THE POWER OF ONE
I spent Saturday washing pill bottles. I can just see you starting to scratch your head and maybe even cocking your head in wonder. Why would she be washing pill bottles? Where did the bottles come from? How many bottles are we talking about? And what are you going to do with the clean pill bottles?
Those are all very good questions and they were all asked by me too before I went to join my woman’s club on this project. I want you to picture this, 3 of those GIANT black garbage bags filled to the top with empty pill bottles. Each bag holds approximately 1,000 bottles so we have in total around 3,000. Each bottle had to have the labels peeled off (not an easy task) and then all the glue that holds the labels on had to be soaked off (even harder task) and then they had to be washed and rinsed, and then finally they went on to the drying station. There were 14 or 15 people working on this project on Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm and only 1,000 of the bottles got completely finished.
Once we get ALL the bottles done we will be sending them to an organization that used the empty bottles by filling them with prescriptions for those in less fortunate or undeveloped countries. Somewhere in another country, our empty pill bottles will make a difference.
Seeing all the women working together Saturday somewhat reminded me of Dorcas. In Acts 9: 36-43 it tells of Tabitha, which translates to Dorcas, who was always doing good and helping the poor. What a wonderful description that would be! Dorcas became sick and died which greatly upset those whom she had helped. Peter was sent for and when he arrived he found the widows standing around crying. He ushered them out and then said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes and she sat up. Can you imagine how happy everyone was? Can you imagine how amazed they were???
This all reminded me of the story of the little boy picking up starfish on the beach and throwing them back into the ocean. Someone approached him and said, “Why are you doing that? There are thousands of starfish on the beach, you can’t possibly make a difference.” The little boy picked up a starfish and threw it back and said, “I made a difference to that one.”
We are only one person. Dorcas was only one person. But if each of us strives to make a difference in just one person’s life just think of how much good could be accomplished. That is the power of one.
Have A Great Day!
I love it when we recycle and your prescription bottle deal is wonderful! Thank you for doing that and making a difference!
I needed to hear this today! Thanks!
Wow what a taxing, tedious and worthwhile project! I’m proud of you for doing that!
What a great use for those pill bottles! I am sure they really appreciate all the effort you ladies did! Good job!
To easily get the label and glue off the bottles, there is a item called Goo Gone. It is in a spray bottle, just spray and wait a minute or so then just scrape off. Bless your group for doing thi
That is what we used, Edna. It is just messy, especially when you are doing so many bottles.
Wonderful! Can you post the information for this organization using old prescription bottles? It sounds like a great project for our women’s club! Thanks
Here is their website:
http://m25m.org/pillbottles/
Great project. So much better than ending up in a landfill. Thank yu!
A great reminder! Sometimes the numerous needs of the world seem overwhelming but breaking it down like that is the best way to tackle and accomplish some good.
This is such a great use of something we throw away. My son is on ADHD meds and anixiety meds, we have so many medicine bottles. I tried to get the pharmacy to reuse the old bottles, but they couldn’t. I do recycle, but will do this instead. Thanks for sharing. Love your blog.
Wow Tania. That is such a beautiful gesture and so true. The US needs to focus on the more important things instead of tearing everyone down for their causes. If we could all come together and make a difference we could change our own country and the world one place at a time.
Wow that is an amazing ministry something we take for granted and toss in the trash. Could actual help someone else. Thanks for sharing I going to try and save my pill bottle and send them
??? Wish I was there for that one! (I’d be the one with makeup on….lol!)
. . .sometimes we must move out of our comfort zone to do good for others. Move by faith.
Take a look at ‘Natural News’ to see what is behind the pharmakeia steamroller. https://naturalnews.com/
I heard about this before. Is there a place we can send our pill bottles? Thanks for sharing this and reminding us it starts with one.
Marie, it is the Matthew 25 ministries, located in Cincinnati. Here is their website:
http://m25m.org/pillbottles/
You are very sweet my dear sister in Christ. That’s a good reminder of faithfulness. God bless you.
Could you please email me a contact for the organization your helping with pill bottles? This would be a great project for ministry at my church.
Joyce, here is the website. We will be delivering our bottles to Cincinnati.
http://m25m.org/pillbottles/
Very true, Tania! It only takes one, and that one helping one.I have heard or read all the stories you are talking about, it is such a good feeling to help others. I have heard before of the prescription bottles, by the time I had mine done, the people who wanted them already sent them in. A very good idea. Hope you have had a great day, thanks for sharing.
Interesting project. We take so much for granted and toss so many things. I felt the same when I helped muck out a house in Houston after Harvey. It took 12 people one day to clean out one home – think how so many tasks and good deeds the world could accomplish if everyone spent one day helping others. Thanks for sharing your story.
Wow what a great idea. God Bless.