Helping Haiti Work

Karen Anderson helped found Plymouth-based nonprofit, Helping Haiti Work, to provide small business loans to women in northern Haiti. Every  year, Karen, who is a graphic designer, has created greeting cards that help support the organization and directly fund these micro-loans. This organization is working to end the cycle of poverty in Haiti, and equip women to run their own business. Helping Haiti Work has also equipped two sewing centers, employing Haitian women to construct reusable menstrual pads and diapers, which are then marketed to the Haitian public. And by making sanitary, reusable pads available, girls are encouraged to attend school regularly, even when reaching puberty.

"God has given me a real joy in Helping Haiti Work! I pitched in several years ago to help my friend and doctor, Leslee Jaeger, with an idea after her annual medical mission in northern Haiti. Reading how microfinancing women’s businesses can help break a cycle of poverty, we started Helping Haiti Work. It is exciting to be part of this nonprofit from the ground up and to use my graphic art skills for its marketing and fundraising, providing almost 250 small business loans for women in Haiti and equipping two sewing centers. Though I am not one to go into the field, I am able to use the talents I have to make a difference in the lives of some underprivileged families. It is humbling to know how hard our loan recipients work with their $200, and how determined they are to pay back their loans in order to provide for those still on the waiting list.

A big thanks to my church family at Mount Olivet for your generous donations that are empowering women and improving communities in northern Haiti"

Contact Karen for more information-

Karen Anderson, Helping Haiti Work Email: karen@helpinghaitiwork.org On the web at: helpinghaitiwork.org Facebook:  facebook.com/HelpingHaitiWork

Called to Camp Noah

Camp Noah is an organization started in 1997 by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, and grew dramatically as a national program in response to Hurricane Katrina. The camps are locally hosted events for elementary-age children whose communities have been impacted by disaster. With the help and leadership of volunteers, Camp Noah has served over 13,000 elementary school children!

MO member, Lisa Hansen, has been organizing Camp Noah teams for the past five years now - following her call to work with children who are dealing with emotional trauma. The children at these camps are given the opportunity to process emotions, and begin recovery after experiencing devastating natural disasters.

"As someone who’s always enjoyed engaging with kids through day camps and VBS, I found the idea of using this kind of setting to respond to community disasters intriguing. Because of other commitments, I hadn’t been able to serve on either the Mount Olivet team that responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2006 or the 2009 team that served children affected by

an immigration raid of an Iowa meat packing plant. But the stories that were told of children’s needs and recovery at these camps lodged a desire to someday serve at a Camp Noah.

In 2011, I got my chance. Kirsten Kessel had arranged for Mount Olivet to be part of a Camp Noah program serving the community of North Minneapolis after the devastating tornado there. My daughter, Tori, and I discovered the challenges and joys of working with at-risk kids in a destabilized community. We used every skill and talent we had developed through years of Girl Scouts and Bible Explorers to connect with these kids and communicate the hope that Camp Noah brings to difficult situations. It was exhausting and exhilarating and we were hooked. Camp Noah’s goals and methods were a perfect fit for us.

After losing our son, Alex, to suicide in 2012, I personally experienced the echoing trauma of tragedy—as well as the power of the healing compassion that was directed our way. Camp Noah became a way of somehow bringing meaning to my loss and making my pain purposeful. On the three-month anniversary of Alex’s death, I found myself in Moose Lake, MN, serving a small community of children that had experienced a series of big losses, including a flood that had overwhelmed their homes and stolen away their playground. As my small group of children and I worked through our experiences, we healed together. A recommissioning prayer for the new playground demonstrated for all of us the power of resurrection and second chances.

Camp Noah has become a way for me to deal with the sometimes overwhelming heartbreak that the daily news brings, and for continuing to bring healing out of my own brokenness. The children I have had the privilege of serving continue to live in my heart and remind me of the power of Christ’s sacrificial love in the midst of what blogger Glennon Melton calls “this brutiful world” of beauty and brutality." -Lisa Hansen

Learn more about the planned Camp Noah trip, June 12-17, to St. Charles, MO!

