Special gifts can be donated to support specific projects. Below are some specific needs which are NOT fully funded. To help meet any of these needs you can send a check to “ELCA –Global Mission” and on the memo line please write “Level 2: Project Shalom”.
The mailing address is:
ELCA - Global Mission
8765 W. Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631
(1) Church roofs for “mission starts” – In 3 out of the 4 the villages where Shalom is working there has never been a church building or a large enough Christian community to warrant one. In 2005 we saw significant strides toward new converts and a growing worshiping community. We want to encourge the construction of a church building. Even the few Christians and some supportive neighbors of another faith can construct very simple walls for a church building (typical construction in the village). However, for $300 - $600 a tin roof can be added to one church building. The local people can never hope to achieve this, but if we partner with them it they can have a church building that will last many years. This will surely attract others to the church and encourage the few converts already in place. The local community would participate by providing materials for the walls and all the physical labor. TOTAL NEED: $1,200 - $2,400
(2) Education for children of Shalom evangelists – Shalom evangelists are placed in remote villages where there are very few resources for the evangelist’s family. One major difficulty has been finding adequate schooling, since rural schools are extremely poor and the evangelist’s salary is not sufficient to pay for school, room & board in a larger city. We hope to subsidize these educational expenses for 7-12 children a year. TOTAL NEED: $1,200/year
(3) Support for volunteers - Especially in the North (Antsiranana Synod) we have begun developing cooperation with volunteer lay evangelists to expand the work. While volunteers do not require a salary and are generally very motivated, they still need occasional gifts of food to help them make it (i.e.: not starve) and to affirm their efforts.
TOTAL NEED: $200-$500/year
(4) Literature and Video Development/Distribution- Across the island we are trying to increase the work force by empowering Christians at large for this work. Such empowerment is greatly aided by printed materials in the form of tracts and books as well as video resources in Malagasy. These materials are hard to find. We are working with the local church to write and translate materials as quickly as possible. Developing these resources is a high priority.
TOTAL NEED: $50/month
(5) Bi-Annual National training – All Shalom workers will be empowered to gather together for an annual training/continuing education event. This is extremely valuable. The transportation, food and housing for 70+ workers. TOTAL NEED: $1,000/year
(6) Literacy – In several villages where Shalom is working, over 90% of the people are illiterate. The Malagasy Bible Society has developed a very good curricula for teaching reading and writing to Malagasy people. Two weeks of teacher training each year plus teacher supplies for four teachers would be covered by this grant. The Literacy program creates one context for frequent and sustained interaction within which the evangelists can nurture closer relationships with non-Christian neighbors and empower more people to read the Bible. TOTAL: $500/year
(7) Transportation – Shalom employees (evangelists, doctors, nurses, security, etc.) seek the opportunity to attend one major church retreat a year. If we can raise funds to pay their transportation to and from a weekend retreat they would receive cross-training and demonstrate greater participation in the wider church. TOTAL NEED: $150/year