As you contemplate how you could become involved in a mission project of your own, here are some stories of how Mission Mini Grants helped other people and agencies. Mission Mini Grant applications of up to $2,500 are available through May 31. Just click the link at the bottom of this post to apply online.
2018 Recipient: Hollis Crossings Day Camp
Hollis Crossings Day Camp, in 2018, welcomed children to summer day camp for the 13th summer. Each year brings new campers, new counselors and new experiences, but what has remained the same is the energy and connectivity with this place and each other. Hollis Crossings is unique, some might say “vintage.” It is a week of old-fashioned fun in the sun with camp songs, games, sweat, dirt and play. It is a time for kids who are programmed day and night to experience the joy of a retreat. The joy of unstructured play and creativity. The delight of hiking in the woods and discovering a new trail they haven’t yet explored. And more than that, during this week of play, fun and exploration they are embraced and enriched by the love and word of God. Our campers are diverse. 50% are children are from our surrounding community and partner congregations and the other 50% are scholarship recipients usually from the urban center of Kansas City. This diversity exposed campers to different cultures, learning that there is more that unites us than divides us, thus eroding the “us vs them” stigma and opening the door for us to talk about how WE are all children of God.
The 2018 Trinity Missions Mini Grant was used to cover transportation costs for scholarship recipients. Last year, we were fortunate to partner with the Gathering Table, which works with a community of Congolese refugees in Kansas City, Missouri and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Kansas City, KS. Between these 2 groups we were able to welcome 35 campers to Hollis who otherwise wouldn’t have had a summer day camp experience. The money given by Trinity allowed us to pay for a school bus and driver which transported both campers and families from The Gathering Table’s refugee community, and a rented van which was used to transport campers from St. Luke’s.
Volunteer opportunities:
1) Provide day camp scholarships. $20 will send 1 child to camp for 1 day.
2) Volunteer at Hollis Crossings. They always need help preparing snacks and an extra pair of hands with crafts etc.
3) Provide meals for camp counselors. The counselors stay on site at Hollis, and Hollis provides lunch and dinner daily. This would be very helpful, as Hollis is hosting a total of 4 weeks of camp.
4) Volunteer on Thursdays at Hollis. Hollis has a weekly Thursday Volunteer Team which works on building and repair projects at Hollis. Hollis is embarking on a mini-home project this year building 3 new mini houses which will enable it to host couples retreats in the future.
5) Become a Friend of Hollis which means you are a supporter of the mission and ministry of Hollis to offer Christian hospitality to all. This can be done by making a $100 donation. Donations can be given online at http://www.holliscenter.org/donate.html
Hollis Renewal Center, P.O. Box 402, Bonner Springs, Kansas 66012; 11414 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66111, Office: (913) 441-0541, Cell: (913) 206-4947, info@holliscenter.org, www.holliscenter.org.
2018 Recipient: Advocacy in Motion
Advocacy in Motion, Inc. (AIM) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They seek to transform lives and cultivate independence through education, advocacy and employment training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community.
The 2018 Trinity Missions Mini Grant was used to support their Get HIRED! program. This program offers classes to help individuals identify their strengths, skills and contributions to the workforce. They teach interviewing skills, resume development, job searches, and application processes to help individuals with developmental disabilities find employment within the community and local business community. Additionally, they provide training opportunities to teach or refine skill sets necessary for successful employment. Lastly, they provide on-the-job support through job coaches who assist with the transition at a new job.
Volunteer opportunities: assist with their Get HIRED! classes, connect individuals with employers in the community, or serve as job coaches. They also offer additional volunteer opportunities through monthly social activities.
Advocacy in Motion, 7600 W. 75th Street Rm. 24, Overland Park, KS 66204,
913-871-3400, www.advocacyinmotion.org
2018 Recipient: Indopartners Agency – Guide Digital Media Ministry
Indopartners Agency’s Mission is to reach the unreached Muslim peoples of Indonesia, and they do that through several channels. Their special focus channel is using technology and media. They have several websites and social media pages that are used to share the Gospel with Indonesian-speaking Muslims, and they have Indonesian staff that follows up with people and helps them believe in Christ. They saw several Muslims come to faith this last year.
The 2018 Trinity Missions Mini Grant was used for two purposes. First, part of it was used to make evangelistic videos. A few of these videos already have over 100K views. Second, the balance was used for advertising content at less than $0.02 per click. Tens of thousands of Muslims heard the Gospel because of the grant!
Volunteer opportunities: Trinity members are welcome to help create content through writing articles or making videos. Indopartners is happy to coach volunteers and then translate their material. Indopartners could also coach volunteers to make their own Facebook page and use it to reach English-speaking Muslims.
Indopartners Agency: 550 W Baseline Rd., Suite 102-509, Mesa, AZ 85210, 408-676-7472
indopartners.com
2018 Recipient: Pathway to Hope
Pathway to Hope is committed to serving the personal and social needs of individuals and families arising from the experience of mental illness. Their focus is on creating services and programs to encourage, empower and educate individuals and families arising from dealing with a broad spectrum of mental illnesses. Their services include: {IN}Courage groups for those who live with a severe or persistent mental illness and {EN}Courage groups for the loved ones, care givers, or friends; their E3: Encourage • Empower • Education™ Course, which is a 10 Module course taught by trained volunteers that have personal experience caring for someone with mental illness. Each module focuses on a different mental health diagnosis; and Blake House which is a beautiful historic home which provides affordable, supportive housing for up to six Olathe, KS residents living with mental illness.
The 2018 Trinity Missions Mini Grant was used to help with their E3 Course materials and this is a picture from their November class. They’ve also had one in January and another this spring. Approximately 36 people have benefited in this grant year, including a pastor from Nepal, where there is very little mental health care, and he is often approached to help.
Volunteer opportunities: Trinity members could host one of their courses and invite fellow members and people from the community.
Pathway To Hope: 520 South Harrison #206, Olathe, KS 66061, 913-397-8552, pathwaytohope.org
2018 Recipient: David and Valerie Federwitz, missionaries with Lutheran Bible Translators in West Africa
Lutheran Bible Translators’ mission is “to make God’s Word accessible to those who do not yet have it in the language of their hearts.” Pastor Phil believes LBT to be one of the most effective mission-partners of the LCMS. While many mission agencies get stuck in a position of paternalism and Western condescension, LBT works with an attitude of great humility, seeking to support and strengthen the local church. David Federwitz encourages and supports the Komba Literacy and Bible Translation Project through frequent contact with the project coordinator and occasionally teaching workshops focused on using the New Testament (dedicated in 2014) and other Bible-related tools and resources. He is also LBT’s Regional Director for Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. He spends time with current and potential partner organization leaders in these countries, including Bible societies, church bodies, and groups that do language development work. He also supervises the LBT missionaries who work in these countries, encouraging and advising them as they serve in their individual places and capacities.
The 2018 Trinity Missions Mini Grant was used to help the Federwitzes continue to focus their efforts on serving the people of West Africa.
Volunteer opportunities: LBT is seeking Lutherans to serve overseas through the ministry of Bible translation and Scripture engagement. If you feel that God may be leading you towards missions or if you wish to make donations to assist with the translation of the Bible for a missionary, LBT may have a place for you.
Lutheran Bible Translators
PO Box 789
Concordia, MO 64020-0789
660-225-0810 or 800-532-4253, LBT.org
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