Helping hands across the sea

Whenever a need, a critical need, arises, count on the Rev. Joe and Carolyn Wagner to meet it -- but not with ordinary, by-the-book means! No. Creativity reigns when their ideas generate projects that make it very possible for everyone to participate. Ever think you could hold out your hands across the Atlantic? Thanks to the Operation Classroom Coordinators, now you can.

Project Hands the Wagners launched to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of OC. The program was developed through a task force of the Board of Laity of the South Conference, in cooperation with the North Indiana Conference Lay Leader.

Project Hands' intent is to place tools in the hands of youth in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Tools that will replace guns. Tools that will lead to productive lives. For guns lead to destructive lives, as the world has witnessed during the civil wars and rebel uprisings.

Operation Classroom's partnership with the U.M. Conferences in this effort marks another milestone, one that calls for celebration . Both funds and material goods are on the needs list.

The five major vocational areas which need help are agriculture, home economics, carpentry, metalworking, and business/accounting/office procedures. Training, with hands-on practice, will help break the cycle of war.

In some carpentry classes, students use blocks of woods as hammers because they have no hammers.

When the Wagners were in Freetown, Sierra Leone in April, the carpentry students at Albert Academy had no planes, hammers or useable saws. The Wagners gave the school $100 to purchase a few of the needed carpentry and metalworking tools. On their next visit to the vocational department, they noted a definite morale boost. The young men were actually enjoying what they were working on, presenting their projects with pride.

Think about all the tools stored in Hoosier garages or basements or workshops. Tools no longer used. Hoosier UMs can see that these tools become useable again.

If the tools are in good condition, OC wants them. If not, new tools can be purchased and delivered to the Lapel warehouse, for shipment. Or funds can be donated to purchase tools here or overseas. A fifteen-page catalogue has been printed with details and is now available from the OC office.

Want to see things first hand? Request a seven-minute Power Presentation, prepared with the help of Bob Bush. You can watch students at work.

The agricultural and home arts program at Ganta, Liberia, is an exceptionally good one in this OC school with 700 students. Recently 25 Apple computers were obtained for use there.

All OC schools are looking for computers. But most of these schools will have to develop standards for their use. The largest OC schools, Albert Academy and the College of West Africa, have developed their standards already.

Project Hands is changing the direction of West African youth, giving them pride in accomplishment, satisfaction in their results and hope for their future. You can become another "workman in the field," by participating in this project. Contact the Wagners at P.O. BOX 277, Colfax, Ind. 46035-0277 or by email: wagners@operationclassroom.org or ccwagner@hotmail.com.

Last updated on 01/14/2004

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