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Village School Director Etienne Yaiman gives new books and notebooks to students at the Village School in Baboua, Central African Republic

Thanks to YOU this program continues through individual and congregational monetary gifts. Currently parents (median family income in the CAR is barely $2/day) help construct the school and a home for a teacher out of sun-dried mud bricks and a grass roof but the ultimate goal is to construct permanent schools! One remote village has collected materials for their school’s construction, waiting for more funds to continue building; another school in Baboua is near completion!

For ongoing information about life in the CAR, visit or subscribe to Joe Troester’s blog and visit the synod website…

» Download: School Starts in the CAR

from Bishop Rindy

My sister kept M&M‘s in her glove box as part of her winter survival gear. One day while giving our inquisitive niece a ride, our niece discovered the M&M‘s. “What are these for, Auntie?” she asked with big eyes. “They are for an emergency,” my sister replied with a smile. A few moments later, the little girl stated, “Auntie, I think I‘m having an emergency.”

This phrase is taking on a new meaning as the result of a wonderful project initiated by our sisters and brothers in the Western North Dakota Synod. My great wish is that EVERY member of our synod would have a new thought when they see M&M‘s in the CAR: Mission and Ministry in the Central African Republic.

[ Jump to congregational resources ]

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Central African Republic (EELRCA) is our companion synod; they minister to and are themselves among the poorest people on earth.

The great news is that we are making a difference. Dianne Billie, who has been to the C.A.R. on our behalf on two separate occasions, sees progress in that country. The president of the EELRCA, Pr. Andre Golike, has expressed sincere thanks for our extra mile gifts which have been used for motorcycles, roofs, schools, scholarships, water projects, clinics and more! We are making a difference.

Wouldn‘t it be awesome if every member of our congregations would take a tube of M&M‘s in the CAR with them, distribute them, fill the M&M tube with quarters ($14), return them to their congregation, and (through the synod) make a huge impact on/for the church in the CAR? (In the Western North Dakota Synod, the project brought in over $54,000!)

While it sounds simple, $14 times 100,000 members would generate $1,400,000!!!!

This would be enough:

• To equip the C.A.R. seminary
• To staff and supply the Emmanuel Clinic in Gallo (the region‘s only hospital)
• To provide spring boxes which supply fresh water for a whole village
• To put roofs on 30 churches (currently waiting)
• To build a Lutheran high school
• To provide basic, Christian education for the 1000‘s of children in the CAR schools

It‘s as easy as M&M‘s in the CAR. Can it possibly be that simple? Could it be that easy, that attainable? The ELCICAR is having an emergency… God is calling them and equipping them and we are part of the solution, the answer to their prayers. Are you up for the challenge?

Mission & Ministry for the Central African Republic is a “sweet deal” 

At the Fall Professional Leadership Conference at Fair Hills in September, the EaND Synod distributed candy boxes of Mini M&M tubes to each congregation. A reproducible bulletin insert is included with the candy which will detail collection information. It is also available for download below.

Congregations will share the sweets with its members. After the M&Ms have been eaten and enjoyed, individuals and families are asked to refill the tube with quarters. Each tube holds $14 worth of quarters.

This special M & M offering of quarters will make a significant impact on children and adults in the Central African Republic. In Bishop Rindy’s article (above) he outlines several positive effects of this project; in addition, your quarters will help: 

• Build schools through the Village Education Project and provide school supplies so children have access to education
• Provide scholarships so young women can receive education and vocational training
• Train new pastors and catechists to share the Good News of Jesus Christ
• Provide clean drinking water to rural villages
• Support youth and young adult ministry, as well as outreach to both urban and very rural areas of the C.A.R.
• Support an agricultural program to double the income of farm families by introducing teams of oxen, replacing hand held hoes

We ask you to enthusiastically embrace this project. Please publicize it in worship bulletins and congregational newsletters. What a creative, fun, and sweet way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Deadline

The deadline for sending in the money collected is December 31, 2011; please send a check payable to EaND Synod with “M&Ms in the CAR” in the memo line.

You are welcome to raise funds for the CAR at any time. You may choose to use the mini M&M tubes some time other than this fall/winter, but for this particular campaign the deadline is Dec 31 and funds will be distributed in January.

Mission and Ministry in the C.A.R.

– It‘s eternally worth it!

Congregational Resources:

• M&Ms in the CAR Bulletin Insert
• M&Ms in the CAR Poster
• M&Ms in the CAR Tube Labels - Avery 5160 labels (30/sheet)

The synod gave each congregation/pastor one box of mini M&M tubes (24 count) to initiate their congregation’s drive. If you did not receive a box for your congregation, please call us at (701) 232-3381. Any additional mini M&M tubes need to be purchased by your congregation. Here are several suggestions where you may purchase tubes:

• Sam’s Club, Fargo – (701) 282-7997
• Sam’s Club, Grand Forks – (701) 795-9449
• Frank McKone Cigar Co, Fargo – (701) 235-4261
• Target, Wal-Mart, grocery stores…

Share Your Story!

