Global Ministry - Tanzania & India
Tanzania Companion Congregation
St. Mark’s has established a companion congregation relationship with Kihesa Lutheran Church of the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania. Our congregation currently provides for 45 scholarships to support young students in getting a secondary education, has given financial support to help build a Youth Life Skills Center and buy a motorcycle for the Kihesa staff, and to develop a relationship with the members of this congregation by visiting them and having them visit us. Mission teams from St. Mark’s have visited Kihesa five times.
- Mission teams in 2002 and 2004 helped with construction of a Life Skills Center.
- A mission team in 2006 conducted an AIDS/HIV seminar, established a library, and established a sewing class at the Kihesa Youth Life Skills Center.
- A mission team in 2008 added additional books to the library, dedicated the new motorcycle donated to the Kihesa staff and made home visits to AIDS/HIV patients from the congregation.
- A mission team of nine people visited Tanzania for two weeks in March 2010 and in July/August 2012, 13 people visited Tanzania to continue our relationships and partnerships.
- A trip was being planned for June 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19.
Hope Orphanage Home and School in Bapatla, India
For over 40 years St. Mark’s has provided support to the children living at REACH Orphanage Home and School in Bapatla, India. The Indian government closed REACH Home after the death of its founder during the COVID-19 pandemic. All resident children were sent to live with family except for six orphans who had lived at REACH since birth and had no family.
A New Opportunity: St. Mark's India mission leaders, Angel and Pete Mogren, learned of another deserving children’s home that is also located in Bapatla, India. The founder of Hope Orphanage Home and School agreed to take these kids but needed financial help to do so. The Mogrens agreed to provide that support for the six. they then made a mission trip to Bapatla, India in late 2023 to investigate the opportunity for St. Mark’s to work with this organization. They found that the six teenagers that they had known since their infancy were doing well and thriving in their new environment. This holds true for the other 40 children living there and the 61 more that come to day school from the surrounding area. The children are well cared for and happy. The building is clean and well-run. The people who operate Hope Orphanage are full of love for the children and it shows! Hope also has a solid Christian-based foundation.
To learn more about sponsoring a child or to learn more about HOPE Orphanage Home and School, please email pmogren@comcast.net.