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Mail
Bonding
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As the war in Iraq continues, those far from home experience feelings of loneliness and isolation. One small United Methodist church continues to send care packages and letters through a program called “AdoptaPlatoon” and they’ve learned that helping others has helped them. | ||
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Letters from soldiers being read: “Hello, Schweitzer United Methodist. This is to thank the church for the care package.”
“It is great to know we have such strong support back home.”
“These are the words that describe my feelings at today’s mail call when I heard my name called, as I received the package and noticed that it was from someone I didn’t know.”
Members of this small Missouri church are busy getting mail ready for soldiers they have never met.
“How many do you have in the AdoptaPlatoon program?”
“Forty-four, plus our own.”
Everyone here has at least one relative serving overseas. And what started as a weekly support group changed when Janice Fugua shared a letter from her son-in-law.
Janice Fugua / supporter, AdoptaPlatoon program: “Some of them never get a package from home – never.”
Another member had heard of the AdoptaPlatoon program, and thought the two were a perfect fit, and it wasn’t long before they were sending letters and packages filled with everything from ketchup to toothpaste.
Janice Fugua: “And snacks, they don’t have anything but MREs. So, they’re thrilled.”
Letter from soldiers being read: “Thank you again for your kind package.”
Soon after the first mailings went out, letters started coming back from the troops – something no one expected.
Judy Folkins / supporter, AdoptaPlatoon program: “I was pleasantly surprised when we started getting letters back. It was evidence what we were doing meant a great deal to them.”
Milton Folkins / supporter, AdoptaPlatoon program: “However, Afghanistan is not over; Bosnia is not over; Korea is not over. We still have people deployed throughout the world.”
Judy Folkins: “To send these packages, in a way, it’s our therapy. So that’s why it’s really nice to get these letters. We know that someone out there is still OK, and we know that they appreciated what we had done.”
Mail Bonding – Tag:
Schweitzer United Methodist Church spends $350 to $400 a month on postage. That’s a financial challenge for the volunteers but they’re committed to writing to the soldiers as long as they can.
You can find more information on the AdoptaPlatoon program at adoptaplatoon.org.