On Thursday, May 12, LCC staff member Dianna Bonfield had the opportunity to visit with Matthew McMillan and his family.
 
LCC has been assisting the McMillans since September 2021 through St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg, Illinois, when Matthew came to Chicago to have a double lung transplant. On March 31, the McMillans moved out of the one room at the Extended Stay hotel and became the first residents of the new Hospitality House at Trinity Galewood.
 
Matthew recently had his trachea incision closed and removed his feeding tube. When they first moved into the house, he could barely navigate the stairs at the front entrance of the house. Praise God for the physical therapists who are working with Matthew. He now is going up and down the steep back stairs entrance to the house.  He is progressing so well that they will be taking a road trip back to their home in Missouri this coming weekend. It has been 17 months since Matthew has been home. This road trip will be a joyous celebration of Madison’s high school graduation, followed by a weeklong reunion with his sons, whom he last saw when he was in the hospital before he was discharged to the rehab hospital.

Thank you to all the donors whose donations to Salam Christian Fellow in Lombard, Illinois, enabled Pastor Hesham Shehab to help a homeless man with rent and his life with the love of Jesus.

Thank you to LCC volunteers Joyce Stahl, who delivered Allstate office supplies donations to Phil’s Friends and Scarce Textbook Rescue, and Fred Vanstrom, who assisted Joyce in loading the Allstate donation and delivered it to the Midwest Veteran’s Closet in Waukegan, Illinois, that serves veterans and active military and their families.

On Saturday, May 7, twelve volunteers from Family in Faith Community Church in Glendale Heights, Illinois, broke ground for a new raised garden. The new garden will provide fresh herbs and vegetables for the Family in Faith Community Food Pantry. The pantry serves the Glendale Heights Community and families from DuPage County.
 
Each day this week Chris Dodaro the project manager, will be working in the garden. He would greatly appreciate any help during the week. The work will start at 10:00 am. On Saturday, May 14, they will have a workday that will begin at 10:00 am until 4:30 pm. Tools and supplies will be provided. You only need to bring work gloves, lunch, and, if you want, a garden kneeler or garden stool.
 
If you can help for any amount of time, please call Dianna Bonfield or John Pejchl at 866-455-6466.

LCC received the following update from Jackie Rychel, Ministry in Mission.
 
The Center of Refuge orphanage in Beaudouin, Haiti, thanks the generous donors for the much-needed mattresses. As you can see these happy faces couldn’t wait to unload the truck and the mattresses on the bunk beds.
 
Ministry in Mission values the partnership of Lutheran Church Charities to help with the important mission work in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
 
Please continue the support to help us replace mattresses for the Jacmel Lutheran home for the elderly. They are in need of 12 new mattresses.
 
Jackie Rychel

LCC received a large donation of office supplies from the Northbrook Headquarters of Allstate Insurance Company. Last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, a team of ten volunteers helped LCC staff members inventory and get the supplies ready for delivery to four ministries: Phil’s Friends, Roselle; Midwest Veterans Closet, North Chicago; Christ the King Lutheran Church, Chicago and Scarce Book Rescue, Addison.
 
Our outstanding team of volunteers included Sam Woodson, Bob Desiron, Lyle Elliot, Kay and Todd Kruse, Janet Reich, Sandy Campbell, Hazel Fehrman, Joyce Stahl, and Fred Vanstrom.
 
A special thank you to Allstate, whose generous donation will help defray office supply costs for these ministries as they touch many people's lives.
 
If you would like more information on how you can join our team of volunteers, call Deaconess Dianna Bonfield at 224-257-4371 or John Pejchl at 224-257-4374.

The evening started with fellowship time and a catered meal. Following dinner, Sheryl DeWitt, Executive Director of RLOM, shared the most recent developments.
 
After two long years of planning, searching, and raising funds, they have raised 81% of their goal to fund the new maternity home. Individuals and congregations, through grants, fundraising events, and individual donations, continue to strive to raise the remaining $63,727 of the total goal of $350,000.
 
On April 29th, members of Immanuel, Dundee, approved the sale of the three-bedroom house for the new maternity home, and all the paperwork was delivered to the lawyers to work out the details of the sale of the property.
 
God willing, plans for the renovation will start later this summer, with a grand opening to be scheduled later this year.

If your congregation or small group is interested in learning more about the new RLOM Maternity Home call Deaconess Lori Trinche at 630-665-5238 or lori@rlom.org.

LCC received a thank you note from Pastor John Brazeal and Principal Geri Brazeal of Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, for the donation of a large refrigerator/freezer for the Senior House at Christ the King, and for coloring books for the school.
 
Thank you for all you do. The fridge is loved by all in the house.
 
Not only do the kids love the coloring books but we have been giving them to the people who come for groceries. One lady said when she gets stressed out with her problems she first reads the Bible verses that Pastor John gave her, then she prays a prayer that I gave her from an LCC devotion. She then takes out the colored pencils that one of the eighth graders gave her and removes the remaining stress by coloring two pages.
 
God bless and keep you all safe.

Pastor John and Geri

Through your generous donations, LCC has been supporting teacher salaries in the Jeremie District. We received the following update from our mission partner, Sue Gross, with the Haitian Lutheran Mission Project (HLMP).

Your donations have made a huge difference in the lives of so many families in Fond Rouge and other villages in the Jeremie District. Hundreds of children whose parents cannot afford to send them to public school are attending our seven schools because you have kept them open. Many lives have been improved, and some saved because you cared enough to keep the HLMP working in Haiti for the past 15-plus years.
 
All of our schools are in the farthest southwest portion of the island. There is only one road from Port au Prince that can take you there. It is a rather isolated area and difficult for other relief organizations to get to. Most Haitians have never even been to Jeremie.
 
Even today, most families have no electricity or indoor plumbing. Our school meals are still cooked over wood fires behind the school, and water is brought to them in buckets from the river or a community well in the village. Many children attend school barefooted and hungry with no school supplies, but they are eager to learn, so the HLMP feels keeping the schools open is the very least we can do. "For those who have been given much, much will be expected."(Luke 12:48).
 
Even though the last two years have been difficult for many here in the United States, it cannot compare with life in Haiti.
 
Please open your hearts to those who are in need.
 
Blessings,
Sue Gross
Haitian Lutheran Mission Project