The poor people in Shantytown have nothing. They live in shacks. All their possessions can be carried in bags. The saddest thing of all is that they know nothing about Jesus, their Savior. Amigas Ministry provides Christian education, food, clothing, and Christmas gifts to 4,000 children and the elderly in the slums of Brazil. Amigas, a recognized ministry working in close harmony with the LCMS, exists entirely through funding from churches, organizations, and individuals in the United States. This grant will help Amigas to minister to the bodies and souls of these needy people.
The LCMS World Mission has been active in evangelism efforts in Sierra Leone since 1983, but had to evacuate its missionaries in 1995 due to civil unrest. National leaders were trained in Liberia and Nigeria at LCMS-supported seminaries to lead Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone during and after the civil war. In addition, LCMS World Misson and LCMS World Relief/Human Care launched humanitarian aid projects to help the displaced church sustain itself under the difficult circumstances. This grant will cover the entire cost of Evangelism Outreach in Sierra Leone so that, through medical and evangelistic work among this largely animistic population recovering from a civil war, the message of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ can be a healing balm to broken hearts.
LCMS World Mission has been active in mission outreach in India, its first overseas mission field, since 1895 and the last LCMS career ministry retired in 2003. The India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC), and LCMS partner church, has 82 Christian Schools recognized and supported by the government that were founded by LCMS missionaries 50-70 years ago. The schools are a major avenue of witness in the community because parents recognize the spiritually and sincerity of Christian teachers, and church members are educated alongside non-Christians, providing opportunities for both formal and informal witnessing. Many school buildings are now in disrepair and the government has threatened to withdraw its support unless the buildings are renewed. This grant will be used for that purpose trusting that the Holy Spirit will continue to move among the students and parents to bring more people to faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Increasing numbers of Asian Indian immigrants live in the northeastern United States, including greater Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley, and New Jersey. The LCMS has an able, dedicated missionary working in Asian Indian outreach, the Reverend J. Naveen Nischal. Pastor Nischal is gathering groups of Indian People together for Bible Study, prayer, and song, sharing the Gospel with them and working one-on-one with Hindu and Muslim people who have come to the United States from Indian, Pakistan, and elsewhere. This grant will support his ministry.
Christian nationals in Gambia found the LCMS through its Internet web site in 2001 and LCMS World Mission responded to their request for assistance in theological education. The first church was built in 2002 and was dedicated on the same day that 104 Baptisms and 84 Confirmations were celebrated. Unemployment and underemployment make it difficult for the people of Gambia to raise funds for the building of churches. This grant will provide one-fifth the amount for purchasing land in Gambia to establish a nursery school and congregation with great potentialfor Gospel outreach to Muslim nationals who make up 84% of the population.
Substance abuse is a major obstacle for at least 30% of the homeless community that Chicago Uptown Ministry serves and is purported to be one of the major causes of homelessness. Addiction can be viewed as a spiritual illness. Many of the people who come to the ministry for substance abuse counseling and AA meetings become involve in the worship experience, daily devotional support, and pastoral care the center offers. This grant will help to support the growing costs of this substance abuse program which strives to create more stable individuals for a more stable society.
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THESE GRANTS
WITH YOUR MITES & PRAYERS Please remember that our work is not over when we have reached our English District LWML mission goal. Our mission support is an ongoing process which begins in our societies, continues through the Zone and District, and culminates at the national level. At its recent convention in Portland, Oregon, the national LWML adopted a mission goal of $1,825,000 for the 2009-2011 biennium of which $1,334,982 will go toward missions. This is an increase of $125,000 over the previous goal. This new goal is the largest in the organization's 67-year history and will fund a record 19 mission grants. For updates on the national LWML mission grants go to http://www.lwml.org/missions/lutheran-women-in-mission-mission-grants.htm
