Regional Divisions
Winter 2009 Report
THANK YOU
The California-Arizona-Nevada Division of Orphan Grain Train wishes to express our appreciation to the congregations and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) Societies for their wonderful support with the outpouring of gifts for Undie Sunday in February of 2008. This effort primarily occurred throughout the Pacific Southwest District but we also received generous amounts of Undies from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). As these undies and socks were packed a total of 230 boxes were tallied. Delivery of 150 boxes to the Orphan Grain Train warehouse at Norfolk, Nebraska was made in April of 2008 to be distributed as needed. Eight boxes were given to Lutheran Border Concerns Ministry and Melissa Salomon, Director of Lutheran Hour Ministries/Mexico, is using the remainder for ministries in Tijuana. Go to http://www.cptlnmexico.wordpress.com to read the story of one woman, 104 years old, who was delighted with a gift of underwear.
UNDIE SUNDAY - 2010
Plans are underway to hold a second district-wide Undie Sunday on February 14. 2010. The PSW District LWML has graciously agreed to assist us in this endeavor again. Donations of new socks and underwear for men, women and children will be gathered. These undies will be sent to an area where the need is greatest.
LWML MISSION GRANT FOR NEW TRUCK
The ladies of the Pacific Southwest District LWML graciously voted to award a $10,000 grant to purchase a new truck for our division at their convention this past June in Las Vegas.
Our previous truck due to its age and upkeep needed to be retired.
A new truck will allow us to pull the 14-foot trailers when necessary to pick up donations from the many wonderful donors of items for ministry and to transport these gifts in kind where needed.
Most of our support is now given to ministries in Tijuana through the office of Lutheran Hour Ministries/Mexico. Melissa Salomon is the Director of LHM/Mexico.
ANOTHER THANK YOU TO ALL THE QUILTING GROUPS
Crown of Life - Sun City West, AZ
Risen Savior - Chandler, AZ
Epiphany - Chandler
First - Culver City
Holy Cross - Cypress
FOR SALE
We have received the donation of a Class A motor home. Our Division is not able to put this gift to good use. It is a 1989 Suncrest, 29-ft. with a Queen Bed. Equipment includes air conditioner, microwave, furnace, side-by-side refrigerator, gas generator, cruise control, luggage rack and ladder, stabilizer jacks, spare tire and carrier, and trailer hitch. It is currently being stored in Lancaster. Please call Steve Rice, (661) 305-0561 or Cliff Shout, (661) 945-4428 for further information.
LOOKING FOR A WAREHOUSE
Our division would like to expand our humanitarian operations but we need a warehouse to do so. Ideally we are looking for space that could be donated in the Southern California area. Please contact Norm Everhart, (909) 986-7005 if you are acquainted with someone who would have this kind of knowledge.
DIVISION OFFICERS
Chairman, Norm Everhart, (909) 986-7005
Vice-Chairman, Laverne Mirly, (626) 358-7291
Secretary, Steve Rice, (661) 305-0561
Treasurer, Cliff Shout, (661) 945-4428
Pastoral Advisor, Rev. Dr. Lee Settgast, (714) 630-3478
Newsletter Editor, Shirley Anderson, (619) 421-5269
IN MEMORIAM
The Lord called home on September 17, 2008 our previous chairman, Don Anderson.
I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. John 14:18
YOUR HELP NEEDED
First, thanks to everyone for giving your financial support as well as gifts in kind to Orphan Grain Train whether it is to our Headquarters in Norfolk, Nebraska, or to the California-Arizona-Nevada Division.
Second, to purchase a new truck for our division will require additional funds beyond the wonderful $10,000 grant from the Pacific Southwest Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
Funds are also needed to pick up and transport donated items where most needed.
If the Lord so moves you, please send your donation made payable to: Orphan Grain Train, Inc.
Send to: 555 Manzanita St, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Name_____________________________________________
Address___________________________________________
City/State/Zip ______________________________________
If you are a Thrivent member please fill out the GivingPlus form and return it with your donation so it may grow:
GivingPlus_Form_2008.pdf
GivingPlus_Instructions_2008.pdf
If you would like to print this report, a Adobe Acrobat .pdf file copy is available here:
2009-02_CalifArizNev_Newsletter.pdf
Fall 2007 Report
By God’s grace, our little division continues to move forward. We do not have a warehouse as of yet, but we have hope. We have some Lutheran real estate people looking on our behalf. We would be happy to use part of an existing warehouse. Real estate prices prevent us from attempting to purchase property.
