Phil & Sue's HK Adventure

Dear Friends

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1. The big picture 2. Comings and goings 3. Match stories 4. I can see clearly now! 5. Only in HK (cont.) 8. Your partnership with us.

1. The big picture

While we were home recently, Phil & I spoke to many people in many places about what Crossroads as an organisation does and what our jobs involve. It was hard to convey a clear picture of the size and scope of what Crossroads is actually doing. Because we have been so involved in the processing and shipping side of the work, the people we talk to know more about that aspect than anything else. We thought that in this newsletter we might try to give you a big picture view. To that end we’ve included a map of our site as a visual aid.

Crossroads has grown rapidly from very small beginnings 11 years ago. Our focus is still very much on using the unwanted resources, which would otherwise be trashed, to meet the huge needs in other parts of the world, both in our Hong Kong warehouse and through Global Hand virtual warehouse on the internet. The new aspects of our work, Life Xperience, Global Handicrafts and our Fair Trade Café, seek to raise awareness of the real world situation and offer a range of ways for people to help.

Our core business remains the processing and shipping of the wide array of quality goods donated to us, to organisations in desperately needy countries around the world. Many hands help with co-ordinating donations, collection of goods, handling and storing of the truckloads of stock that arrive each day.

Others work in our many processing departments, sorting, checking, testing, repairing, packing & labelling goods for local & international requests. Others co-ordinate the shipments & communicate with the recipients, handle freight & logistics, approach possible sponsors, load containers and prepare the documents necessary for customs clearance.

Others of our team work in departments that support this core business. Our administration staff handle correspondence & filing, thank donors & sponsors, feeding back to them about the difference their contribution has made. Others handle the money side. Yet others prepare food for the team and community volunteers every day or look after the needs of new team members and visitors.

Still others work in Communications supporting all the different parts of the work by envisioning people through stories, photos, our website and on site displays. The IT department provide technical support, maintaining and improving our computer network, inventory and phone system. Some of the team are involved in the renovation and maintenance of the large site we occupy or working in our Teaching & Learning centre so the children of team members are continuing to receive a good education while their family is at Crossroads.

Another relatively new support department at Crossroads is that of Training. With such a constant turnover of staff and volunteers it is imperative that we can train newcomers quickly and easily and hand over jobs without losing information that is vital to the work.

As you can see, there are a huge range of tasks to be covered. Small wonder, then, that we find our team struggling to cover it all. One of our greatest needs at the moment is for more full time people to cover all the gaps. When Phil & I first came to Crossroads 4 years ago there were about 45 full-timers. Today there are about 60 but we could easily use 100. We are very much aware that not everyone can serve in this way but we do know that your partnership enables us to be here and that similar support can enable others.

2. Comings and goings

At this moment as I write, Phil has just arrived in New Zealand, about to begin a speaking tour there and in Australia, where he will tell as many people as he can about Crossroads and talk to them about the possibilities of serving here. Over the next few weeks we would be grateful if you can be remembering him as he travels and be asking for much fruit to come out of this trip. He is being sent because of the great need we have for people to help our very overworked team. A list of current positions that need to be filled is included at the bottom of this Newsletter.

As you probably know, we recently returned from leave in Australia. It was as usual a very busy time of catching up with friends and family (at 3 weddings all over the country) and of speaking about the work. Thank you to all of you who made our time at home such a joy. It was disappointing not to be around for the arrival of Andrea Rose to the Wade household but we were delighted to meet her on Skype with the webcam when we were back in HK.

This year has been one with many visitors to Hong Kong already and we look forward to many people coming to see us later in the year. A special treat will be to have our son, Rob, here for a month in August/September.

3. Match stories

We talk about match stories a lot here at Crossroads. Sometimes it is a case of something needed urgently for a shipment that just arrives out of the blue. Sometimes it is a team member with just the right skills or experience who comes short term and is able to fill an essential role with perfect timing.

In the last couple of weeks, I have come across many matches. First it was bunk beds needed for Kazakhstan that came in, then the mattresses we needed to go with them. Then we had 2 rather unusual requests for skis and for wedding dresses also from Kazakhstan. Surprisingly we do have skis but up till now have had nowhere to send them. Wedding dresses? Would you believe 2 pallets arrived recently?!

Then there was the request for cooking equipment for the Philippines shipment we are loading on Saturday. The saucepans came in last week. And this week it was the megaphone they asked for, that appeared in the electrical department among stock we had earmarked for recycling.

I can’t talk about matches without mentioning the happy news that 2 of our team, David (DJ) Begbie and Liz Watson have decided on an October wedding on the site here. Crossroads is certainly a place where need and resource meet. And yes she will be resplendent in a gown from Crossroads.

