Missions

Our Mission Partner for May is Freeborn County Crime Victims Crisis Center (CVCC).

CVCC provides support, resources and advocacy for victims of any crime, including domestic violence and sexual assault. They have 3 full time staff working with people most often from Freeborn County, but they also serve people for other counties in the state of MN or other states as needed. CVCC is a designee of the Department of Public Safety and Office of Justice Programs. Any donations are tracked separately from any grants from the Office of Justice. There are donated funds that go directly to the clients immediate needs (food, housing expenses, gas money, security cameras for those with stalkers or abusers, car seats for children when the abuser has taken them away, utilities and rent if sustainable, as well as many other needs). Other funds and donations are used for staff development and training.

Our Mission Partner for April was Hope for Kids International. We raised: $608

For over 50 years, we have been committed to serving children living in impoverished environments around the world by establishing economic, spiritual, water, educational, and feeding programs. In addition to these programs, we have been leading teams of volunteers on two-week international mission trips bringing life-saving provisions and the spirit of Jesus.

Our vision is healing and empowering destitute communities with hope and necessary care to raise a new generation of healthy individuals who can break the generational curse of extreme poverty. We strive to meet this vision by building our Four Pillars of Hope: Health, Dignity, Joy, and Love. We exemplify the spirit of Jesus to show that all children are worthy of a prosperous life and bright future.

H4KI reaches out to every child and community we serve by bringing hope through our 4 pillars of hope: Dignity, Health, Joy, and Love. By responding to critical needs, we can significantly impact lives and assist people who are struggling to survive in destitute communities in becoming self-sufficient.

The Luther League will be heading to Port Charlotte< FL for mission efforts to relieve the hurricane victims in Florida.  Please keep our youth and adult leaders in your prayers as we prepare for this trip.

The Iowa Mission District Youth (including our youth: Emma A., Mikayla A., Hailey J., and Gabi S.) went down to Grand Isle, Louisiana, to aid in the disaster relief efforts of rebuilding people’s homes from last summer’s hurricane Ida. With great anticipation and enthusiasm, the youth and adults arrived on the scene, but the island was still ravaged by the effects of the hurricane over 11 months ago which gripped our hearts with sadness. We asked ourselves, “how can it be that is almost a year later and there are still buildings left in a pile of rubble and debris.” It was as if the hurricane had just happened the previous week. It was then that we knew that we were bringing so much more to these families than rebuilding their homes, we were bringing them hope.

The stories that were shared with us upon our arrival were captivating. Father Mark, the priest of Our Lady of the Isle Catholic Church, who hosted us for the week, shared with us the story of the Sanctuary being hit by hurricane Ida. First, the narthex roof ripped off the building allowing the wind and rain to ravage the inside of the Sanctuary. This pushed out the altar wall and shattered the stain-glassed window behind the crucifix into a million pieces. The wind pounded against the cross, banging it against the back wall, leaving visible markings. But all the while, the crucifix remained fully intact and unscathed, which still hung on to the chains from the ceiling in the wake after the storm. Father Mark said that “the cross was visible sign that God was still with them even in the midst of this storm.” There was hope. Working at each of the job sites over the course of the week brought forth challenges amongst themselves but the word that still rang throughout was hope. We were physically, emotionally, and spiritually, bringing them all hope. Hope for a better future, hope for a secure future that they can no longer worry about each daunting task that they barely had time to do. And as we shared our stories with each other, we wept with them as they shared their struggles with us.

It is all too often that we pay attention to a certain situation when the news media is covering the stories and headlines but what about when the media has packed up and headed home? It was 11 months ago that hurricane Ida made landfall, and some of the families were just getting the help that they so desperately needed. It reminds me of one of my favorite Scriptures: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Yes, these families waited for a time, but they waited for the Lord to renew their strength. And my prayer is that we have brought them the hope that can only be found in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

The Iowa Mission District partnered with God Speed Equine in Dallas Center, IA (close to Des Moines) to build a new corral because they outgrew their existing space. GodSpeed Equine is a Christ-centered character-building program that helps young Iowans grow and find hope through equine therapy. Equine therapy uses the connection between people and horses to enhance physical and emotional healing.
They provide hope, healing and opportunities for emotional growth to people of all ages using horses and the Love of Jesus.
Their vision is for youth to take ownership of truths in their lives by allowing horses to teach them how to be authentic, and present; how to seek open and honest communication with others; and how to take care of themselves by giving and receiving trust and respect.
A horse’s sensitivity to communicating without words provides transformational opportunities by offering honest, clear, and immediate feedback that lets you see what works, what doesn’t work, whose needs are being met, and how to take responsibility. They can teach us how to stay in the moment, manage our emotions, and improve self-awareness. This encourages healthier patterns of relating to others and strategies for dealing with the hurt and pain many of us carry in our lives.

Video of fence being put up on Saturday, August 28th, 2021.