ELCA Global Mission Stewardship

	Formation - Reformation - Transformation Three international centers form the core for preparing global servant leaders in a changing world and church. FORMATION (Bethlehem), REFORMATION (Wittenberg), and TRANSFORMATION (Mexico City) is a project which offers the best of each of the respective learning centers to members of the ELCA and global companions in a combined program. Programs are available to a broad variety of ELCA constituencies: international programs in college, sabbaticals for teachers and parish clergy, congregation members attracted to global mission, and companion church members and Christians of other denominations interested in the particular attractions of each of the three learning centers. This is the most promising current project the ELCA has to impact its USA members and international companions with the rich resources of three key sites for global Christianity. See here also for further information.
	Famine and cyclone relief, southeast Madagascar Famine, malnutrition, and lack of available food are part of the different daily problems the people in southeastern Madagascar are facing every year. The nature and root causes of the mal-nutrition are quasi-continuous due to the drought in the South, and the frequent cyclones with too much rain in the East. Theses problems lead the local people to be victims of famine and inadequate food availability, which in turn, lead to an unbalance diet and, consequently, a high rate of morbidity due to the diseases related to malnutrition. Poor health facilities, inadequate basis sanitation, unprotected drinking water, an increase in the market price of food, low-income households . . . these all make the situation worse. Strategies include: community-based approach, participatory approach, and closed collaboration at all levels mainly with each agency working there to coordinate all actions; the local SALFA Health centers; the local authorities and the local population. Activities include: distribution of food, (and seed) to the mothers of the malnourished children; Nutritional Rehabilitation program: follow-up/growth monitoring of malnourished children; Information, Education, Communication of mainly the mothers by adopting positive feeding practices.
	Haik Orphanage, Ethiopia Many of orphans came from both North and South Wollo zones at the time when their families had been disintegrated during one of the severest famine disasters of 1984-86. The immediate response from the church was to organize feeding centers and provide these hungry children with their daily needs such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and education. Finally, based on the project proposal of the church the orphanage at Haik came to be true. You can help provide for basic physical necessities like shelter, food, clothing and medical care; vocational and computer training; enhance female participation in vocational trainings so as to fight barriers that hamper gender inequality.
	Phebe Hospital, Liberia Prior to the war Phebe was a referral medical center in Bong County, central Liberia, providing teaching and public health supervisory work as well as acute medical and surgical care in a 179-bed facility. With renewed conflicts in Liberia, the need continues to be for providing medical care, training and community health through Phebe. See here for more information on Liberia.
	Wandering Shepherds Program, Tanzania Many young men (and unprecedented number of young women) from nomadic tribes in Tanzania are pursuing the “typical” paths in formal education. However, it will take some years until these students can complete their studies. The “Wandering Shepherds" program is designed to take high potential individuals from these tribes now (without formal education) and provide the theological training that will qualify them for ordination as pastors. The “Wandering Shepherds” program is a collaboration between the Iringa Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (DIRA-ELCT), various individuals and churches within the ELCA, the Danish Lutheran Mission (DLM), and Tumaini University at Iringa.
	Lutheran school support, Palestine Five Lutheran schools in Palestine serve 2,400 children, both Christians and non-Christians alike. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jerusalem has made it a priority to make its schools affordable for even the poorest families. Even with educational subsidies, inflation and the volatile economic and political situation has put tuition out of reach for poorer families. See here for more information.
	Theology scholarships foundation, Papua New Guinea Martin Luther Seminary (MLS) is the only English seminary in the Lutheran church in PNG and is situated in Lae, Papua New Guinea. The students are generally funded by their parents / family while attending MLS. This is very difficult for many students come from impoverished rural areas. Many of these areas have poorly developed infrastructure and are therefore isolated from the “money economy”. Donated money to this foundation is pooled into a conservative, reliable investment in PNG. Students are eligible to receive assistance from the fund only if they are performing at a superior academic level.
	Theology scholarships for women, Papua New Guinea Very few women have the opportunity to study theology in PNG. The purpose of this fund is to allow women to become ‘theologically literate’ through an advanced education program offered at Martin Luther Seminary (see above). At present, very few women attend MLS as parents / family (maybe an exceptional husband) needs to fund their studies. If students can receive (even partial) scholarships, it is likely that many more women will consider theology as a worthwhile area of study and the Lutheran Churches will be enriched. Donated money to this foundation is pooled into a conservative, reliable investment in PNG. Students are eligible to receive assistance from the fund only if they are performing at a superior academic level.
	Satya Wacana University scholarships, Indonesia This university is a major Christian institution, with a student body of over 6,000 from all over Indonesia. As with all institutions in the country, Satya Wacana has been heavily impacted by the economic crisis in Indonesia. Its student body has also been severely impacted by the social and political turmoil affecting the nation. Some students have been affected by violence, losing family members, homes, or businesses. About $1,000 provides full scholarship support for a student for a year.
	Community health care, Mahafaly people, Madagascar The populace around this area is constantly beset by drought and nomadic changes. Despite this, the community-based program out of Ejeda Hospital continues to provide immunizations for children and women, teach nutrition, provide prenatal exams, work toward provisions for safe drinking water, and treat a variety of diseases. The ongoing goal is to replicate this in various local communities.
	Emmanuel Housing Project, Nicaragua Over the past five years, ELCA’s companion church in Nicaragua – La Iglesia Luterana “Fe y Esperanza” (ILFE) – has been experiencing rapid growth in that part of Nicaragua that was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998. Nonetheless, nearly five years after the fact, the road to recovery has still not begun for many families who were left homeless and destitute by Hurricane Mitch. Such is the case of the 36 families living in the Emmanuel community on the outskirts of Somotillo, a small municipality in southwestern Nicaragua near the Honduran border. The church works with these people in building homes.
	Christian literature, Senegal The ELCA supports a program for the production of Christian literature. A major goal is to bring all Christian denominations together, to share all of their literature resources and to produce Christian literature ecumenically. Current projects include producing comic books on Old Testament prophets, a book speaking against the use of tobacco and alcohol, and upgrading computer equipment.

For more information on these or other projects you can support, contact the Rev. Twila Schock at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2641, or by e-mail.