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North Dakota Regional Division
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18 NORTH DAKOTA DIVISION Harold Gessner, Chairman
CAN THIS REALLY HAPPEN IN AMERICA? By Harold Gessner The Rev. Sam Freeman came to the US in June 2007. After being held at Riker’s Island, NY, for seven months, in February he was sent to Pennsylvania and now Texas, where he remains held until someone decides he can go home. They tell us it takes this long to fill out forms for him to return to Liberia. This is just another example of how our tax dollars are being spent. At one point I was told that a foreigner has few rights while in the US, yet before Senator Conrad’s office could review the Freeman case, I was mailed a privacy act form that I had to mail to Freeman to sign. Freeman, in turn, has to return it to me and I will return it to Senator Conrad’s office so they can finally start a review of the Freeman case, a two week procedure. Sam has been held here in the US for nearly 10 months. This has placed much stress on the Freeman family, the church, school, clinic, and also on the safe drinking water program, LIFE WATER INC. We are holding valuable drilling supplies, along with many other items, to be shipped in a container to Liberia. Rev. Freeman is the one with the ability to clear and distribute the shipments, so he has to be in the Country. Reports indicate that the some 280 students at the school continue in their Christian education under the direction of Principal Alphonsus Clemette. We have been supporting the Freeman family and have had to increase support of the school in the absence of Sam Freeman’s fund raising efforts. As we pray for closure to the dilemma we also pray that God will move hearts to support this ministry. PENNIES FOR MISSIONS By Jeanne & Lyle Puffe When visiting with Harold Gessner, he told us about the financial plight of the Gessner Lutheran School in Monrovia, Liberia. The Gessner school budget was way short. The school has an enrollment of 280 children with an annual budget of $12,000 American money. Their projected income was only $6,000. They needed a lot of help quickly. To top it off the Rev. Sam Freeman, the spiritual leader of this church and school, has been held by our Home Land Security forces in New York for many months. The first question that came to mind was, “What can we do to help?” After prayer and a small donation to OGT for the school, we brainstormed. I took the information Harold had given to us and visited with our congregation’s mission board. The Mission Board in conjunction with our Sunday school children select a different mission project outside of our congregation each quarter of the year. These projects are funded by the weekly Sunday school and adult Bible class offerings. I asked the mission board to consider this school as a Sunday school mission project. Thankfully, the Mission Board did pick the Gessner Lutheran School as the mission project for the first quarter in 2008. As of this writing the offerings have amounted to $801. This is a Lutheran School in a war-torn country. Monrovia has been overrun by revolutionary factions for a number of years and the church and school have been destroyed more than once. Relative peace has been restored to the land the last few years. The school continues to grow and operate, teaching these children about Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, as well as their general education. Please continue to pray not only for this school, but also for the release of the Rev. Sam Freeman. Then prayerfully ask yourself,” What can I do to help?” SPIRIT LAKE RESERVATION NEAR TOKIO, ND By Harold Gessner We have developed a relationship with some folk at a small mission that was founded over one hundred years ago on this reservation. A VBS Shepherd’s Hill at the Crossroads team gathered at this Mission with nearly forty native children for a two- day Christmas vacation VBS. Several native adults attended and gave support to the team. It was a joy to attend this VBS and the team felt it successful in that the children were receptive to the Christ-centered activities. The mission was pleased to arrange for another VBS next Christmas vacation. We, of the OGT, provided and cooked the meals and snacks for the event. The OGT has provided food, clothing, and blankets for the people of the mission and their food pantry in the past few years. GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR RISEN LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! I have been asked to share a few words and thoughts on Orphan Grain Train. Since the start-up of ND OGT back in 1993, I remember we thought if we filled one semi-van with the planned scheduled stops across the state, and received enough to fill four, we knew our Lord was blessing our efforts abundantly! Many gifts have been shared in our USA and in countries world-wide, giving the opportunity when people ask "Why are doing this?" to share the LOVE OF OUR LORD and what He has done for us and the gift of eternal life He has promised to all people who believe in Jesus Christ. It takes a lot of people who love their Lord to make this mission outreach work. A number of other Christian people, other then LCMS, have been involved in their gifting and participation, too. The LWML has been very supportive, with monetary gifts and countless supplies such as beautiful quilts, school, health and midwife kits, good high quality clothing, etc. The Holy Spirit moves people in marvelous ways with sizeable gifts of food, beans, wheat, field peas, trucking, warehousing, and hundred's if not thousand's of hours of volunteer labor for loading, sorting and reloading. We will never know what our efforts did until that day when we are in Heaven and some one comes up and says," because of that quilt, coat, or blanket that kept me from freezing or that food that kept from starving until a missionary or someone came and told me about Jesus, I'm here rejoicing with you!" People of Christ with a Message of Hope, I would like to share James 2:15 -17 and Matthew 25:40, expressing the reason for the purpose of OGT. In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has helped in anyway to share the love of God as all work together "Bringing Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church" ALL GLORY BE TO OUR LORD! Don Brandenburg, OGT Board Member & Region 12 Int’l Lutheran Laymen's League Governor THANK YOU “Thank you” to all you faithful supporters of Orphan Grain Train who have given cash donations, quilts, school and health kits, clothing, Christian literature, etc. These are all valued gifts for someone in need. OGT needs your financial support. There are monthly warehouse bills, fuel, vehicle upkeep, and the big one – shipping costs. The Thrivent Financial Giving Plus Program has enhanced our gifts. If you are a Thrivent member, please let us know when you send a gift. Every little bit helps. Also, “Thank You” to all the faithful workers who gather each Friday to sort and pack the items we receive and to Diane, our treasurer, who handles all the monies. Please pray that as people receive material things for this life, they will be led to their Savior, Jesus Christ, and receive eternal life. |
