+ MISSION UPDATE May 12, 2025
We’ve Reached Our Goal!
I write this overwhelmed by the generosity of this congregation. After the launch weekend, we had 26 sign ups for support of a child and their family in Modjo. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned! And yet, as the week went by more and more support started trickling in and by Monday afternoon, Atkelt called me and told me we were going to pause sign ups because we not only made it to 150, which is the CarePoint capacity, we allowed 10 more people to sign up for a grand total of 160 signups!!
This means that 160 children have an opportunity they never dreamed was possible before this weekend. It means that 160 families have the opportunity to start a savings account, and build a business that they never could have imagined before today. It means 160 children and their parents will have the ability to receive needed trauma counseling and youth mentorship programs. It means 160 families will have access to the love of Jesus Christ through the efforts of the local Lutheran church where the Care Point is located. And it means that together we will be helping a community forever be transformed by the blessing of empowerment and sustainable care that God willing, will outlive us all!
To God alone be all the glory!!
Pastor Micah
What's Next?
1. Please pray for Pastor Micah, Kendell Wengert, John Sebesta, Cathy Rink, and Zac Erwin who will be traveling to Modjo tomorrow to help open up the CarePoint and bring back the photos and bios of the children who will be choosing their new friends on Saturday, May 18.
2. We will be showing a video of the celebration this coming weekend during our worship services so you can celebrate along with us.
3. If you didn't get a chance to sign up but would still like to, we will be creating a waiting list which will be accessed if a current supporter needs to stop funding in the future.
4. Want to make a special donation? You can do so by earmarking it with "Modjo Carepoint" and these funds will be used to help support our ongoing work including mission trip support and community projects.
5. A reveal party is scheduled for Sunday, June 22, at 9:30am in the fellowship hall where you will meet your new friend and their family for the first time, and begin the relationship with them. All are welcome to this event for those curious to see how this process works!
About Children’s HopeChest Mission
With great excitement and anticipation, the leadership and staff at OFLC want to introduce you to our new mission partner, Children's HopeChest. This is a unique mission partner that all can personally engage. At Children’s HopeChest, they empower orphaned and impoverished children and their communities, called a CarePoint, through relationships that cultivate holistic transformation and sustainability. Their unique Community-to-Community model connects communities in the U.S. to this CarePoint with a high population of orphaned and impoverished children. The community OFLC will connect with is in Modjo, Ethiopia.
Aligned Mission & Values
Our Mission at OFLC, is to help ordinary people, know and share extraordinary life in Christ. This mission is not confined to our campus or locally, but globally. Ethiopia was chosen due to the amazing mission work of the Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran church, which currently is the largest Lutheran denomination in the world. In addition, HopeChest as an organization aligns with our values, as they provide holistic redemptive compassion.
OFLC members will personally be given the privilege, through their prayer and finances, to sponsor a child and their family in this CarePoint. The local Lutheran church also partners with HopeChest in sharing the Gospel and connect the family to a local church. Simply put, OFLC members are not just sending money to a town in Ethiopia, we are helping transform that community so that they can one day be self-sufficient, and then help another local community experience the same transformative care they themselves have received. As that takes place, we will join them in praying for spiritual transformation as well, as the local church responds to their spiritual needs.
CarePoint in Modjo, Ethiopia
When we open our launch day on May 4, you will learn more about Our Father's CarePoint in Modjo, Ethiopia. This is the community where we will directly engage with local leaders and orphans of this community, inspired by Christ's love, to empower vulnerable children and their families to break the cycle of poverty and create sustainable, thriving communities, starting with the children.
Key Dates
As we lead into this new partnership, here are some important event dates.
+ OFLC Launch occurred on May 4
+ CarePoint (Modjo, Ethiopia) Opens May 17
+ Sponsor Reveal Sunday at OFLC June 22