Babysitting for Good

Each year, 5th and 6th graders are asked to come up with a year-end mission project that engages them in a way they feel called into the world. Chris Olson and Beth Molitor's group of 5th Grade girls decided to purchase healthcare products for those who are homeless, but they needed help raising the funds to pay for the kits. They came up with the idea of a babysitting fundraising night at MO on a Friday evening; giving parents an opportunity to head out for dinner and enjoy themselves. On Friday April 22^nd, the 1^st annual “Helping Heroes” Babysitting event was held in the Jungle Room. Approximately 20 kids got 2 hours of dancing, musical chairs, crafts, story reading, and games.  Parents got a night out or some time to take care of things.

The initial goal was to raise $100, and they ended up raising over $200 towards healthcare products.

To quote the girls “We had a fun time playing with the kids and we hope the parents had a fun time too!”

Thank you to the kids and parents that participated and were able to donate to the cause!

Special thank you to Addison, Rachel, Morgan, Linnea, Jessica, and Keira from Club 56 “Helping Heroes”  for your leadership in coming up with the idea, working together to make it happen, and making an impact on the Mount Olivet community and beyond!

Mount Olivet to Help Families Start Conversations About End-of-Life Decisions

Plymouth, Minn. (March 22, 2016) – Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth  announced a new series, Open Conversation: Walking Through the Details of Death, for families and individuals who are faced with the declining health of loved ones, or those wanting to be prepared for future healthcare decisions. These sessions will help partners, immediate family, and community members have difficult conversations about healthcare directives, funeral planning, and the emotional impact of seeing the health of loved ones decline. Open to the public, all are invited to attend and connect with others at similar life stages: those caring for aging parents, adults wanting family to know end-of-life wishes, and individuals preparing for the future. The series was developed as a response to the many in the community making tough, and often times lonely decisions, regarding end-of-life care for parents and loved ones.

Week 1 will look at creating a health care directive that informs others of wishes for end-of-life healthcare. Week 2 will explore the facets of funeral planning that can be intimidating. Week 3 will be a panel of Hospice Workers who will talk through the emotional impact of seeing health decline in loved ones and preparing for death.

This free series is open to the public and will be hosted Mondays: April 4, April 11, and April 18 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth is located at 12235 Old Rockford Road, Plymouth, MN 55441. www.moply.org/openconversation

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About Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth

Mount Olivet is a missional congregation that seeks to be a community partnering with God in the world. As a church that recognizes faith as a journey, the ongoing mission, “Finding our place in God’s unfolding story,” is central to congregational life through dwelling in God, connecting in community, and engaging in callings.  www.moply.org

Blankets For The Kids at Camp Noah

Camp Noah is a week long summer camp supported by Lutheran Social Services for kids in communities that have experienced a crisis or natural disaster. In the past couple years Mount Olivet has visited families struck by horrible flooding in Colorado, as well as up north in Cloquet, MN. Organized by MO member Lisa Hansen, these experiences are transformative for both the children who attend, and the volunteers who are impacted by the pain and resilience exhibited by these young survivors of natural disasters.

Holly Carlson feels called to support this ministry by organizing volunteers to tie the blankets used by the campers during the week. Every child at Camp Noah receives a tied fleece blanket to use and take home at the end of camp. The blankets are wonderful gifts, but more than that, they are a recovery tool for children, providing much needed comfort as they continue to process their disaster and/or trauma experience.

"I am called to serve these camps because I am passionate about helping kids build resiliency and see hope after a traumatic event in life. This is the 3^rd blanket drive I have hosted at Mount Olivet. Every year we have met our goal of making 50 fleece blankets. These blankets are used in activities throughout the week and at the end of the week this is gift to for the kids to keep forever. I am excited to further my call this summer when I join the Mount Olivet Camp Noah team for a week in June!"

You can join Holly tying blankets on April 11, April 19 and April 28 in the Conference Room at Mount Olivet from 6:30pm to 8pm. Fleece donations for the blankets are also welcome (size must be 60x72 inches). Contact Holly (holly.carlson2@gmail.com) if you are interested in helping!

Moms On A Mission: Valentines Day

Our first mission for Moms on a Mission was a success! We celebrated an early Valentine's Day with the women and children currently at Home Free. We offered Healing Touch sessions (Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry) and spa treatments for the women, while we entertained the children with crafts, games, Valentine making and treats!

We were moved as we shared God's love to these women and their beautiful children. They were so appreciative and we brought so much joy to the children while providing a short break for the moms.

