Why Give?

Ash Wednesday, February 13 marks the beginning of Lent. This season in the church is a time to focus on our relationship with our loving God, who forgives us of our sin, and calls us to serve. I invite you to join me in service this season of Lent. We will be gathering gifts for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Good Gifts program. Through our gifts, we can do our part to offer help to a hungry and hurting world.

Through this weblog the next few weeks, I will be keep you updated on our progress. I will give you a tally of the animals purchased and money given to the Good Gifts program. I will also be sharing with you stories of how your gifts are making a difference. No gift is too small, and every gift can make a difference.

We love, because God first loved us. We are blessed, and every good gift we have is a gift of God. In response to what God has done for us, we are called to care for those in need. As our mission states, we love Jesus by serving others. I invite you to join me in giving to the Good Gifts program.

A story from Colombia

Meet Gladys

Gladys could have easily given up – and she admits to having thought about it. She lost her husband, five of her brothers and a stepson from the conflict in Colombia that has been afflicting the country for six decades. She was driven from her home four times and eventually became a refugee in her own country.
But – “Pa’lante pa’ya!” says Gladys: “Life has to go on!”
Today Gladys is the coordinator of a self-help group, made up of women who have lost almost everything to the conflict. “Many of us were driven off our own land, and in many cases our husbands have been killed,” explains Gladys.
The women in the group, including Gladys, had to pick up and start over. Many ended up in slum-like communities – without a means to sustain themselves and with little hope for the future – until they became organized.
The women formed a group and received a grant from The Lutheran World Federation, supported by your gifts to ELCA Good Gifts. Now, thanks to your support, the women grow organic vegetables and raise chickens.
“We have clean, healthy food for our families and recently we have had a bit extra that we can sell,” stated Gladys. She is proud of the group’s success. “But it’s not just about producing food. We organize, help ourselves and advocate to improve the situation for women in our society.”
Colombia has the second highest number of refugees in the world. The Lutheran World Federation provides service and care for 1.2 million of the world’s refugees. Your gifts to ELCA Good Gifts program supports the efforts of the church's fight against world hunger and helps make this work possible – providing opportunities to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it.
 
Peace,
Pastor Charlie