Fields of Life give out personal care packs

A Ballymoney lady is heading to Uganda next month to help give out personal care packs to over 600 local girls.
Picture are some of the Fields of Hope team from left to right Jonathan Gault, Teresa Dowey (me), Helen D'Arcy, Lorna Armstrong, Gemma Keenan, Sandra Beattie and Ann Cousley. INBM32-14sPicture are some of the Fields of Hope team from left to right Jonathan Gault, Teresa Dowey (me), Helen D'Arcy, Lorna Armstrong, Gemma Keenan, Sandra Beattie and Ann Cousley. INBM32-14s
Picture are some of the Fields of Hope team from left to right Jonathan Gault, Teresa Dowey (me), Helen D'Arcy, Lorna Armstrong, Gemma Keenan, Sandra Beattie and Ann Cousley. INBM32-14s

Teresa Dowey is joining other members from Ballymoney, Coleraine, Ballycastle, Enniskillen and Portadown on the Fields of Life trip in September.

She will be joining leaders Jonathan and Wendy Gault, also from the borough, to give out soap, re-usable sanitary towels and pants to encourage safe personal hygiene during their ‘monthly cycle’,

Teresa explained: “One of the most touching stories in the bible can be found in Luke chapter 8. It tells the story of a woman who through a physical ailment has been unable to live a normal life for the last twelve years.

“Her condition has caused embarrassment and created the loss of physical contact with those she loves. When reading this story it is hard to imagine that this same condition can still cause untold embarrassment and inconvenience for many women around the world today.

“The inclusion of this story in the bible is an illustration that we should also be showing the same care and concern for the individuals as Jesus did.

“So it’s with this in mind that the ladies of the GO Uganda team have set to work, their aim is to reach at least 600 girls with care packs which will include items for these girls’ personal care.

“Sewing machines have been going in order to make re-usable sanitary towels, also in the pack there will be soap included in order for the girls to wash the items and it is planned to include at least one pair of pants in the care pack.

“Unlike other items of clothing that we take to Uganda which can be secondhand’ the pants have to be new. As word has got out about this outreach’ people have donated packs of pants for this worthwhile cause and we are grateful for all we have received’ but we still have a way to go.

“If anyone would like to donate packs of pants to this cause they can leave them in the Fields of Life shop, Practically Perfect on Railway Road, Coleraine or the Homewares Department of Gaults shop Church Street, Ballymoney. Pants should be sizes 10, 12 or 14

“In a world where we have so much it is maybe hard to understand just how much these girls lives are affected where they can feel embarrassed and ostracised and where important education can be missed out on once a month.”