Samaritan's Purse Conference 2011
Over 200 people from all over the UK gathered at The Village Hotel Dudley for Samaritan's Purse Annual Conference 2011 on the weekend of 3rd, 4th & 5th June.
Also attending were some of our overseas partners - Nic Balbutski from Belarus, Wandy Shongwe from Swaziland and Irina from Central Asia. Over the event they held seminars and ran sessions that informed delegates of the challenges they faced in their countries as they carried out their work for Samaritan's Purse. 
Much of their work is involved in the distribution of the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and they told the delegates stories about children who received shoeboxes and the difference that they made to young lives - sometimes affecting entire communities. Samaritan's Purse volunteers who have been on distribution trips with the shoeboxes told us of their experiences and showed images of delighted children receiving their boxes.
During the weekend we were served well by the hotel staff who undertook a 24 hour Rowathon from Friday morning though until Saturday for our Turn on the Tap project- raising £637.87. They were joined by some of the SP staff and volunteers who all took turns on the rower. The entire distance rowed was 165 miles - which happens to be the distance between Dudley and Samaritan's Purse Head office! Staff at The Village also hid Turn on the Tap Treasure around the hotel which delegates had to find from some fiendish clues.....
Saturday afternoon's seminars included a practical session on Operation Christmas Child where volunteers were able to ask staff about the practical and logistical issues of the project. Members of our Disaster Relief Team (DART) told us about Samaritan's Purse work in Haiti and Japan and told us about the challenges involved and the contrast between each country.
The delegates sang and worshipped together to the music of the Shud Bee Band and the Bible teaching came from Greg Haslam of Westminster Chapel. Saturday night was a light hearted Samaritan's Purse Anorak" quiz night, with music as staff and volunteers teamed up with hilarious results! Throughout the weekend delegates had the chance to buy Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child merchandise.
The team are already working on the date and venue for next year - So Watch this Space!!!
