rely on donations of money and practical materials given by local govern- ments, businesses, hospitals, and churches.For half of the year, the Anastasis is docked in the ports of various developed countries in or- der to collect necessary medical, building, and farming supplies. The second half of the year, the ship is berthed off the coast of a lesser developed country to provide free medical care and assistance in !community development. Since the Roosebooms joined the ship, the Anastasis has been docked off the coast of Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Togo, and Ghana. Harry and Marlette are both full- time volunteers on the Anastasis. They met on board in 1987, and were married in France two years later. Their one year old son, Wil- liam, is one of 60 children who live on the ship with their families. The Roosebooms try to return to Exeter for a month each year to vis- it family and friends. They de- scribe the return to Canada as being quite a shock. "It is more difficult to adjust when we get back," explains Ma- rlette. "The issues are so different. People here worry about their sala- ries not being high enough, while people of other places must deal with walking a mile just to get a bucket of water." Harry continues, "Coming back W Canada, I gain a deep apprecia- tion of the government system. It takes care of you with the police, hospitals, and health insurance for example." In a couple weeks. the Roose- booms will be rejoining the ship in Germany, and will sail on to Po- land. Estonia, and West Africa for further service. They invite medi- cal staff on holidays, farmers dur- ing the slow winter season, or re- cent high school graduates to join them for short-term service. Summer Footwear rJ Starts Today White & Bone Women's Dress Shoes Reg. to $60.00 29" 20% Off Assorted Styles . Women's Sandals $ 99 From All remaining regular priced stock. All colours, nothing held back. Note: this dis- count will end at closing Sat., June 29 ,ii, S. fl I S._ -1k, S.tI i S.- 11,, S,U., S.n.,t1,, S_•,tI.. S^ ,11 .1 S.:.,1t, S. ;u.LL: S ir CREDITON - Marlene Thornton of Exeter provided two solos as the special musical entertainment for Sunday's annual Cemetery Decora- tion service at Zion United Church. Rev. Ed Laksmanis presented the sermon. All persons buried at the Crediton cemetery during the past year since June of 1990 were remembered. They were George Gragham, Rod- ney Bowman, Harold Wolfe, Lila Gaiser, Inez Van Horne, Emery Gaiser, Alfred Tilley and Blake Heath. Flowers placed at the front of the church were donated by the ceme- tery board. Sunday night, members of the youth group of the church enjoyed a game of ball at the Crediton park. This afternoon, Wednesday at 4 p.m., teachers and helpers for the 1991 Vacation Bible School will meet in the Sunday School rooms to plan for the annual event sched- uled to be held from Monday, July 29 to Friday, August 2. Sessions each day will be from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. W1. group plans Members of the Crediton Wom- en's Institute met at the home of Alma Davey last Wednesday night for a joint picnic and planning ses- sion. After a delicious pot luck supper the ladies enjoyed a number of games and then planned monthly meetings for the 1991-92 year with programme co-ordinator Margaret McClure in charge. Canadians return home - Marielle and Harry Rooseboom with son, William, recently returned home from West Africa for a short visit.. Later this week, they will rejoin the Anastasis in Germany. Main St. 233-1933 Exeter Quality Footwear... Courteous Service s.,-,tiv Sit. S .-t1,. ,t: Centralia by Mary Kooy a t. What do these, 41111_4111% • AlEYSt fit'+'J� ,t'�tG:?, {iii. . Him,;; By Mary Kooy CENTRALIA - Confirmation was held at the United Church on Sunday, June 16, when Brent Mills, Jennifer Hodgson and Jason Hodg- son were made members of the church. Joining the church through trans- fer were Shelly Prance and Mr. and Mrs. A. Rook Sr. on Sunday, June 23. On Friday, the Presbytery will take a group of people to Toronto to tour the United Church National Office and take in a Blue Jay game. They will be leaving Clinton at 10:45 a.m. Personals Congratulations to Ginny Cable of Huron Park who was married to Eugene Glanville on Saturday at Zion United Church in Crediton. The reception was held at Hensall. Prize winners of euchre held at Heywoods on June 17, were High score Margaret Lawson and Nor- man Reith, Lone Hands leleen Pull- man and Harvey Godbott, and Low score Eunice Patterson and Nola Lewis. Next gathering will be July 1, at 2:30 p.m. have to do with these? ilr • Pick igtitt ENCORE ENCORE ENCORE Exterior Paint Paints Sale The World Leader 412A1_.?*_ SDulti" ' { 5 DuIu" Exp Ri R �� • PAIiV ,,�; ulet h rfifel r,1 -J,li1 Aller FXTERI R PAIWL _._I super .. I 1i. i Acrylic,..1•.• f. , , ...:_..= ti OviV P R W/111€1AL Funds from lottery games are helping Ontarians enjoy sports. Every time you play your favourite lottery, you're helping to provide financial support for worthwhile causes such as sports and recreation activities. It's just one way lottery profits are used all across the province. Here are some of the projects that have received lottery funding: n -n Alkyd Gloss 3398 4 L. Gloss Acrylic Latex 3398 4 L. Southem Ontario Bluewater Gymnastics Club, Sarnia - build a Kindergym • Flat Acrylic Latex Connaught Park, Kincardine - purchase batting cage Town of Pickering Owen Sound Minor Baseball - planning feasibility study - purchase pitching machines , St. Catharines YMCA - develop plans for new facility 2785 4L. Exeter Decor Centre 235-1010 oneetb tottery C.,p.iMlen Societe d.. lebriee de rowane• rlbgmher we're making good things happen. 0