4. I can see clearly now

Phil will be enjoying the cooler NZ & Aussie weather while he is away but the rest of us here in Hong Kong are dealing with extremely hot weather. It is pretty humid already but over the next couple of months the humidity will creep up even higher (95% is normal) and the rain and typhoons will begin. However we have been delighted over the last week or so to have beautiful clear days with minimal pollution. I’ve seen views I’ve never seen before in all my time in HK. There are definitely many great photo opportunities so keep an eye on our photo page.

5. Only in Hong Kong . . .

. . . can you come home sweaty and damp, have a shower, towel yourself off and still be as wet as you were to start with (though not as smelly, hopefully)

. . . can you catch a mini bus and spend 5 minutes of the journey in a petrol station, while the driver fills up his tank.

. . . can you find a laundry/dry cleaners called Piggywhites – isn’t that an oxymoron?

6. Your partnership with us

We are constantly encouraged by our many friends at home, here in Hong Kong and from other countries , who faithfully support us and also remember us to the MD and keep in touch through email and mail. The MD’s provision has been amazing, last year we found that he provided what was needed to the $, and this year we have gained some new supporters to cover those we have lost from last year. Our support covers such things as food, accommodation, electricity etc. One of our friends expressed surprise to hear we need support, so we do need to keep communicating this fact. If you would like to help there are four ways you can provide financial support for us.

You can send a cheque to us here in Hong Kong made out to Crossroads International. Our address is below.

1. You can send a cheque or pay by credit card through our Australian office of Crossroads. P.O. Box 152, Wahroonga, NSW 2076, Australia. Make sure you mark it for Phil & Sue Warner’s support.
2. To claim it as a tax deduction you can pay by cheque through ADRA in Australia. Just send a cheque made out to ADRA to the Wahroonga office again marked for Phil & Sue’s support. We can also arrange for any US support to be tax deductible
3. You can also deposit direct into our Australian Account (contact us for details)

We do think of you and chat to our Father about you often.

Every blessing

PHIL & SUE

STAFF NEEDS

Teachers: We urgently need two teachers to care for the educational needs of the students on team. Do you know any teachers who might like to serve in Hong Kong for a year, or more, to teach these precious kids? (Needed May 2007)

Shipping Manager: We are looking for someone to prepare the shipping documentation for the international shipments. They need to be accurate and organised with a heart to serve the nations.

IT people: We need further support for our IT needs as the complexity and size of operations makes this a huge job. Any hands to lighten the load would be of great help. GH, too, can use further help in its massive task this year (though, in the case of GH, this needs to be a longer term commitment.)

Goods Officers: Later this year, we will need people to coordinate these vital roles: overseeing the packing of goods and the associated computerised records which allow us to prepare pre-shipping documentation,

Packing Managers: We need people to supervise the "wrapping, packing and stacking" of goods that pour into our laps in so many wonderful ways. This is an ideal task for those with "people skills" and organisational skills.

Artistic Director: Our artistic director recently completed her time with us so we now are looking for a designer for the development of further theme park exhibits.

Front desk / Reception: We have two ladies who handle our two front desks. Both will be on leave for a period of 6 months, however, from June. Do you know anyone who is looking for a short term position and would like to serve in this way? (Needed June - December 2007)

Accounts Department: We rejoice in the fact that this department is now safely in the hands of an accountant. He needs an assistant, though, as the task is very large.

“Cast” Members: We need a variety of people for the theme park. We need people with a love for theatre – whether on the performance or acting side – and a heart for the nations.

Local NGOs: We are also so busy with the many local orders inside Hong Kong that we need an assistant there. Cantonese would be helpful, but not essential.

Administration: We need admin people, for a number of our departments, who love to be organised and are comfortable multi-tracking.

Communication Department: We need an administrator to serve as PA to our Communication Manager.

Kazakhstan: Our office in Kazakhstan is also in urgent need of more team members, at this moment. They are looking for long-term volunteers with admin, muscle, accounting, or communications skills (and much more!) who are up for the challenge of learning another language and living cross-culturally. (Please note: Those roles are not short-term commitments.)

Handymen: We are crying out for handymen or handywomen. Tasks remain in almost every building on the site and work on some has not even begun yet. Do you know any electricians, welders, or plumbers as well?

Electrician, Car Mechanic, Air-Conditioning Technician: We have equipment, but we need to keep it operating. We need help for the vehicles and electrical needs around the site, on an ongoing basis.

Gardeners: We need both regular "green thumbs" and landscape gardeners. The site is huge and we cannot afford to hire outside labour to manage it. We promise, if gardening is your interest, you won't be bored here!

Muscle: We always need people with muscle to collect and process furniture etc. Or, hey, if you lack the muscle, we can help develop it. It's more fun here than your local gym!

Drivers: fork lifts & trucks. We urgently need qualified people for both on our site as it is so huge.

General Help: If you have willing hands, we can put them to work. We need people who can wash, scrub, scrape walls, paint, sew, lay floors, tile, garden, do repairs, sweep, etc.

Not recognise yourself? If you are you interested in coming but cannot see a role above, write to us anyway!