MMDC #2

We left Charles City after church on Sunday, stopping in Cedar Rapids for lunch. It got warmer as we went south and was up to 41 degrees at one time. There was very little snow, just in protected areas and along tree lines, as we got to Mount Pleasant and then into Missouri. Crossed at Hannibal and arrived at MMDC about 5:30 p.m.

Our car was REALLY packed full--the back seat had all of our luggage and stuff...

...and in the trunk we had a couple of coolers with food and the items donated by members of our church and the community. That included roughly 225 items:
10 school bags
11 infant caps
12 toddler sweaters
 7 newborn sweaters with caps
63 hospital gowns (some needing elastic or matching top/shorts)
50 new adult T-shirts (I'm guessing at the number but they'll count them here)
 6 dozen toothbrushes
and some premie/newborn T-shirts and onesies (I forget how many)

The generosity of  people back home is incredible. Cash donations from members of Trinity United Methodist Church totaled over $300! That money will go toward personal dignity kits for the homeless.

The sun was setting as we arrived at Midwest Mission Distribution Center just south of Springfield, Illinois, near the town of Chatham.

After we unloaded the car and put our stuff away, we went to meet the caretakers. In the morning we meet at 8 a.m. for devotions with the staff, and at 8:30 the volunteers show up to start work.