We continue to support the Lutheran missions in Tijuana, Mexico with quilts, healthcare kits, educational supplies and Spanish Bibles. Quilters in Chandler and Sun City West in Arizona and groups in the Los Angeles area continue to provide beautiful quilts for the Mexico project as well as the Los Angeles Nehemiah Project.
Melissa Salomon, Director of the Lutheran Hour office in Tijuana, recently shared that a project intended to reach out to seniors in the area around the missions has been quite a blessing and that they only covered about half of the area they planned to cover so they will be continuing. Over 100 quilts were given out and the workers were greatly inspired.
Choir robes and undies from a church in Los Angeles were delivered to Melissa this past week.
Two loads of clothing have been delivered to the City Rescue Mission in San Diego, which provides a great deal of support to the homeless.
On February 17, 2008 all of our District churches will be encouraged to hold an Undie Sunday, gathering new socks and underwear for boys, girls, men and women, and/or money for shipping costs. This is the Sunday after Valentine’s Day, so it’s a way of truly “Being a Valentine,” sharing Christ’s love with hurting people.
We have hope of getting more activity started in the California-Nevada-Hawaii District in northern California. There is always the thought of another earthquake disaster in the back of our minds.
Please keep all of our division in your prayers that we might all be better prepared to reach out with Christ’s love in emergencies.
Fall 2006 Report
Greetings in Christ’s name from the Southwest.
The main efforts from our Regional Division continue in support of the outreach efforts of the mission churches in Tijuana, Mexico, through the Lutheran Hour Office in Mexico and in support of the Los Angeles Nehemiah Project in the inner-city churches.
A propane commercial-style stove for use at a new day-care-for-adults facility in Tijuana, Mexico was recently donated by Lutheran Camp Caroline in Valley Center, Calif.
A CA-AZ-NV Regional Division truck and trailer provided by a grant from the Pacific Southwest District LWML.
The quilters in Phoenix and Chandler, Arizona, continue to provide a good supply of quilts for Mexico. The Chandler group also provides crocheted hats for the children in Tijuana. The Grand Canyon District of the Lutheran Laymen’s League honored the ladies from both churches at their District Convention in March.
Some of the Chandler, Ariz. quilters at Risen Savior Lutheran Church. Several hundred quilts have been donated from the group thus far.
Quilters with a van stuffed full. Dedicated workers for the Lord and his children!
Don Ruettinger (right) coordinates the gathering of quilts for OGT. Don Anderson (center), CA-AZ-NV Regional Division chairman, is preparing to take a load of quilts back to California.
Spring 2006 Report
A vanload of quilts for Mexico was brought down from the Sacramento area by Luther and Londa Skov. They had the opportunity to visit the Lutheran Hour Ministries office with Melissa Salomon and visit one of the missions and make an outreach visit with Melissa to see first hand how the quilts are used effectively to share the Gospel along with meeting humanitarian needs.
Melissa Salomon was the Lutheran Hour Ministries speaker for their convention and the ladies were quite thrilled to hear how the quilts are being used in the ministry there in Tijuana. Boxes and bags of health care kits and grooming kits have been delivered to Melissa. Backpacks filled with educational materials from the young people of the Iowa District West have been shared with Mexico through the Los Angeles Nehemiah Project. The youth and adults who make the trips out to Los Angeles in support of the Nehemiah Project also go to Tijuana to do mission support work while they are here. The Iowa-West Division of Orphan Grain Train volunteers pack the boxes of backpacks for shipment to California. All parts of the LCMS laity work closely in support of the outreach efforts around the world.
Several Lutheran Women’s Missionary League societies have purchased Spanish Bibles for Tijuana. These are used in Bible study and outreach by the missions. Lutheran Hour Ministries’ “Equipping the Saints” evangelism outreach program is being used very effectively in Tijuana.
Some of the quilts produced by the quilters in the Los Angeles area are being delivered to the Los Angeles Nehemiah Project. Dr. Lee Settgast and his group are using these quite effectively also. Dr. Settgast could use more quilts and good clothing but he has the same problem our regional division has—storage space.
About 50 large bags of good clothing have been brought down from Los Angeles to San Diego for use by the City Rescue Mission to take care of extremely needy people.
Since the last report, 54 boxes of health care kits from two churches in San Diego were delivered to Norfolk and were included in a shipment to the Gulf Coast for Katrina relief. Several boxes of quilts for Katrina Relief were taken to Norfolk this month.
We are continuing to explore avenues for opportunities to carry out the mission of Orphan Grain Train.