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Global Missions
Bethania Kids, IndiaMount Olive has been a significant supporter of Bethania Kids since its beginning in 1997. Bethania is a Christian mission that brings hope and wholeness to poor, handicapped and abandoned children in South India. Since its inception, Bethania's board members have committed to personally fund all administrative costs, enabling 100% of contributions to help children. Bethania's ministries include 4 Homes for Boys, 3 Homes for Girls, 9 Kids Centers (including 1 for children with disabilities), a Home for adults with disabilities, and a pottery business which supports other ministries. South AfricaMount Olive supports the Knutson family in South Africa through the ELCA’s Missionary Sponsorship Program. The Rev. Dr. Philip J. Knutson was born in South Africa to American Lutheran missionary parents. He is currently based in Cape Town with his family and serves as ELCA Global Mission Regional Program Assistant for Southern Africa. In this position, Pastor Knutson is working with 11 Lutheran churches in 10 different countries as well as 13 ELCA Companion Synods and several ELCA missionary personnel serving in the region. The countries are: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland, Lesotho, Angola and Mozambique. He remains a resource person for ELCA-supported Christian education projects in Southern Africa. His wife, Lou-Marie currently teaches high school chemistry and physics in Cape Town. Lindi is 19 years old and a second-year law student at the University of Cape Town. Thandi is 17 years old and in the 11th grade. LithuaniaMount Olive supports the ministry of Pastor Robert Jones in Vilnius, Lithuania. He is continuing the English language ministry at the International Church of Vilnius that was established by Arden Haug, former vicar at Mount Olive. We support Pastor Jones through the ELCA’s Missionary Sponsorship Program. Sierra Leone, AfricaMount Olive supports the Displaced People’s Project in Sierra Leone. The project helps survivors of the conflict in Sierra Leone who have relocated in Grafton, 12 miles from the capital of Freetown. The purpose of the project is to help displaced women learn new skills through agriculture, increasing crop production for food and income generation, and to help care for the children of these women by providing day care, early childhood education and relief from trauma. The project also provides religious instruction for children and adults in addition to having a weekly religious service. Manipur, IndiaThe Manipur mission, sponsored by International Partners in Mission, is located in Northeast India. Project #705, based in a village called Khukthar, ministers to orphaned or otherwise parentless children who are boarded and educated, other children who are taught English in a basic school, and evangelists who are given a basic theological and practical education in a nine-month program. Missionaries, Roel and Shangthar Moyol are now also building a bigger school, both an elementary and high school, in a bigger town called Chandel. When that school is in full operation, (they project by 2009) they hope to be self-supporting. LatviaMount Olive supports the Church of St. Savior in Riga, Latvia. Our support goes to the Soup Kitchen at St. Savior’s which provides soup, a loaf of bread, fish, fruit and sometimes vegetables, plus clothing to approximately 150 men, women and children each Saturday. Taste of a NationEach year, Global Missions sponsors the Taste of a Nation event. This event celebrates that nation's food, music and culture, and raises awareness of the missions of the church in that country. For example, in 2006 we celebrated the Taste of Guyana on January 29. Pastor Orin Cummings, a Guyanese pastor in the Ph.D. program at Luther Seminary was our guest preacher and education presenter. We also enjoyed a banquet featuring authentic Guyanese food provided by the members of Mount Olive. View the photo album from that event.
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Mount Olive is a strong supporter of Global Missions. We support the ELCA and the Minneapolis Area Synod, prayerfully and financially. In addition, we have developed meaningful relationships with these supported ministries: 