Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Wellington, New Zealand mission spent their time recently loading a shipping container with furniture and school supplies bound for Vanuatu.
These young men and women learn to love the local residents and their culture as they serve the community as well as teaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Furniture for Schools Charitable Trust (FFS) collects previously loved furniture from New Zealand schools and in partnership with LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ships containers filled with the used furniture and school supplies to Pacific islands who are in desperate need of the donated materials.
Callum Blair, one of the trustees for FFS, told the young missionaries and others who helped load the container that although the furniture might look a bit out of date or used, there will be smiling faces on the other end who will embrace the donation with gratitude.
In August, the government of Vanuatu issued a mandatory evacuation of the entire population of Ambae as the erupting Manoro Volcano caused conditions that have made the island uninhabitable .
With the relocation of those residents to neighbouring islands, schools are in desperate need of furniture and books for the displaced students.
Watch a short video of missionaries and other volunteers finding joy in service.