“School was opening and I was worried no one could help us in time. But I got a call last Monday and the people at Empty Vessel Ministry told me to come and pick up school supplies at their office in Gualo Rai,” Camacho said.
She and her husband are jobless.
“We are so thankful to the Empty Vessel for coming to our aid just in time when we needed help the most,” she said. Camacho has four children in high school, one in junior high school and one in elementary.
Sara Ann Borja, also a resident of Kagman, is also jobless and with five kids to send to school. Buying the basic supplies was a big problem for her until she received a call from the Empty Vessel Ministry.
Borja has one child in high school, three in elementary school and one at Head Start.
“The school supplies we received really helped us a lot. I had been asking for assistance from different agencies but nobody helped,” Borja said.
She said her whole family is very thankful to the Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation.
Empty Vessel Ministry project director Rose Smith said they have already distributed a total of 272 packs of school supplies since public schools opened last week.
Last Friday, they distributed 152 packs of school supplies to students at Oleai Elementary School. They earlier distributed school supplies to 120 children who came to the foundation office and to those in different schools and villages.
Smith said Saipan Next Top Chef winner Melquiades De Ramos “helped us with the distribution of the school supplies, along with Pacific Islands Club executive assistant Vicky I. Benavente,” whose establishment donated $500 for school supplies, and Elena Soll of Fiesta Resort & Spa who donated $200 for school supplies.
Smith said their other donors were the Mobil Gas station in Garapan Middle Road, Aon Insurance, Western Union, Modern Stationery & staff, National Office Supply and Joeten.
“We would also like to thank Pastors Gabriel Arkoh and Ryan Montensen of Redeem Christian Church of God for their donations and for praying for the children going back to school and their families, as well as their help with transportation for the home visits to give away the school supplies,” Smith said.
The Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation is still accepting donations.
“We witnessed the need and I am glad we helped. Thank you to generous donors and individuals who provided for our children,” Smith said.
Families that came to the Empty Vessel Ministry office also received clothing donations.
Anyone who would like to help can visit www.emptyvesselministry.org or call 235-2340 /483-0162 or check out the Empty Vessel Ministry on Facebook.
