Greetings!
We recently heard the good news of cross-border travel opening up between Canada and the U.S. for those who are fully vaccinated. We are hopeful that as these first steps will one day lead to even less restrictions for the many Canadians who love to serve on projects south of the border, particularly during the winter months.
While we are happy to hear about the border reopening, some questions remain. We are currently gathering all the information we can on what will be required to travel south and return home, and how we will manage the current testing requirements, both in terms of costs and logistics to meet air or land crossings.
Canadian Volunteers should soon receive an email from MDS Canada outlining current requirements and asking them to respond to a brief survey in order to understand their thoughts on volunteering in the U.S. this coming fall and winter. Please watch for that email.
On another front, the MDS 2021 Hay West project continues to move ahead. The Ontario Unit is working to collect donations of hay to send to the Saskatchewan Unit, which is taking applications from farmers who have experienced hay shortages because of drought. You can support it by donating on our website to help defray the cost of transporting the hay. You can read more about that story here.
I’d also like to encourage all of you to get the word about our Spirit of MDS Fund out to your local churches. We are excited to continue to encourage the local churches to make a positive impact in their community through the work of volunteers, and during times of crisis and need. Applications are available online.
Thanks for your continued support of MDS. We would not exist without your all!