100 Wells Challenge: We did it!
This year, young people of the ELCA set out to raise $250,000 to support the water projects of ELCA World Hunger where they are needed most. Thanks to the generosity of youth across the nation, more than $400,000 has been received in support of this effort to date. See www.ELCA.org/100wells and be sure to click the link on the left to learn about the 100 Wells Tour concerts with Agape, Rachel Kurtz and Lost and Found.
New Orleans: Live from the Dome at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering
"Have you ever felt like you are standing in the middle of a crossroads and you have no idea which way to turn? Take the risk. Trust God." Two young people, Valerie Rivas and Megan Stubbs, tell the audience of 33,000 how their involvement in global service changed their lives. Watch their powerful testimonies on the ELCA YouTube channel.
Liberia: Witnessing miracles
At age 73 Edna Johnson wanted one more great adventure in life. Following a 28-year career as a nursing instructor at the University of Connecticut, Edna became a volunteer missionary for the ELCA and moved to Liberia. There she has been a witness to miracles. Read more.
Tanzania: Filled with hope
The first class of medical assistants to graduate from the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center, directed by ELCA missionary Dr. Mark Jacobson, will help relieve a critical shortage of medical doctors in that country. Read more.
Malaysia: My job is to make myself invisible
In this Southeast Asian country, ELCA missionary Peter Harrits supports the work of a team of volunteers in the Young Adults in Global Mission program. See www.ELCA.org/handinhand; click either the copy-ready bulletin insert or the Summer 2012 issue of the Hand in Hand newsletter.
Japan: Emerging in the big city
"As a missionary I experienced an 'emerging church' in Japan…doing ministry with people who are jaded by materialism and 'paganism' and are looking for authenticity." Read Charles Fredrickson's insights on the church in Japan today.
Chile: 30 years of caring
Educación Popular en Salud, a project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile, is celebrating 30 years of bringing health services, awareness and empowerment to communities in need in Chile. The project has grown from a small, emergency-response team to a leader today in reaching over 145,000 women and their families in poor communities. Said one woman, "Why does Educación Popular en Salud care about us so much, don´t you know that we are nobodies?" Read more.
Bolivia: Sponsor a missionary couple
You can sponsor Justin and Kari Eller, ELCA missionary teachers and educators serving in Bolivia. Contact missionarysponsorship@elca.org or call 800-638-3522, ext. 2657. Sponsors from the Metropolitan Chicago, Montana and North Carolina Synods are especially welcomed to minimize their travel time and maximize their impact while on home assignment.
Mexico: Immersion Trip, Oct. 24-31, 2012
This Reformation Sunday, worship with the Lutheran faith communities in Mexico City during a week of site visits and engaging lectures on the theme of "Lutheran Identity in a Latin American Context." Don't miss this chance to connect the needs of your local and global communities as you experience the realities of immigration, poverty, ecumenism and spirituality in Latin America, with an emphasis on the role of Lutheran and Protestant churches in Mexico. See www.elca.org/mexico.
Washington, D.C.: International AIDS Conference
Ten ELCA members attending the recent International AIDS Conference cite progress on the response to HIV, but say it is not enough. The presiding bishops of the ELCA and the Episcopal Church say that 2012 can be a defining moment for turning the tide on HIV and AIDS. See www.elca.org/news and click the News Release tab on the left.
Glocal Mission Gathering in Portland, Ore., Sept. 21-22
Equip yourself for God's work in today's global and local realities. Find more information and register at www.elca.org/glocal.
In our prayers
Pray for Ann Klavano, a new ELCA missionary, as she begins her service in Papua New Guinea, as a seminary professor. (This prayer for August 31 is available along with daily prayers from around the globe at www.elca.org/prayerventures.)
