2020 Virtual Annual Meeting – Shipping Report
What we sent in 2019
Truly God has been faithful in 2019 – He enabled CSM to ship 11 containers that went to 6 different countries. An overall weight of 319,900 lbs. of materials were redistributed from dusty shelves. We were scarecely back from our Christmas break when we sent our first container of the year on January 7th. It was the first of two containers that we sent to Zambia for the year.
Besides Zambia, we two containers to Ghana, three to India, two to the Philippines, and one each to South Africa and South Sudan.
The container to the South Sudan turned out to be a timely shipment as only our Lord would have known the need in advance. We were asked by a Canadian ministry to arrange the purchase of a 40′ sea container that would make its way to the South Sudan Bible Mission in Grupa, South Sudan. Since there was no way a container of that size filled with books would be able to travel the dirt roads in South Sudan, we worked with Ontario Gleaners to send 10,000 lbs of their dehydrated soup mix, fruits, and vegetables (dehydrated foods weigh less by volume than books do).
We received notice in March 2020 that the container had arrived safely and that the soup mix was much appreciated – especially in light of the locust swarm that had wiped out most of the area’s crops only a few weeks earlier. We serve an on-time God! This was our first direct shipment to South Sudan, although we have previously been able to send materials there via a ministry in Uganda.
Looking Ahead in 2020
So far in 2020, we have only been able to send one container. Early in the year we hit (literal) roadblocks with the railroads. We were able to squeeze one container in once the rails re-opened, but our warehouse closed shortly after that due to the pandemic.
Once we are allowed to operate again, we have several new and returning ministries lined up to receive containers. We were blessed with an overabundance of books in 2019, and we imagine there are a lot of books waiting to be donated for the past few months. With that in mind, we are hopeful to have the materials needed to meet these requests.
May God grant us the privilege of continuing in His service.
In Christ,
Doug Hysert (shipping coordinator)