Learn more about Operation Thanks-Giving at  www.elca.org/handinhand.  There’s still time to participate!  We’ll distribute cards for as long as we receive them. 
Hand in hand,  Sue Edison-Swift

Thanksgiving 2008 Bratislava, Slovakia. Check out the turkey art!

  I am 100%, totally, completely all about this Operation Thanksgiving thing. I think what excites me most about it is imagining my friends and former colleagues in Slovakia getting a card in their mailbox at school: getting an unexpected boost of joy first thing in the morning, taking it to their English classes, maybe posting it on the bulletin boards. I imagine them feeling connected and supported by us here in the US during what can be a really difficult month for missionaries. And I love the idea of being part of that connection: praying for and supporting other missionaries the way my husband and I were supported during our year of service in Bratislava.

November was a difficult time for us: we thought we were done with culture shock, only to get hit with another, unexpected wave of it. We felt especially far from home. Our community Thanksgiving celebrations were a welcome source of joy–the kind of joy I imagine those first year missionaries will feel when they receive an unexpected turkey card in their mailboxes: someone from the US, remembering them at a most welcome time.

Sean and I recently did an adult forum about our year of service in Slovakia at St. Luke’s in Park Ridge. At the end of our presentation we introduced Operation Thanksgiving and invited everyone to make cards. Here are some of the messages my congregation is sending out—to the individuals who will receive these cards and to all our missionaries:

“God’s richest blessings to you this day.” “We give thanks for the abundance of your ministry!” “When the world gives you a bunch of turkeys … make Thanksgiving!” “Thank you for all you do!”

Thank you for all you do to support ELCA missionaries!

Click here to learn more about how you and your congregation can participate in Operation Thanksgiving.

 –Anne Edison-Albright now lives in Park Ridge, Ill.

Deborah and Joseph Troester (Central African Republic) write, “Osoko, Jesu, Osoko!” – “Thank you, Jesus, thank you!” sings the choir of young people as they march into the sanctuary, swaying to the beat of their thanksgiving song.

In Baboua, Central African Republic, it is the time of the Don de Récolte – the Harvest Offering. Like our Thanksgiving celebrations, it is a harvest festival, when congregations bring in the best of their harvest, along with a special offering, to thank God for the blessings of the past year, especially for good crops and food on their tables.

Harvest offering at Tongo Lutheran Church in Baboua, Central African Republic.

Women wearing colorful floor-length African dresses come bearing dishes full of manioc or a large bunch of bananas to place before the altar. Men dressed in long robes, or in their best T-shirts and jeans, bring their envelopes containing a special monetary gift for the Thanksgiving Offering. Little children, led by their Sunday School teachers, file down the aisle, clutching their few francs to deposit in the plastic offering basket. One little girl, about three years old, has to be persuaded to let go of her money and drop it in!

At the Tongo Lutheran Church in Baboua, the entire congregation waits as the money is being counted. As a choir sings to the accompaniment of drums and rhythm instruments, deaconesses serve us coffee and bananas. This is the first church we have ever attended in which we stopped and took a coffee break during the service! (Since the service lasted three hours, it wasn’t a bad idea.)

At last the good news is announced: the total offering comes to over $300. “What an offering!” exclaims the president of the congregation. Everyone cheers. This will ensure that the work of the church can continue for another year. Perhaps they will even be able to afford to buy communion wine. The lay pastor will receive his small salary. Of course, offerings are taken every Sunday, but the Thanksgiving offering helps to carry the church through the dry season (November through May), when times are leaner, and food is not as plentiful.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, remember your brothers and sisters in the Central African Republic, and rejoice with them that the God of the harvest is good.

ELCA missionaries Deborah and Joseph Troester, work in evangelism and water development in the Central African Republic. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic has 450 congregations, 71 pastors, 44 evangelists, and 205 trained catechists. The ELCA accompanies EELRCA through support for leadership development, seminary and Bible school education, evangelism, health care, women’s development, youth ministry, and water resource development.

An Operation Thanks-Giving card from Bethany Lutheran, Star Prairie, Wis.

It’s delightful to open the packages of “Operation Thanks-Giving” cards sent to Global Mission Support to distribute to ELCA missionaries.  Here’s one example of the nine cards prepared by children at Bethany Lutheran in Star Prairie, Wisconsin.    In addition to the “random act of thankfulness” cards, congregations and individuals are busy making cards to send to the missionaries they sponsor and other service personnel.

Kevin Jacobson (Suriname) writes: “My first Thanksgiving in Suriname was in 2008. The United States Ambassador invited all employees of the US Embassy, Peace Corps offices and other Americans to her home for a Thanksgiving feast.  She, with much assistance from others, cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It was a blessing to spend the day in her beautiful home along the Suriname River with 200 other people.  With the temperature soaring to nearly 100 degrees, the Ambassador’s pool offered its own refreshment. 

