Hand in Hand Global Mission Support Blog Digest

This "blog digest" is brought to you by the ELCA Global Mission Support team. Here you will find posts and re-posts by ELCA missionaries, ELCA Global Mission churchwide staff, and other friends.

Working to stop domestic violence

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Hand In Hand

Dana Nelson is an ELCA missionary in Lima, Peru. To support Dana, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

 

Among the participants of a recent workshop on domestic violence was a woman, third from the left, who had been attacked with boiling water.

Among the participants of a recent workshop on domestic violence was a woman, third from the left, who had been attacked with boiling water.

Dear sponsoring congregations, friends and family,

Domestic Violence is a serious issue all over the world as we know.  Peru, where there is a lot of machismo, is no exception.

I am thrilled to have found an excellent program to prevent and stop domestic violence in Peru. It is called Alto a la Violencia (Stop the Violence). In the Peruvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, we have hosted, so far, three of these trainings.

The photo included here is a small group that gathered in Cristo Rey for a workshop.  The tall woman in the photo (third from left and next to me) survived her boyfriend pouring a huge pan of boiling water over her face and body when she was sleeping. Now that she has recovered and healed, she is speaking out, teaching others in Lima what to do if they are in violent relationships, how to get help, how to be safe, how to seek justice and protection, and know their rights as human beings.

In St. Paul, Minn., before I went to seminary, I worked for a time as an advocate in the Latina organization Casa de Esperanza in their domestic violence shelter. I am passionate about ending domestic violence in the world and grateful that God has called me here to Peru to continue this struggle in a small way.

God bless the people of the Alto a la Violencia project as they carry on their important work! They do such good and effective trainings that there is talk of replicating the project in other South American countries.

Have a wonderful new year! Que Dios les bendiga mucho. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Paz,
Pastora Dana

 

For the Sake of the World, con much amor

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Hand In Hand

The English class of Cristo Rey Lutheran congregation (Lima, Peru) studied the script and watched For the Sake of the World, a video presentation that explains how ELCA global ministries are funded. 

This was more than an English-language exercise for the class, for they are “hand in hand” investors in ELCA global ministries.  Their English teacher and pastor, Dana Nelson, is a sponsored ELCA missionary.   During Lent, the class used the ELCA World Hunger 40-day calendar and coin box.  “When Easter came,” writes Pr. Nelson, ”we emptied all of our boxes together on the classroom table and found that together we had collected 87 Peruvian soles  (about $30 U.S. dollars) to donate to ELCA World Hunger.   The students collected this money con mucho amor (with much love).   They were so excited to watch the video presentation and see how their gifts are being used to help people all over the world.

Find the six-minute video presentation online at www.elca.org/handyresources or contact globalmissionsupport@elca.org to request a DVD.–Sue Edison-Swift.

Giving thanks: Pr. Dana Nelson and Thomas Ososki

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Hand In Hand

This is the next in a series of “Give thanks!” moments offered by ELCA missionaries and sponsors. Learn more about Operation Thanks-Giving at www.elca.org/handinhand. –Pr. Twila Schock.

Pr. Dana Nelson and Tom Ososki write, “On our first Thanksgiving here in Peru as a missionary family, it was really important to me that our kids get a chance to eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  Yet, I didn’t have time to cook!   So we made a ton of unsuccessful phone calls and drove all around the huge city of Lima trying to find a restaurant that served  “Thanksgiving food.”   We finally found one, after it was already dark out.  It was inside a golf-hotel far on the other side of the city.  I remember looking at our small kids across the table in a huge formal dining room that was practically empty.  Our second year in Lima, Thanksgiving was totally different.  We were not alone!  We found a church that has a big, welcoming pot-luck Thanksgiving supper and an ecumenical worship service.  Dozens of people were there from all around the world.  I met other missionaries working in Peru and many other folks as well.  My husband and kids and I shared a table with a Peruvian family.  It was a wonderful evening!

NelsonThomasELCA missionaries Dana Nelson and Tom Ososki work in parish ministry in Peru.   The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru (ILEP) is a young church of over 1100 members, committed to working with the most vulnerable in society.  Its congregations are mostly in Lima, with one each in Cusco and Iquitos.  The ELCA accompanies the ILEP in the areas of leadership development and mission outreach.

Peru prayer request

Posted on June 11, 2009 by admin

invitacion-793827The Rev. Dana Nelson and her husband, Thomas Ososki, are ELCA missionaries serving in Peru. Pastor Nelson sends this request for our prayers.–Sue

Please, from wherever you are, pray with us for an end to the violence in the Amazon rainforest of Peru where the native people and national government officials are killing each other over land rights. The area where the native people have been living for generations has oil and gold in it.

Please pray with us. The Church of Sweden is joining us in prayer together with our Peruvian Lutheran Church (ILEP) and churches of all denominations around Peru.
Peace,
Pastora Dana in Lima