Being blessed to personally know a missionary family who have devoted their lives to serve at G.A.i.N., we were offered a private tour of the facilities. The impression this organization left on our hearts was HUGE, inspiring us to return to rural Pennsylvania to serve at one of their week-long packing events. The simplicity of what they do in the day to day operations of the ministry is what stuck my heart strings the most. The building is simple, rather large and seems to run like a well oiled machine. Each component of the aid they send out has a devoted area inside the warehouse. It is a beautiful place to serve and it was truly an honor to be a part of something so amazing. Let me take you on a tour of this amazing facility.
Nutritious Meals:
In one area of the warehouse, nutritious meals of rice, beans and soy provide essential vitamins and minerals for deficient bodies, are packed by volunteers during GAiN-sponsored meal packing events. Volunteers carefully measure and pack each bag with care, filling a large box with hundreds of vacuumed sealed meals. This was a favorite area of serving among our large group of volunteers.
AGRICULTURE
The next area of the warehouse is the refrigerated seed area. I loved the simplicity of this area.
Boxes and boxes of seeds line the shelves, along side containers with measuring spoons and simple envelopes for each seed type. GAiN offers a long-term food solution by giving seeds that can be harvested and used for planting future crops. Gardens then become a continuous source of food production without outside assistance . 
Although critical aid makes a huge difference in these communities, providing skills and supplies toward self sufficiency is how people learn to stand on their own.
In addition to the provision of seeds, GAiN provides simple tools for an irrigation system for each community garden. Rolls and rolls of irrigation tubing are packed along side the containers of seeds. Each system includes simple pictured instructions on set up.
In communities where a water well is not feasible, GAiN distributes point of use water filters to households for filtering their water. One water filter serves 20 people for 5 years. Water filters remove 99 percent of contaminants from water and filter approximately five gallons of water in under 20 minutes. These small and portable filters are able to be utilized in any container, regardless of the size.
In conjunction with clean water initiatives, GAiN provides Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene training that teaches principles of hand washing, the importance of proper human waste disposal, and techniques of water treatment.
Health
On the second story of the warehouse, boxes and piles of donated durable medical equipment await repair. Each item is carefully inspected, cleaned and repaired prior to shipment to the designated country. GAiN equips healthcare workers and facilities with items such as medicine and disposable medical supplies that typically are hard to acquire. GAiN also seeks to minister to the disabled through the provision of mobility aids, such as crutches, wheelchairs, and walkers.
Women’s Health:
Although every area of the warehouse touched me deeply, none were as impactful as the LuoPads. GAiN addresses special needs of women by supplying them with washable, reusable LuoPads. These simple design pads are the answer to feminine hygiene for women and girls in areas of the world where they are often shunned at this sensitive time each month. Women who have to be separated from the community each month, are unable to attend school or perform jobs to provide for their families. With the provision of the LuoPads, women are able to experience true freedom for the first time in thier lives. 
EDUCATION:
The next area of the warehouse was the perfect area for younger children to serve independently. Each volunteer walks around a table lined with a variety of school supplies. Each box is labeled with the number of items to place in the school bag for each child. My daughter found great joy in this task. It was quite rewarding for her to see the picture below hers, of the children holding bags similar to what she had been packing.
Lack of school supplies in the developing world prohibits children from receiving an education that can stop the cycle of poverty. An education pack containing basic school supplies increases the chance a child will attend school.
ADDITIONAL CRITICAL AID:
GAiN also supplies blankets. However, these blankets are not just simple, inexpensive store purchased blankets. These blankets are handmade quilts. A very large room of the facility houses all the materials and sewing machines to complete these beautiful gifts of warmth made by hand.
People all over the world are dealing with life threatening exposure to severe weather, from a winter blizzard to a tropical typhoon. The gift of a blanket can protect those who live in poverty or are suddenly exposed to the elements.
Clothing and Shoes:
A very large part of the warehouse is devoted to the receiving, sorting, and packing of both new and used clothing.
Many people GAiN serves remain trapped in lives of overwhelming poverty. For them, the only clothes they have must be worn day in and day out, for weeks at a time. By giving a set of clothes, GAiN provides people both protection and a sense of dignity.
Gain also supplies critical aid in the forms of temporary shelter, mosquito nets, and hygiene products.
There are so many facets to this amazing ministry, but the most important one is PRAYER. Every item that is packed into a bag, a box, and a shipping container is deeply prayed over by the volunteers and missionaries on staff at GAiN. 
Serving at GAiN USA was one of the most rewarding and blessed experiences of our lives. It was so joyful to awaken every morning to know we would be so tangibly serving others all over the world. We were especially blessed that we were able to share this experience with 7 other full time RV’ing families. There were a total of 22 kids and many were teenagers. Working side by side with teens who were fully engaged and excited to serve others was so amazing.
I highly recommend GAiN’s volunteer service events that they host several times throughout the year at the facility in Pennsylvania. . People of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to serve during the packing events. There are several RV parks and hotels near by to utilize for your stay. GAiN may also have a list of host families that may be willing to house you during the missionary work. If you are unable to attend a packing event there, they will bring a packing event to your local church!
For more information about this absolutely amazing ministry, please visit: www.gainusa.org