September Stewardship Mission of the Month

Pastor Ernst Mission in Venezuela.  The door offering will be on Sep. 23rd

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) expects inflation in Venezuela to reach 1 million percent by year end.

Inflation through mid-August has reached 100,000 percent!  That means that the item you purchased in January for $1.00, now costs:

In April - $23/15

In June - $188.03

In July - $535.88

And by the end of August - $1,527.26

Caracus was recently hit with a 5.7 earthquake.  Water is running on a few hours each day.  Electricity is available throughout Venezuela only a few hours each day, usually unannounced.  It is estimated that over 3 million people have left Venezuela already this year.  Pastor Ernst and his wife run a preschool for about 30 children in their town in addition to the only Lutheran church in the area.

There are shortages of milk, meat, coffee, rice, oil, precooked flour, butter, toilet paper, personal hygiene products and medicines.  Hours long lines have become common, and those who wait in them are sometimes disappointed.  Some Venezuelans have resorted to eating wild fruit and garbage.

Venezuelans reported losing on average 24 pounds in body weight last year and almost 90% now live in poverty, according to a new university study on the impact of a devastating economic crisis and food shortage.

They need our help!

Our door offering will be on Sunday, September 23^rd.