Washington Mormons get hands dirty for Guatemala diaper relief

EVERETT, Wash. — All it took was a few pictures of a Methodist doctor's medical mission for a Mormon woman to want to help. And because of it, many children's lives will be saved.

Beverly Carter, a secretary, CNA and doula at Providence Regional Medical Center and a member of the Everett 4th Ward, Everett Washington Stake, was looking at pictures of a colleague's yearly trip to serve impoverished children in rural Guatemala when she saw something very startling: None of these children was wearing diapers.

Dr. Frank Andersen, division chief of women and children's services at the Catholic church-owned hospital, said that without proper sanitation, many of the children could become sick and die.

"I thought it was unbelievable in this day and age that children could become ill and die because they didn't have diapers and sanitation," Carter said.

She invited family and friends to help her make cloth diapers for the doctor's next visit — on July 25 — with his Christian group to the under-served region.

The doctors told Carter that the diapers had to be absorbent and not require pins. That was all the direction she and her friend, Cheryl Rode, needed for the project to take off.

With Carter working with Mormon women in Everett, Rode got Latter-day Saints in Wenatchee, Wash., to help. With an estimated 60-90 minutes to create each diaper, the members made 362 diapers — more than 500 hours of work. Women who couldn't sew donated cloth and fabrics, while others donated money. Local Boy Scouts even pitched in by cutting the material.

Rode, a member of the Rocky Reach Ward, Wenatchee Washington Stake, said the women in her area alone created 221 diapers.

Carter said she hopes that each mother who comes to the Guatemalan clinics will come away with three to six diapers from the project and hopes people won't see it as Mormons trying to get attention, but loving their fellow man.

"It was fun to respond to (the Christian group's) need," Carter said. "We're not trying to wave our own banner here, but we want people to know that as Latter-day Saints, we are sensitive to the world and its needs, not just those of our own faith."

The project has already spread to members in Kirkland, Wash.; Grant's Pass, Ore.; and even the East Coast. A member from Arkansas traveled to northwest Washington to learn the diaper pattern so members from her stake can help contribute.

There are many ways to help out, Carter and Rode said. Aside from having the basic sewing skills, people can donate fabric or funds. For more information or to get the pattern to create diapers in your home ward or stake, contact Carter at 425-357-8814 or by e-mail at sixwilldo@aol.com.

e-mail: nnewman@desnews.com