By Larry Hehn
Murray Dryden was born in 1911 in Domain, Manitoba.
He left home during the Great Depression, working his way east as a travelling salesman. As he rode the rails from town to town, he often slept in train stations.
This developed in him an appreciation for a good night’s sleep!
After working in Hamilton for several years, he moved with his wife Margaret to my hometown of Etobicoke, Ontario back in 1948. Soon after, he took up photography as a hobby.
One of his favorite subjects, starting with his young daughter Judy, was sleeping children.
As Murray often said, “There is nothing more peaceful than a sleeping child.”
Once, while travelling in India, Murray tripped over a child who was sleeping on the street. This encounter sparked a desire in him to champion children in developing countries and provide them with a comfortable bed.
As one of his biographies reads, “He couldn’t feed the world, or alleviate hunger, but he believed a good night’s sleep could make a hungry child’s life more comfortable.”
In 1970, Murray and Margaret started the charity Sleeping Children Around the World, distributing 50 bedkits in Pune, India.
Since then, Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), has distributed more than 1.2 million bedkits in 33 countries, a testimony to Murray’s firm belief that with God, nothing is impossible.
SCAW provides bedkits to children of any race and/or religion who will benefit the most. It is known as “The 100% Charity” since not a penny of the $35 (Canadian funds) bedkit donation is spent on administration. 100% of that donation reaches a needy child.
Bedkits are made in the countries where they are distributed. They typically consist of a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes and school supplies. Contents vary from country to country based on local needs.
Locally produced bedkits eliminate transportation costs, minimize the cost of materials and labor, provide employment for families in the country, and assist the local economy.
Murray Dryden passed away in 2004. His dream of providing 1 million children with a comfortable bed was realized in 2009, and is still going strong.
Providing more than 1 million children with a comfortable bed, supporting local economies, and making sure that 100% of your donation reaches a needy child?
That’s what I call excellent!
To find more about “The 100% Charity” and how you can provide a needy child with a comfortable bed, visit http://scaw.org.
Things that are Excellent is a regular feature that celebrates “what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable…things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). If you have a feature idea or a guest post that you would like to submit, let us know in the comments below or email your ideas to: excellent@larryhehn.com
