Bethlehem Connect July 2017 | Page 9

outreach Summer Food Drive Both Campuses During the summer, requests at the Food Shelves sharply increase as there are no school lunches or breakfasts available. Your donations will be appreciated by the hungry tummies they fill. Please bring non-perishable food items to one of the shopping carts at both the Minnetonka campus (ICA Food Shelf) and the Minneapolis campus (CES Food Shelf). Or write a check to Bethlehem Lutheran Twin Cities, noting ICA or CES in the memo line. Your generous support makes a big difference! Thank You! ETHIOPIA TRIP DATE CHANGE Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (LPGM) is ever-grateful to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities for its continued support of our ministry. Support we receive from congregations and individuals has allowed us to serve over 34,000 people across the globe over the past year, partnering to provide an education for thousands of youth, empowering families to enhance their economic situation, and offering transformational travel opportunities each year. We look forward to achieving even more in 2017. LPGM continues to focus on what we do best: partnerships, education, empowerment and transformational travel. Yet, like many of our supporters, we always wonder about our impact and outcomes. One of the most moving experiences our staff had recently was while traveling through India. Julie Rogness, LPGM’s Executive Director, and Mary Peterson, LPGM’s The Siloam alumni women who told stories of hope. Program Director, asked Rev. Jane Anitha, Siloam’s Boarding Home Manager, to gather a few women who had graduated from the school to share their stories. Jane reached out to ten students, but an unexpected FORTY-TWO young women came to share, many bringing their mothers with them. When they spoke, Julie and Mary were deeply touched. All of the Siloam alumni voiced feelings of gratitude for their sponsor(s) who, they said, profoundly impacted their lives by making education accessible. Today, some alumni are in Chennai working as teachers, nurses or pharmacists, as computer scientists or physical therapists. Some are in nearby villages teaching, serving as nurses, and raising a family. As the stories unfolded, tears of joy streamed down their cheeks for what has been given and received. Julie and Mary were overwhelmed with admiration for these brave young women and their mothers, who supported them every step of the way. Habitat for Humanity Summer Work Week July 24 – 28, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm daily It's not too late to sign up for HMCHA's Community Center celebration mission trip! There are a couple spaces available for the team leaving on October 19, returning on November 4 if you go on the optional tour to Lalibela and Harar. No hard physical labor involved this time! Bethlehem’s 27th year with Habitat for Humanity will take us to north Minneapolis where we will contribute to the new construction of a single family home! This year’s house will be a more environmentally friendly construction plan which will offer some new opportunities for our tried and true volunteers and a unique challenge for first timers. Because of the new construction approach for this project, volunteers will be limited to 12 per day. Please keep this in mind when considering your time commitment. Remember, you can work one day or the whole week and Habitat can use people at all levels, from newbies to seasoned pros. Contact Carol Pfleiderer, 952.465.1349, [email protected] to sign up or for more information. Each day lunch will be provided for all volunteers. Note: If you aren't able to work on a construction site, you can always volunteer to help with lunches or even contribute a dessert! Contact Rick Jackson at [email protected] to volunteer or to get your questions answered. 9