Just imagine the negative impact of having no trash pick-up in your community at all, for years.  This has been a reality in the Helene communities. 

One of Helene’s long-time community goals that God placed on MEI’s heart early on was to help establish an island trash pick-up program.  Due to the lack of roads, trash collection bins, a tractor to empty the collection bins, and an acceptable disposal site, etc., this has been a very elusive goal for many years. With the paving of the dirt paths in 2020, finally a foundation was set to move forward on this goal. 

Earlier this year, a donation was generously made to MEI to acquire the capital needed for the trash project, namely a tractor and collection bins. MEI then worked to partner with the city government to clean up Helene together.  

Thus far, God had delivered over 50 plastic barrels for the local trash pick-up program with 50 more on the way.   Regarding the tractor to empty the collection bins, after a thorough evaluation of tractors against the unique needs of Helene, a Kubota 4701 was selected and purchased in the United States. Shipping a tractor to the remote island of Helene was a convoluted process, but it finally arrived a couple of weeks ago.  This was just in time for the visiting team here teaching the recent Men’s Discipleship Training to provide specialized tractor training to four local men in Helene.  God provided. 

Clearing land for the local landfill and incineration of trash has started.  There is now a tractor to pick up the barrels, and trailers to haul barrels.  It is all coming together like a magnet pulling all the loose ends unto itself.