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"Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever." (Psalm 40:11)
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Pictured above: Students at Melpattambakkam Boarding Home in Tamil Nadu, India, enjoy laddu, a treat provided by your gifts to our Wish List, this past Christmas. | |
Mobile Computer Lab Opens at Siloam Boarding Home | |
A permanent computer lab was officially opened at Siloam Boarding Home on December 21.
The lab will primarily be used for educational programs and computer skills classes. It will also serve as a space for community-building activities.
Students are looking forward to using this new space to enrich their learning experience! Supporters like you make investments in educational technology possible.
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New Library Brings 266 Books to Kariyalur Boarding Home | |
Kariyalur Boarding Home, located in the Kalrayan Hills, has long dreamed of opening a library on campus. With your support, that dream was finally realized at the end of 2024. Painting, shelving, and electrical work were completed in November, and the library officially opened on December 19th - with 266 books lining its shelves!
While mid-year exams and the Pongal holidays have limited access to the new library, students are eager to begin using the library now that they are back from break.
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WALC Session Is a Huge Success
In the cloud forest of Guatemala, the Women in Agroecology Leadership for Conservation (WALC)'s winter session was a resounding success. The session ran from November 30-December 13 and drew 143 enthusiastic participants from 48 remote mountain villages across five departments (states).
Rob Cahill, co-founder of our partner Community Cloud Forest Conservation, says, "I think this was probably one of the best WALC sessions ever... We had the best group of teachers we've ever had... This was a zenith - a real high point- for the WALC program."
These girls and young Q'eqchi' Maya women learned about sustainable agriculture practices, health, nutrition, goal planning, and more, being led and taught by peer mentors. Gifts from friends like you provide scholarships to these girls, keeping them in school and delaying early marriage while improving the quality of life for all.
Interested in seeing CCFC at work? Space is available for our upcoming trip June 14-24, 2025. Learn more about this and other trips today!
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In 2024, the needs of our global partners felt more urgent than ever. So many vulnerable students and worthy causes demanded our collective attention. Costs - especially for food and building supplies - continued to rise.
You - our LPGM community - showed up for our partners, ensuring that their vital work could both continue AND expand, as more students seek out their life-changing programs.
In 2024, our board of directors set an ambitious fundraising goal in response to some very big needs and dreams of our partners. The results: you gave $1,122,639 in support of our ministry! While this was 9% short of our goal, it was the most LPGM has raised since 2015. We are deeply grateful for gifts of all sizes from friends, new and old.
Your gifts directly support access to education for people at the margins, and each gift is a blessing.
Our global ministry wouldn't be possible without friends like you who believe in our partners and in the universal power of education.
We've hit the ground running this year, which marks our 30th. With your support, 2025 will be another great year for our vital ministry.
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Please watch this 90-second video below to hear a special message of gratitude from LPGM executive director, Dan Ruth. On behalf of our staff, our partners, and the students we serve - THANK YOU. | |
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2024 Tax Statements Are Out
To help you prepare for your taxes, we emailed consolidated gift summaries on January 22. Please contact us at 612-823-5058 or office@lutheranpartners.org with any questions, or if you would like us to send you a physical copy in the mail.
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We've earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator (again) | | |
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LPGM has been evaluated by Charity Navigator, and we've earned another Four-Star Rating! This is the highest possible rating on Charity Navigator. We work hard to earn your trust, and Charity Navigator’s third-party accreditation validates our commitment to operational excellence. | | |
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As we mark our 30th year in ministry this year, LPGM has a new look!
While we continue to live out our Lutheran identity, vision and mission, we realized that our visual identity needed an update that reflects what we're up to in 2025 and beyond.
We hope this update helps even more people recognize the powerful work that you enable and reflects the deeply held values that drive our mission.
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Seeking Nominations for Our Board of Directors | | |
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Looking to join fellow Christians working to advance access to education around the world? Interested in deepening your involvement with LPGM? Joining LPGM's board of directors is a great way to make local connections while serving your global neighbors.
Consider submitting a nomination for our board of directors. Please make your nomination(s) by March 1, 2025.
If you have questions about the board or its nomination process, contact Dan Ruth, LPGM’s executive director, at dan@lutheranpartners.org.
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Longtime WALC Participant Thrives in College | |
Sandra Maria Xol Paau lives in San Juan Chamelco in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Since 2016, she has participated in the Women in Agroecology Leadership for Conservation (WALC) program through our partner, Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC).
Her experience with WALC has transformed her life in ways she never could have imagined.
According to Sandra, while she has learned about environmental conservation, the WALC program has also provided so much more.
"It has also opened paths to pursue my dreams. I have had the opportunity to learn from committed and inspiring people. I have also seen the positive impact that we can have on our communities and the world. Through WALC, I have learned the importance of working in a team and fighting for our goals. Each step on this path has brought me closer to my aspirations."
Sandra is bursting with excitement about the upcoming year, and she is feeling incredibly optimistic about her bright future.
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The Power of Literacy: Doumba's Story
Deborah Patouma (pictured above) is a 27-year-old mother of four and a literacy instructor at the Cantonnier Center in the Central African Republic (CAR).
One of her stand-out students this past year was Doumba Pélagie, a 25-year-old mother of three children. Living over four miles from the village, she still came to class every day.
Doumba’s father hadn't sent her to school as a child, so she has been fiercely determined to make up for lost time.
According to Deborah, Doumba quickly learned to read, write, and count well. She is hoping to continue her studies in the new year because after being given an opportunity to learn, she doesn’t want to let go.
Deborah hopes that the reading, writing, and math skills she is teaching will open new doors for her students.
She wants them to successfully manage their small businesses, read the Bible, and use the hymn book during worship.
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Pictured above: Young students at one of our partner's Lutheran boarding homes in India proudly wear their Pongal dresses. Celebrated over four days in mid-January, Pongal is a harvest festival that marks the return of longer days. Its cultural significance is akin to Thanksgiving in the United States. | |
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Our Mission: LPGM provides access to quality education for people at the margins – especially women and girls. We work together with global partners to listen, respond and bear witness to local needs and priorities.
Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 41-1818525. Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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