Christian Aid and Relief continues to work with the WELS Board for World Missions, our WELS Missionaries, and our sister congregations of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference around the world in funding humanitarian aid projects. Below is a list of this year’s granted projects, totaling nearly $260,000.

 

NIGERIA
Funds have been granted to Nigeria to help organize the distribution of health care for the extremely impoverished people and to help provide humanitarian aid during natural disasters. The ability to offer care and provide humanitarian aid to Nigeria’s unchurched will serve as a bridge for Christ The King Lutheran Church of Nigeria to invite villagers to church to hear the gospel. Funds will also be used to stock a pharmacy that will serve the community. The location will allow for community advertising and the possibility of offering printed outreach materials. Drilling of another borehole will also be possible this year. These water systems placed near the church provide opportunities for the pastor and members to reach the un-churched.

ZAMBIA
Aid granted to Zambia provides for home-based care that bridges the physical and spiritual care for the chronically ill and dying. This allows for compassionate connections between clients and caregivers, as they help those with AIDS, TB, Malaria, and other chronic and terminal illnesses.

Realizing that health education improves through literacy, funds have been granted in Zambia to offer refresher courses for those who teach reading and writing. These courses are especially helpful to mothers, the primary caregivers spiritually and physically. Bicycles are donated to help people get to the classes and for the volunteer facilitators to travel between literacy groups. The villagers who are reached through this aid improve their reading and writing skills and benefit from regular devotions and exposure to the church.

The drilling of more boreholes will also be funded in Zambia, resulting in excellent opportunities for the pastors and members to reach out to the villagers.

CAMEROON
In Cameroon, funds have been granted to build a new four-bed clinic in the village. This clinic will provide dispensing of medicines and equipment. The village chief and some village elders are members of the local church that has provided land for the clinic. This opportunity helps the church to become an integral part of the village. The clinic allows for spiritual instruction and training and is located where Biblical materials can be distributed. This site also makes it possible for called workers to meet with villagers and invite them to church.

MALAWI
Malawi has been granted funds to drill boreholes next to our local churches, which will help outreach efforts of pastors and members to the community. The Central African Medical Mission in Malawi and Zambia has also received special needs funding from Christian Aid and Relief for medical supplies and transportation needs.

RUSSIA
Funding has been granted to Russia to provide food, clothing, and medicine for the needy. These gifts will allow for the Law-Gospel pamphlets to be distributed and to invite people to Bible instruction classes. This will let the workers’ light shine in the area and grow their reputation of helping those in need.

Aid has also been granted to assist institutions such as hospitals, rehab centers, orphanages, and half-way houses. The government values this work and presence, which is very important as it opens the doors for Bible classes and Christian counseling. Through this ministry, Sunday school lessons are left in public schools and Bible classes for the disabled and orphans are offered.