JEFFERSON CITY – The Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering supports 24 ministries in Missouri. This year’s theme is taken from 2 Corinthians 8:5: “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.”
Following are two short stories about how the gifts of Missouri Baptists support missions projects throughout the Show Me State.
A heart for rape survivors
Missouri Baptist University students like Lindsey Peters have a heart for survivors of sexual assaults. Students are helping lead a ministry that prepares backpacks of clothing and basic toiletry items for rape survivors who arrive for care at St. Louis-area emergency rooms.
Many rape survivors have their clothing taken into evidence at the ER for criminal investigation. The MBU-provided backpacks include sweatpants and tee-shirts so survivors don’t go home in hospital gowns.
The care packages also include stuffed animals in the backpacks, intended to comfort survivors. Peters says it is “a simple act of kindness that helps those in overwhelming situations feel they have a friend.”
Pray for:
• Survivors of sexual assaults in St. Louis
• MBU students on mission for Christ
A call to healthcare ministry
Imagine a high school student pursuing God’s call to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Or, a bi-vocational church planter, or his wife, seeking the same specialized training. How can Missouri Baptists help meet the need for a biblically informed LPN program in our state?
The answer is: through a new partnership with Baptist Homes and Hannibal-LaGrange University. These two MBC-affiliated institutions have launched an LPN program at the Baptist Homes’ Chillicothe campus.
The program aims to prepare Missouri Baptists from all walks of life who sense God’s call to serve in this capacity. MMO funds help students with scholarships and childcare grants, according to Nick Davis of Baptist Homes.
Pray for:
• A new generation of biblically informed LPNs
• The successful launch of the BH-HLGU partnership