By Carl Croker

THE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presented 15 double bunk beds with mattresses along with 15 wardrobes to the Salvation Army’s Drug Rehabilitation/Men’s Social Service Programme on Friday.

The items were handed over by Elders William T. Bohne and his wife, Sister Sandra F. Bohne at a simple ceremony held at the Salvation Army’s headquarters on Water Street, Geogetown.

Administrator of the Salvation Army’s Drug Rehabilitation/Men’s Social Service Programme, Major Ulrick Thibaud, upon receiving the items, expressed gratitude to the church for their timely assistance.

Thibaud, who described the gesture as ‘God sent’, said he had just finished praying and asking God’s intervention into the state of accommodation at the facility when he heard a knock on his door.

“When I answered the door, we sat down and started talking; he then asked me what your needs are and I told them and now here we are today with the furniture,” Thibaud said.
The administrator said because of the kind donation, the men at the institution and the programme will never be the same again.

He said God answered the prayers of the church so that it can better serve the men in rehabilitation. He noted that before the donation, they were living in unhygienic conditions since the beds and furniture are old.

Thibaud said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Salvation Army are partnering to fulfill the mission of helping people to become better men and women in society.

Elder William of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related that the items are enough for 30 people and the donation includes painting of the entire room where the men are housed, along with sheets, pillows and mattresses.

He said the church receive donations from all over the world from people who would give to the church through a welfare and humanitarian aid programme.

However, in this project, the church partnered with Kissoon’s Furniture Store, which they said produced durable and quality items.

He related that the urge to help the Salvation Army’s Drug Rehabilitation/Men’s Social Service Programme was inspirational.

“We were driving by and we just said we need to pull in here; this is a place we should see if we can help and that was the day we met Major Thibaud and that was the day he said he was praying for help,” Williams said.

Bohne said the church has also donated to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in aid of the Venezuelan migrant programme; provided wheelchairs and prosthesis for the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) and established libraries in many schools, among many other projects.

He said that the humanitarian mission of the church is to help people change their lives for the better by donating to programmes aimed at improving the community.
Bohne noted that drug addiction affects every family and this donation will help in the process of helping the men become productive members of society.