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CRISIS IN
ARGENTINA
The current financial crisis in
Argentina
has prompted the following message from the Asociacion Civil Cristiana
Congregational (Argentine Mission):
“There is a generalized feeling that this crisis
has only begun. This is also a
deep crisis of confidence, especially regarding our politicians.
Almost every day we see our Financial Minister or President
announcing new measures to combat the crisis, but none of them seem to
work. According to the
official statistics, fourteen million people out of the 35 million
inhabitants of our country are living below the poverty level.
The poorest of them are massively turning to the churches looking
for help and for hope, and we do not want to disappoint them.
Although we feel pretty much overwhelmed, we do trust in God and
know that he will guide and bless our efforts.
Misery and the complaints of the people – especially out of
hunger – are before our eyes every day.
Let me refer to just one particular case: A lady named Lidia Elisabet Castel, 24 years old
and the mother of five children came to our mission saying,
“Please
help me to buy milk (powered) for my children.
I see my children come to me with
empty
milk
bottles and ask me to fill them. I
just cannot do that because I do not have
money.”
We asked her if she has breast milk and she said,
“Yes,
I have
a three-month-old baby but all my children
come to me, and the oldest is six years now, asking me for a little of my
breast milk. I give everyone a little bit because they are so hungry, but
it is still not enough to feed them and they go to bed hungry – and I can
only cry.”
Hunger is so real
and people here are starving. We only know that we have to do
something. This time I wrote with my heart more than my fingers and
there are tears in my eyes, and I am not ashamed of them. God bless
you always!
Peace,
Harding Stricker
*
Congregational
Mission
of Jardin
America
,
Argentina
*Harding is the
Mission
doctor & son of the director, Rev. Teodoro Stricker
Please support the urgent needs of this mission prayerfully and
financially. Donations should
be made payable to the
Missionary Society
and designated for the Argentine Mission. “Every
dollar given to missions, goes to missions.”
Ongoing support of children is possible through a child sponsorship
program for $40 per month which provides basic needs, healthcare, and
education.
Rev. Teodoro Stricker and Harding will be guests of the
Missionary Society
at the Annual Meeting in
Spokane. Additionally, these
missionaries will be visiting NACCC Churches in
Michigan
,
Northern Illinois
, and
Wisconsin
prior to the meeting.
Please contact Ruth Mahnke (800) 262-1620 Ext:17 or
rmahnke@naccc.org
with questions or for further information.
MAINE
SEACOAST MISSIONARY SOCIETY
The Maine Seacoast
Missionary Society
is a non-denominational, non-profit organization that serves as a source
of hope, encouragement, and strength for families, individuals, and
communities from mid to down east coastal
Maine
. Rooted in an inclusive
Christian ministry of compassion and justice, the
Mission
delivers critical services to those most in need while striving to redress
the root cause of those needs.
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Programs and services include church and pastoral work, financial
and medical assistance, food banks, recycled clothing shop, crisis
intervention, youth programs, and ministries in the field.
In 2001 the Food Pantry served:
©
78,045 meals
©
1,954 households
©
5,203 individuals
The Recycle Shop sold (for .10 per
item or less):
©
126,257 articles of clothing
The Sea Coast Mission Christmas Program reaches out to
impoverished or isolated residents of island and mainland communities.
Assisted by 60 volunteer wrappers, sorters, and the 72-foot mission
boat, The Sunbeam V, this year gifts were distributed to 2,323 children,
nursing home residents, shut-ins, and prison inmates.
Many of the recipients would have little or nothing at Christmas
without the
Mission
’s gifts.
Further information about the many vital ministries of The Maine
Seacoast mission is available at: www.seacoastmission.org or by email at
info@seacoastmission.org
BREAD OF LIFE CHRISTIAN
MISSION
Rev. Julio Santana requests assistance for the
Plant City
,
Florida
mission.
As the
mission grows and more programs are developed, building improvements and
additions need to be completed. Over the years, repairs have been made to
the mission roof however, it continues to leak. Additionally, there is
water
and termite damage to
the foundation of the building.
To accommodate more programs, the mission needs to expand.
Rev. Santana would like to enclose the main carport for classrooms
and storage. Work on these
projects, is ongoing. NACCC
support for the completion of these projects is needed.
VOLUNTEER TRIP TO MISSION
MAZAHUA
During the month of February, members of Congregational Churches
located in
Galesburg
&
Gurnee
,
Illinois
;
Oshkosh & Green Bay
,
Wisconsin
; and
Kalamazoo
,
Greenville
,
St. Johns
, Clarkston,
Livonia
, and
Bloomfield Hills
,
Michigan
, participated in a volunteer mission trip to Mission Mazahua,
Mexico
. The group included:
four ministers, one medical doctor, two nurses, and two physical
therapists who worked with the “special friends” a group of local
handicapped people. Many of
these “friends” were able to celebrate mobility for the first time in
their lives after receiving donated wheelchairs. The friends decided a
named change was in order: Bendito
Rodantes (Holy Rollers in Spanish)!
Other volunteers in the group constructed bunk beds, completed light
construction at the Hacienda and Las Rosas, sorted donations, taught
English classes and distributed school supplies and letters from
elementary school students in
Michigan
to students in a nearby school, and helped set-up a computer lab.
Rev. Norberto Cortes, mission director, shared his vision for the mission
as one not just of evangelism to the soul, but also a ministry to God’s
world and human hearts and bodies. Norberto
believes, “The
world awaits the good works of Christians.”
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April,
2002