Share your M&Ms in the CAR stories with us. We, in turn, would like to share how your congregation embraced the needs of our brothers and sisters in the Central African Republic. Send stories to Kristi at kristi@eandsynod.org

Let me share the joy of my people and pastors here with you. Central African Lutherans are so amazed for what you have been doing for the Lutheran Church here so far. But what is going on now is most amazing: new church roofs are put and District Pastors come to love more their ministries among their congregants because of the motorcycles you have offered. They are so grateful and want to acknowledge it. We hope that it will continue for the glory of God. May the heavenly Father bestow His divine blessing upon everybody.

Rev. Andre Golide
President de l`EELRCA

» Download: Thank you from Rev. Golike (download pdf file)

Learn about the C.A.R…

God in Full View!

Click here to view the embedded video.

“…Ten of us were on the road going to cities and villages called Yaounde, Garou Boulai, Baboua, Bouar, Gallo and Buhong. While we were talking and discussing, Jesus came and went with us (actually Jesus was already there ahead of us)! In the breaking of bread at worship, in homes and talking with Christians on the road – our eyes were opened. We returned with burning hearts – never had a moment of heartburn.”    - Rev. Randy Schlecht

There is also a new video featuring the Village Education Project.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Learn more about the C.A.R…

Any of the following items may be brought to the synod office by Monday, April 11:

• Communion cups
• Crosses, stoles and clergy shirts (used stoles & shirts are fine; any color; any size)
• Cotton quilting fabric, thread, zippers, elastic and buttons for use at the Women’s Center

If you have any questions, contact Dianne Billey at djbilley@drtel.net

Other travelers include: Bishop Michael Rinehart, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod; Peggy Hahn, TLGC Synod; Emanuel Jackson, TLGC Synod; Bishop Mark Narum, Western North Dakota Synod; Tyler Narum, WND Synod; and the Rev. Mark Warpmaeker, Executive Director for Lutheran Partners in Global Mission.

The group departs April 14 and returns April 27. Pray for safe travels to and from the C.A.R. Upon their return, stay tuned for current needs in the Central African Republic and for stories of experiencing God’s work through the partnerships of the congregations of this synod. God speed, Terry and Diane!

*Due to unforeseen circumstances, Pastor Terry Brandt is unable to participate in this trip; Rev. Randy Schlecht (Our Savior’s, Valley City) and Rev. Chad Brucklacher (Christus Rex, Grand Forks) will be accompanying Diane Billey as delegates from eastern North Dakota.

Learn more about the C.A.R….

The EaND Synod’s Extra Mile initiative helped make this a reality!

God in Full View!

Two children carrying water in cooking pots up the steep slope from the Kanga spring in Baboua, CAR.

Joe serves as technical advisor for PASE, which provides clean drinking water and promotes good hygiene and sanitation to villagers. Pastor Deborah teaches at the Theological School in Baboua. Their daughter, Christa, is in the 8th grade at Rain Forest International School in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Learn more about the C.A.R…

In this war-torn, violence-ridden country, hope is starting to take root.

In 2005, armed men attacked the village of Peouri, in the northwestern Central African Republic. The bandits stole livestock and kidnapped children to hold for ransom. The people Peouri hid in the bush, but after repeated attacks decided to abandon their village. These Muslim Fulani herders resettled in Baboua, a predominantly Christian town. Here they were welcomed and were given land to settle on. One of their first priorities was rebuilding their school.

Back in 2001, Peouri elders had contact the Village School program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church to help them start a school for their children. The school had already been in operation for 4 years when the violence struck and they were forced to move. The Village School program assisted the villagers with finding a teacher and obtaining textbooks and other school supplies, while parents constructed brush-covered shelters to use as classrooms.

Villagers stacking sun-dried mud bricks to be fired. The bricks will be used to construct a new building for the Peouri School in Baboua, Central African Republic.

In the past 10 years, attendance has skyrocketed from 41 to 580. Girls make up 38% of enrollment, higher than the national average in this country where only 22% of women are literate. Children from Christian families are also attending the school, and Christian and Muslim parents have joined together to construct a brick and cement building for their children.

Now the Peouri School, as it is called, is getting a permanent building, thanks to funds from Global Gifts (external link), a program of the ELCA. Village School Program Director, Etienne Yaiman, is grateful for the funds which will enable this school to be the first in the Village School program to receive a permanent brick building.

Thank you to those people/congregations who have donated to the Village Education program. If you wish to help the Village School program, contact Rev. Twila Schock, Director for Global Mission Support, at Twila.Schock@elca.org

God in Full View!