Sisters seek aid for humanitarian trip

BEACH LAKE - They have shared everything from their clothes to dreams; and on May 19 sisters Kimberly and Jessica Weyandt will share an experience that neither will ever forget. Kimberly, 23, and Jessica, 18, are Sullivan County residents and members of the Beach Lake United Methodist Church. On May 19 they will board a plane to the Republic of China, hoping for a chance to make a difference. On a two-week humanitarian mission in China, the girls will work at the Philip Hayden Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization established for helping China’s orphaned and special-needs children. The Philip Hayden Foundation was named for an American teacher who went to China in 1991 and began volunteering his spare time and efforts to help China’s orphans. When Hayden died unexpectedly of a rare heart defect at the age of 28, his teammates Tim and Pam Baker established the foundation in his memory. The foundation, which is operated by American volunteers, continues to take in special-needs and orphaned children with the purpose of helping them get the medical treatment they need and be adopted. The Weyandts will be leaving with approximately 15 volunteers from across the country to help these efforts in China. They will be working alongside American volunteers, doing whatever needs to be done. This could be anything from helping with the daily activities of the orphans to painting a neglected wall or fence. Although the Chinese government will not allow the girls to talk about religion, they are hoping to inspire others through their actions. Realistically, they expect that those they meet will have a much bigger impact on their life than they could ever hope to make in return. The total cost for the trip is $3,000 per person, which each participant must raise. The church is asking for the community’s support of the Weyandts as they embark on their mission. Tax-deductible donations can be made payable to: “The Beach Lake United Methodist Church,” with a notation designating the check to: “Mission trip.” Checks can be mailed to the Weyandt Family, 7890 state Route 52, Narrowsburg, N.Y. 12764. For more information call 845-252-7414 or 845-252-3552.