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Bonnie Lipton Joins Observation Team
to Ukraine, Hungary,
and Serbia
by Bonnie Lipton, Master of Divinity Student
This spring, Bangor Theological Seminary student, Bonnie Lipton, will be part of the SARA (Sharing America’s Resources Aboard) Observation Team to orphanages, clinics, gypsy settlements, hospitals, and churches in Ukraine, Hungary, and Serbia. These specific areas in the eastern part of Europe are within regions plagued with eighty percent unemployment, bad transportation, a ruined economy, and out of date medical facilities. (continued below)
The Bangor Theological Seminary community adopted my mission trip as their project for the Spring 2004 semester. It was wonderful to see not only the Seminary community, but local churches served by Seminary students get excited and participate in gathering items for my trip.
Over 250 finger puppets were made by folks in local churches to be given to the children. I estimate that nearly $1,200 worth of over-the-counter medications was brought in to "fill up" my suitcase, to share with clinics and orphanages.
In addition, the worship community at BTS collected $1,063 at Chapel services, to be distributed to projects that needed financial help in these countries. This was certainly a community-wide effort, guided by the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bonnie (center) with S.A.R.A. founder and Executive Director, Rev. Stephen Szilagyi and his wife Jean, before her trip.
(continued from above)
Since its founding in 1988 by the Rev. Stephen Szilagyi, who currently serves as the (volunteer) Executive Director, the SARA program has been a ray of hope and very tangible help to many individuals and facilities. SARA is a non-profit, ecumenical ministry affiliated with the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ that distributes medical supplies, ambulances, medical equipment, and expertise to nations that lack basic health care services. SARA believes that by helping people help themselves, the world becomes a healthier place. Specifically, the organization has three major goals: 1)to provide medical equipment and supplies to individuals and health care organizations, 2)to provide educational opportunities for medical care givers either by bringing them to the U.S. or by taking American health care professionals abroad, and 3)to offer preventive health care education/training. To date, $30 million dollars in medical equipment and supplies have been sent to countries including Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Latvia, Croatia, Estonia, Republic of Congo, China, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, El Salvador, Bolivia, and most recently, Serbia.
Rev. Szilagyi served as the Pastor-In-Residence at Bangor Theological Seminary early in February 2004, leading Chapel service, presenting lectures with slides of SARA projects, and spending time talking with interested students, faculty, and community members. It was during this week that Bonnie Lipton’s interest was sparked in the SARA program and especially in the organized upcoming observation trip. Bonnie’s paternal grandparents are from Ukraine. Her grandmother was orphaned at a young age and spent time in an Ukrainian orphanage before being adopted. When she heard that the trip would be concentrating on “SARA’s Children” in the orphanages of Ukraine, Bonnie felt that God was opening the door for her to not only become more sensitized to the serious needs of our brothers and sisters in underdeveloped countries, but perhaps feel a link to the grandmother who died when Bonnie was only three years old.
The orphaned children in Ukraine today are those young people whose lives have been changed forever by the political upheaval in their country. Once a thriving country, Ukraine is now submerged in poverty and disease. The death rate outpaces the birth rate and children are denied basic human needs. Adequate medical care is still only a dream for many and sanitation is barely minimal. Toys are virtually non-existent. Sharing America’s Resources Abroad believes that we, in America, have more than enough resources, and we can share them to make life better for these children. SARA is making a difference in the lives of many children, and it is so important to remember that these children are not someone else’s responsibility. They are our responsibility.
Both the Bangor and Portland campus of
Bangor Theological Seminary are collecting over-the-counter pain medications and
children’s chewable vitamins to “fill up Bonnie’s suitcase,” as each
person who goes on the trip must fill up one of the two allowed suitcases with
much needed medications that we take fro granted. Bonnie is also collecting
finger puppets to take to the children in the orphanages. She chose this item,
as it will be easy to pack and she was told the children love any type of
puppets. Upon her return Bonnie will be developing and oral and visual
presentation and will be available to share her experiences.
This article was printed in the
Bangor Theological Seminary’s Spring 2004 publication, “The Open Door.”
Read Bonnie's trip diary and see her pictures by clicking here:
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Bangor
Campus 300 Union Street, Bangor, Maine 04401 |
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