The congregation, located at 4100 Chestnut Hill Drive, Made Hygiene Kits for an adult education school in South Sudan. The project supports Grassroot Initiative Network (GIN), an organization started by Midland resident Rieek Nyoach.

The event was hosted by the Midland chapter of Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) as part of its annual fundraising effort. Established in 2002, NP boosts a roster of 261 workers — separated into 15 teams — stationed in various conflicted areas across the world, primarily in four countries: South Sudan, Iraq, Myanmar and the Philippines.

"We protect civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies," said NP member Jeanne Dellar, who served as moderator for the event. "We build peace side-by-side with local communities, and we advocate for the wider adoption of these approaches to safe-guard human lives and dignity."

“I wanted to give back,” says Nyoach. “There is so much going on, so many good people in Midland. It’s been a blessing.”

“Rieek was one our group in Rotary sponsored to bring him here along with his family,” said Event Coordinator Judy Timmons. “He wants to pay back to his homeland because there is such a need for schools.”