Please continue to pray for all women and children at Home Free. Consider joining us for our next Moms on a Mission meeting, Wednesday March 2nd at 8 pm. We will be discussing our next mission at Home Free in May. We would love to have you join us!

-Michelle and Julie.

Thank You to MO

Dear Mount Olivet brothers and sisters in Christ,

As I begin the next chapter of my faith journey, I still have a warm glow in my heart from all the love you sent my way, and my family's way, in January. You were wonderfully affirming of me in your farewells and most generous in giving to me a fantastic macro lens for my camera. Every time I use it, I will think of our time together.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 

When I do think of our time together, it is simply overwhelming. You watched my family grow up and me lose my hair! I got to watch your families grow up and, well, you get the point. We've been through a lot, and whether the lifting was light or heavy, it was always a sacred journey because God was in our midst.

While I left Mount Olivet with a lump in my throat(admit it, you wondered if I would ever pull myself together to finish that sermon!), it was mostly a sense of celebration and joy. We had something special: in addition to affection for one another, we experienced, I think, a growing awareness of the power of God's spirit moving among us, binding us together and leading us outward, building on the best of what we already were. I am so proud of who we were together.

Pending my admittance into the Masters of Theology program at Luther, I will be studying, researching, and developing a uniquely, unapologetically, Lutheran model of missional church. In the process, I will refer often to you good people, as examples of what I'm talking about. And sometime in the spring or summer, I hope to have a call that will be compatible with my studies.

I will pray for your journey now as I hope you pray for mine. I know this year will not be easy as transitional years never are, but you are fortunate that God has a hold of you and is taking you somewhere very, very good!

God's Peace, Pastor John

Updates from Tanzania: Karibu. Karibuni. We Are Welcome.

Karibu. Karibuni. We are welcome. This is one of the first phrases a visitor to Tanzania learns. Karibu. I received my first Karibu at the airport, upon responding to the man checking to see I had a visa. In response to my Asante, I received a quick karibu.

You hear Karibu over and over again. It would be easy to assume it is only a pleasantry, much like our American tendency to ask everyone we encounter "How are you?" often disregarding or barely recognizing the response.

Within a few moments, however, you feel Karibu. Once we managed to get our travel worn selves and heavy luggage through customs, Karibu's were joined with bright smiles, handshakes, and warm embraces. Suitcases were swiftly exchanged for beautiful bouquets and a safe hand to guide us to our transport. We continued to feel our welcome as we arrived under the dark night sky at Msasani Lutheran Church, at nearly 11pm, to enter the rotunda of the Msasani Multipurpose Development Center, welcomed with two joyful songs sung by one of the church choirs.

https://instagram.com/p/51s7TDH04i/?taken-by=moplychurch

The welcomes continued as we were each brought to our host locations, well past midnight, and it was made clear that we were entering our homes while in Tanzania. Karibu.

We have spent two full days with our friends from Msasani Lutheran Church. The first day, after being graciously allowed to sleep late and sleep well, we spent a bit of time walking through the Msasani Multipurpose Development Center, known locally as Msasani Tower. The MMDC is a project prayerfully and financially supported by Mount Olivet, though our contribution pales when compared to that made by the members and community of Msasani. The MMDC is a work in progress. The building manager, who kindly took time to not only lead us on a tour but also to answer our many questions about the building and surrounding area, explained how hard she works to fill the many beautiful offices, business spaces, and meeting areas.

Currently a number of businesses, including a Diabetes Center and financial management organization as well as a prominent bank, offer services to the community. The large meeting hall has because a popular site for weddings and celebrations, with bookings nearly every weekend. As Msasani is able to securely pay down the mortgage on the Center, they plan to increase the number of nonprofit organizations housed in the Center by offering generous rental rates and make the Tower a hub for community support and celebration. We could already see it is a safe and secure place for the community to conduct business and the views from the balconies are breathtaking.  We wrapped up our first day making last minute preparations for the next day's health fair. Saturday we joined Msasani members and many local medical professionals for the first annual AFYA Day - Msasani Health Fair. The first spark for this day ignited when our Msasani friends attended the Great Minnesota Get together, the MN State Fair, with Kirsten in 2013. The sweltering August visit to the Fair was spent mostly in the KARE 11 Health Fair tent. The Msasani team began talking about how they could see a similar idea being beneficial in their community. The returned to Tanzania filled with ideas and plans to talk to their community.