The Ambassador asked me if I would be willing to give grace before the meal. Knowing that the group gathering were people of many faiths and traditions I chose to read Chief Seattle’s prayer. Since that day I have been asked by people of many faiths who were in attendance to lead an opening prayer for various occasions around the city. I give thanks to all wonderful past leaders like Chief Seattle who through their vision and wisdom continue to open the doors for those of us and future generations.

I also give thanks to Any Inkt, the 18 year old son of the caretaker of Martin Luther Church in the center of Paramaribo, for driving me around the city and the streets so that I could learn how to safely navigate them. ”

The Rev. Kevin Jacobson (left) is an ELCA missionary serving in Suriname.  He works in parish ministry and leadership development. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname has four congregations and about 4,000 members. With historical ties to the Netherlands, the people of this country in the northern part of South America speak Dutch.

Robin Strickler (Rwanda) writes, “I give thanks to all the church members who have cared so much about education for Rwandans thousands of miles away from their own communities. I give thanks to my parents and sisters who have tolerated me being so far from them. I give thanks to my husband who constantly advises and encourages me.  And, I give thanks to the students and teachers at the school who remind me about what is truly important in God’s kingdom . . .  that we love what is right and walk very humbly with our God!” 

ELCA missionary Robin Strickler serves in Rwanda, working in education development. Started by Rwandan refugees, returning from the genocide of 1994, the Lutheran Church of Rwanda has a 17,000 members. As a new church body, the LCR focuses on training leaders and is building a secondary school and a women’s center.   

When life brings you turkeys…
…make thanksgiving.

The idea began as  Pr. Twila Schock, Global Mission Support director and my boss, told the story of her first Thanksgiving as a missionary. She told how November in general and Thanksgiving in particular can be downright difficult, especially for first-year missionaries.  One thing led to another and we decided to “seize the thanks-giving” and show missionaries a little love by sending them “I’m thankful for you” cards.  

The “first” of “first annual” is obvious.  Editor types will note that what began as “Operation Thanksgiving Card” became “Operation Thanksgiving” and now seems to have settling in as either “Operation Thanks-Giving” or “OPERATION THANKS-GIVING.”   We’re learning as we go.   The “Q & A” below resulted from great questions asked by Trinity Lutheran Church in Vale, N.C. 

The “annual” in “first annual” assumes “Operation Thanks-Giving” (or whatever name it ends up) will catch on.  It trusts that, if  invited to a thanks-giving party, the good people of the ELCA will come.  They will offer encouraging and sustaining gifts.  They will make Operation Thanks-Giving cards and give ELCA Missionary Sponsorship donations. 

I know we are a thankful people, both blessed and a blessing.  Still, I was nervous.  “Do you think people will send cards?” I asked Twila.  “It could take time to catch on, but we’ll get cards,” she reassured.  Two-hours later I received the e-mail from Trinity Lutheran.  They wondered how many cards the congregation should prepare in order to send one to every ELCA missionary.  Imagine!  We could have an abundance of thanks-giving to share!

Operation Thanks-Giving Q&A

1. How many cards would we need to prepare to be able to send one to each missionary or missionary family?

There are 258 missionaries, 88 of whom are in their first year.

2. Can we put our church name and individual names on the cards?

You bet! You might want to include one e-mail address, too. I can’t promise that you’ll hear back from the missionary who receives the card (we don’t want to tie an obligation-to-respond to these random acts of thankfulness), but I’m thinking you could receive return e-mails.

3. When must you receive them to have time to distribute them?

There’s no deadline for thankfulness, so we’ll distribute the cards as they come in. We’ll scan and e-mail the cards we receive by November 21, so as many reach the missionaries as possible before Thanksgiving. Then, beginning in December, we’ll begin mailing all the cards (even those we’ve e-mailed) once a month.

4. I assume that we will send them to you in a bulk package. Will we need to provide envelopes for each?

You won’t; envelopes are not needed.

5. Is there a fee for postage?

It would be greatly appreciated if you included a donation for ELCA Missionary Sponsorship along with the cards. Make out the check to ELCA Missionary Sponsorship and place “MSG0340″ or “where needed most” on the memo line of your check.

Find Twila’s “My first Thanksgiving as a missionary” story on the second side of the Fall 2009 Hand in Hand newsletter.  Find useful “Operation Thanks-Giving” links at www.elca.org/handinhand.  During the month of November watch the Hand in Hand Blog Digest for “Thanks-Giving” stories by missionaries and sponsors.  E-mail your “Operation Thanks-Giving” stories to globalmissionsupport@elca.org.

Thankful blessings, Sue Edison-Swift