One person can make a huge difference!

Sue Heywood, an angel of hope.

 It is sometimes said that a single person can't really make a difference in the lives of many but Sue Heywood, an American citizen smashes that myth!

With two kids she helped supply school uniforms

 In the past eight years, her efforts have been directly responsible for providing food to hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children, providing an education for others and enabling many terminally ill people to receive comfort and die with dignity. She has raised over $365 000 in the US to help Carryou Ministry's work.

 “I became involved with Carryou in 2001 when I asked Mark, our son, to introduce me to a grass roots organization that dealt directly with the effects of HIV/AIDS in an area of poverty and had a Christian mission as its driving force,” says Sue. 

 “I wanted to be able to make a big difference to a small organization where what money I could raise, would go directly to the people it was intended for. I also wanted to develop a personal

relationship with the staff.

  “I was taken to Randfontein where I met Tony (Jamison), husband of the founder, Pam. He took me around and showed me what they were doing and hoping to achieve and I went back to the US, determined to help.”

The start!

Sue and Pamela Serage. Pamela was an orphan who received

support from Sue that allowed her to attend university. She has

subsequently graduated with a bachelor's degree.

 At the time, Sue and her family were members of St John's Church in Ramsey, NJ. Where Sue was in charge of the Church School and a member of the Vestry.

 “We made a donation of $1000...and that was the start!” she says.

 “Later we moved to Tuxedo Park NY and to St Mary's Church, Tuxedo. In fund raising I also

wanted to raise the awareness of people in the US, particularly children, of what it is like to be really poor, be affected by HIV/AIDs, and to have to rely on people like the Carryou caregivers to survive. I want children who have so much, too much in many cases, to be aware that they can help others who, in many ways are like them but living in circumstances that are very different.

 “In the US, to raise money, I have given slide show presentations in schools and organized walkathons and tee shirt sales for the students, similarly in churches which have developed into annual fund raising, Mardi Gras breakfasts, garden parties, yard sales and musical concerts,” says Sue.

Sue visits one of the child-headed households that Carryou supports

 “And by identifying individual orphans and vulnerable children I have found sponsors who take a direct interest in the welfare of these children and donate regularly. Their contributions provide food and school uniforms for the children. We have also sent donations to assist in specific building projects like the Drop-in Centre in Toekomsrus. 

 “In the last two weeks Episcopal Response to Aids sent $150, the National Honor Society of Baker High School donated $500, specifically to help a high school graduate being cared

for by Carryou and we had a Yard Sale that raised $700,” she says.

 “The truth is, without Sue, her family and friends, we simply would not be able to do much of the work that we do and many people would suffer,” says Carryou Ministry, General Manager, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso.

 If you live in the United States and would like to make a tax-deductible donation to Carryou Ministry, you can do so via Sue Heywood.  Her email address is sueheywood@optonline.net. 

“Our donors make cheques to St Mary's in Tuxedo (www.stmarysintuxedo.org) with the memo indicating payment to Carryou. The money then goes into our outreach account and when we have enough we wire it direct to the Carryou account. St Mary's sends the donors a letter so they can get a tax deduction for their charitable gift,” she says.