Fast forward two years and the ideas became reality. Supported by many doctors, nurses, medical professionals, and enthusiastic volunteers, 364 members of the Msasani community received medical consultation and a variety of health screenings and information. Some were Msasasani Lutheran Church members, some were from the surrounding areas, others were from local health organizations and health professional schools. All were filled with God's love.  Visitors had their blood pressure taken, their BMI calculated, and their blood glucose level tested. From there they received medical consultation and were sent on to many other stations: nutrition, eye exams, oral health screening, men's health information, breast cancer screening and women's health information, speech therapy consultation, and Healing Touch.  https://instagram.com/p/51tUCFH05N/?taken-by=moplychurch

Sophie Pletcher pricked hundreds of fingers, Kirsten consulted on speech issues for many of all ages, and Tracy Dickovich, Kim Dunford, and Marcy Walker, with the help of the rest of our team when their room was full, provided healing touch sessions to many visitors.

The rest of us filled in where needed, got really good at inflating beach balls we handed out to the many beautiful children who joyfully played and smiled with us, and we did our best to share the feeling of Karibu with everyone who entered the Health Fair grounds.  It was a good day. Though we were on the "giving" side for the day, we ended the day feeling like we had received a great gift.

Karibuni - we were welcomed.

- Summer A.

Updates from Denver: Mending the Hole in Our Hearts

https://instagram.com/p/5hQ6FHn0-I/?taken-by=moplychurch  

(This blog post is being typed by Pete because Andi is currently sleeping outside)

Today's post is about how service mends the holes in your heart. We met a man named Luke one morning who told me that people who spend their youth doing service, good deeds, whatever you call it, do not have a hold in their heart, their soul where many adults do. I don't necessarily agree with that. I'm sure many adults went on mission trips like this when they were younger and still feel they're missing something from their lives.

Do you ever feel like you should be doing more; changing , evolving, and growing in your faith? That's the hole in your heart. Fortunately, it can be mended with purpose, intention, actions, and most importantly grace only given through Christ on the cross. Here in Denver we are having time and experience which allows us to reevaluate our perspective on the world and ourselves. We are being pushed to never allow a hole to grow, though inevitably, it will and that's okay. Because we cannot do this on our own. Christ fuels us to mend the empty space by being responsive to the world around us, bringing love and compassion into the world. The struggle to be whole will always be a struggle because we are broken. Love, compassion, faith are what mends the hole in our heart.

Updates from Denver: Waking Up

https://instagram.com/p/5YuYCJH07J/?taken-by=moplychurch Hello everyone! Today’s blog post comes to you courtesy of Andi Dickmeyer, the Mount Olivet Mission Intern. I have been working since November to reach out to our youth and teens to find better ways of maintaining communication and community as they grow up through the church. I’ve also been responsible for organizing volunteer opportunities, helping with our equivalent of a Prayer Tour for Minneapolis, advocating for change at the Capital, and helping to sort our Senior High Mission Trip students into their work groups and planning different parts of the schedule and guidelines.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how important is to be conscious about what you’re thinking, feeling, and doing versus being ignorant of society or why you’re thinking and feeling they way you do, essentially being asleep. Being awake vs. asleep to our minds. This concept is especially important here, in Denver, when we’re witnessing and experiencing countless things that must be reflected upon and analyzed.

As I was sitting on the sidewalk yesterday with my group, talking to Jack the homeless Veteran, I watched every single person walk by with either a look of bafflement or disgust or ignore us completely. Only one person walking by smiled and stopped to chat, one of the security guards at a nearby building that has known Jack for months. What is wrong with society that the mere concept of sitting and talking and treating someone on the street like a normal human being (Yes, they are humans!) is either surprising, disturbing, or completely irrevelevant?

A song popped into my head during that time, Car Radio by Twenty One Pilots. “And it’s faith and it’s sleep, we need to pick one please because faith is to be awake and to be awake is for us to think and for us to think is to be alive…” Walking blindly through life, ignorant of the wrongs of society, ignorant of our own minds, is not living. It is us being asleep. Wake up, folks. Question everything. Why do we treat people like this? What are the pros and cons of this solution? What needs a solution? Is there anything we can do? If there isn’t anything we can do, how do I accept it? What can I do? How do I make the world a better place? How do I live?

Wake up.

-Andi