Operation Thanks-Giving cards are doing what we hoped they’d do: giving ELCA missionaries an affirming hug from home.  Here are two of the “thanks4thanks” notes that have reached my desk.  Thankful blessings, Sue Edison-Swift.  P.S.  I’m mailing the last of the first-round of cards tomorrow.  I’d be happy to mail another round (or more!) of cards, so send your Christmas and Valentine-themed greetings to Global Mission Support, 8765 W. Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631.

From Michael Church (Romania)
Thanks for the “Operation Thanksgiving Card” cards, which arrived today. Terri and I were surprised and touched. This was our first big holiday away from our families, so it was a little extra-tender.  Just so that you know, I have also sent thank-you letters by email to the pastors of Trinity, Vale NC, and Grace, Howell MI. I asked the pastors to print and post them, so that the people who wrote the cards would know that they arrived and that we on the other end were grateful.  There was a third card, with no signature, so here’s a “thank you” for that one!  [All of you who sent in “random acts of thanksgiving” cards without a signature, consider this thanks for you!–Sue]

From Emily Ewing (Slovakia)
hi! i received some operation thanksgiving cards, and i figured i’d pass along a note of thanks. my birthday was the saturday after thanksgiving and i was in budapest (i’m currently a young adult in global mission in slovakia) with other people from my program celebrating thanksgiving. when i got back on sunday night, i had mail waiting for me. when i opened it, it was a wonderful surprise to see the operation thanksgiving cards. i know they weren’t for my birthday, but it just brightened up my night as i read them and looked at them. i felt loved and i felt like maybe this whole big lutheran church really is smaller and more connected than i think. it was wonderful timing, so thank you more than you can imagine for the cards!!
in god’s peace, emily  www.emilyinslovakia.blogspot.com