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City Resident, Notre Dame Senior Christian Arnold Collecting Supplies for Children in Zimbabwe

By Chris Johnson on August 30, 2023

Christian Arnold, a Bridgeport resident and Notre Dame High School senior, was looking for just the right fundraiser to get involved with.
Turns out, he didn’t have to look far.
 
Zimbabwe may be a world away from Bridgeport, West Virginia but Arnold has an important connection that steered him in the direction of helping out orphanages and foster homes in the country located in Africa.
 
“Immaculate Conception in Clarksburg is where I got to church and we have a couple of nuns, Sister Maria and Sister Beritha, who are from Zimbabwe and are both members of the Sisters of the Child Jesus,” Arnold said.
 
“Some of the members of the Sisters are nuns in churches all over the world but some are in Zimbabwe and instead of working in churches, they work in orphanages and foster homes. Sister Maria is still in contact with those nuns and Sisters.
 
“They are looking for things that people can send to help out the children. It seemed like a good project and it is unique. There are a lot of great organizations that give back to our community but this is a community that has given to me because of the help Sister Maria and Sister Beritha have given me. This is a way to give back to them too.”
 
Arnold’s goal is to ship 55 gallon barrels full of goods to be given out to children from infants up to 18-year-olds. Items most needed are clothing for all seasons including coats, tennis shoes, socks, underwear as well as small toys, electronics, make-up, purses, accessories and school supplies such as backpacks, markers, pens, pencils and art supplies (no books or notebooks).
 
Arnold said his original goal was to fill 10 barrels, which cost $500 each to ship, so monetary donations of any amount, are welcomed. He said he has raised $4,000 so far to go toward the shipping.
 
“I’m really happy, with how it is going” Arnold said. “We need money to ship the barrels but we need stuff to put in the barrels. I’m guessing I have 50 to 60 bags full of clothes, shoes, puzzles, etc.
 
“We are doing really well but we still need more stuff, especially toys, accessories, we’re trying to get some board games, things that appeal to a wide range of ages. Like for boys, something like a soccer ball.”
 
“A lot of times, people hear ‘kids’ and they think toddlers. And there are toddlers there in need but there are people my age, 16, 17, 18.
Arnold also said he is working with a local business that is in the process of refurbishing some computers, eight total, some of which are laptops, some of which are desktop computers. They will be shipped to Zimbabwe as well.
 
Many of the orphans in need are also disabled.
 
“Disabled kids are more likely become orphans in a developing country like Zimbabwe just because if the parents are already struggling to feed one kid, they are going to struggle even more to feed a kid that can’t provide anything like manual labor,” Arnold said.
 
“Sister Maria has told me, they just get left. There is a cemetery near one of the orphanages and the sisters check it every morning and they often find disabled kids as infants. The parents know they can’t take care of the child and they know that is somewhere they can leave them and they are going to get picked up and taken care of.”
 
Anyone wishing to provide supplies for Arnold to use in filling the barrels can drop them off at two locations – the Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksburg and the Benedum Civic Center in Bridgeport.
 
But dropping them off isn’t even the only option for Arnold to get the supplies. He will come pick them up himself.
 
“We’ve had people with large amounts of stuff or some older people that just can’t get there to drop them off,” Arnold said. “I will go wherever they are and pick up stuff. If someone reaches out to me and they have stuff to donate, I’m not going to turn it down.”
 
Next summer, Arnold hopes to get the opportunity to see some of the children he is helping out in person and he and his family are planning a trip to Zimbabwe before he goes off to college.
 
The barrels will be shipped sometime in November and Arnold said he will be collecting supplies until late October, early November (depending on when the shipping date is finalized).
 
For more information, or if you need your donations picked up, Arnold can be contacted at 304-282-8033. You can also reach him at that number to arrange a monetary donation to go toward the shipping.
 
Monetary donations can also be made via venmo @SUPPORTZIMBABWE or by check to Immaculate Conception – SJI Sisters.
 
Editor's Note: Submitted photo of Arnold and Sister Maria.

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