Monday, December 23, 2019

Christmas Alternatives: International Missions

1 John 3:17-18 New International Version (NIV)

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Medical Benevolence Foundation – Clarice Hutchens and Christine Polak --  https://www.mbfoundation.org/ https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/E862700/
·       For over 50 years, the Medical Benevolence Foundation has been an independent non-profit organization working in partnership with individuals and churches throughout the U.S. to equip Presbyterian partners in developing countries to proclaim the gospel through medical ministry.
·       Build infrastructures and systems and processes and competencies. Raise the financial support for ministries until the ministries can be self-sustaining. Each program and project have a specific business plan, since the scope of activities varies so greatly.  Specifically focus on four main areas of medical ministry:
o   Hospital Development
o   Nursing Schools and Scholarships
o   Critical Services for Women and Children
o   Primary Health Clinics
·       St. Mark support includes giving through Christmas Alternatives.


Partners for Just Trade – Clarice Hutchens -- https://partnersforjusttrade.org/
·       Partners for Just Trade is a non-profit, faith-based organization that builds partnerships between producers living in extreme poverty and consumers in North America.  PJT addresses root causes of poverty through Fair Trade sales, education, solidarity, and a commitment to trade justice.
·       PJT began as an initiative of the Presbyterian Hunger Program.  It began informally when a handful of volunteers from Giddings-Lovejoy congregations visiting Peru through the Hunger Program's Joining Hands Network began bringing handcrafts made by their new colleagues back to the United States for sale in churches and among friends. Very quickly, thanks to the work of committed volunteers, that tiny partnership blossomed into a growing non-profit organization with a national outreach that sells a wide variety of Fair-Trade products and creates educational materials about the importance of Fair Trade.
·       More than 15 artisan groups, with over 200 artisans, work with PJT through our Peruvian Trade Partner Bridge of Hope. We now work with four Trade Partners - Bridge of Hope and Manos Amigas in Peru, Comite Artisanal Haitien in Haiti, and VillageWorks in Cambodia.
·       The fair wages the artisans receive enables them to afford food, shelter and medicine for their families, to educate their children and to reclaim personal dignity so they may assert their economic, political and social rights.
·       PJT is a recognized player in the national Fair-Trade movement, providing Fair Trade products, upholding strong, transparent relationships with its producer partners, and educating consumers about the benefits of Fair Trade. PJT is a screened member of the Fair-Trade Federation and the Green America Business Network. 
·       St. Mark support includes giving through Christmas Alternatives.


·       Individuals representing different congregations within the Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery make annual trips to Plan Grande Dos (25 trips as of 2016!)  We raise funds for high school scholarships, we’ve built pilas to improve access to water, we’ve held Vacation Bible Schools, visited schools, played games, read books, learned to make tortillas, strategized regarding Jenga . . .  we’ve laughed and cried . . . we’ve built relationships and worked follow Christ’s example of love and care.
·       A primary focus is fundraising for scholarships for secondary school education. 
·       Our partnership is coordinated by CEPAD – the alliance of Protestant churches in Nicaragua – where PCUSA Mission Co-workers have served for years.  CEPAD serves as the bridge between North American and Nicaraguan partners and provides all of the coordination and logistics for our donations and trips to Nicaragua.
·       St. Mark support includes giving through Christmas Alternatives.

For more information about Marion Medical Mission, click here.

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