Thousands of volunteers help prepare for annual outreach

USA (MNN) — Hundreds of families, schools, and church groups are converging on Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, as a part of the Global Aid Network (GAiN USA) Pennsylvania Warehouse humanitarian aid preparation project. Going on now through October 21, Global Aid Network, the humanitarian aid arm of Campus Crusade for Christ International, is opening its doors to people of all ages who want to help needy communities around the world.

GAiN USA’s Warehouse Manager Phil Liller says, “Every year for two weeks in October we bring volunteers in from all over the country and generally it’s between 5,000 and 7,000 volunteers will come through here. And, we pack up the humanitarian aid to send overseas.”

The aid will go to the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and any other areas of the world that have needs.

The volunteers will be packing more than 30 truckloads of goods to be used in ministry, says Liller. He says it includes everything from stuffed animals, school supplies, clothing, medical equipment, medicines, shoes, and more.

Liller says making this available is important as they share the Gospel. “It opens the doors for us to be able to go in there and just also share God’s love personally when the missionaries go over on the short-term mission trips that we have.”

CEO of Global Aid Network Duane Zook says, “I continue to be amazed at the number of volunteers who come from all over the United States to work at our Global Aid Network Distribution Center. I get really excited and am so encouraged by the number of families and number of children who return year after year. I am especially proud of the thousands from the Lancaster area who help, since I grew up in the Lancaster area.”

The attraction for these families is the international impact each one of them has through volunteering. Through the year-round efforts of the Distribution Center, individuals who would not normally be able to physically travel to places like Belarus, Siberia, or Zimbabwe can still demonstrate their compassion for those in need simply by giving of their time.

Liller says, “Volunteers are excited to see how Global Aid Network is being used by God to help send compassionate aid to an increasing number of countries around the world.”

Global Aid Network also offers short-term mission trips so you can see how this aid is distributed first hand. Go to our Short-term Missions Database (STMDB.org) to find a trip that suits you.