Just the thought of soliciting, then packing a 40- or 53-foot container bound for Uruguay sends shivers down my back bone. Yet this project has been successful five times in association with First Redeemer Church, Cumming Georgia. Here is what we did, and we can do it again:
We solicited 50,000 pounds of new or lightly used clothes, baby room furniture, construction materials, desks, chairs, etc. We ordered a container to the parking lot of First Redeemer Church. On a weekend we packed the container and in one day the tractor trailer drove the container to the port in Savanah where it was loaded on a container ship and one month later it was dropped off at the port in Montevideo. In the past (we did this 5 times) we would address the container to the US Embassy in Montevideo with the Ambassador’s express permission. This was all coordinated by Pastor Dumas Vallejo, a full-time Customs Agent for Uruguay. (We also support Dumas in his own ministry which can be seen on the Asado Ministries website as well).
So, what has changed? At this point Asado Ministries has no church partner here in US to help gather the goods. Obtaining the container, loading, transporting it are no problem. Asado Ministries is allowed by the Uruguayan Government to have one container pass through the port free of duty and taxes, per year. We can use the same Customs Agent, Dumas Vallejo.
We are looking for a partner church or an organization here locally who can help gather the items. Asado Ministries would purchase the container and once it arrives in Montevideo, Alejandro Las’s church or Jabez Farm can turn it into a classroom or a dormitory. Here are a few pictures of a container, packed completely full! People here have much they can give away but coordinating these goods is another labor-intensive work. Can your organization help?