Shipment to El Salvador

April 11, 2025 Newsletter

El Salvador, a small country of approximately 6.3 million people, is located in Central America, bordering Honduras and Guatemala. It is the smallest of the seven Central American countries, but the most densely populated.

Like in many countries in Central America, many people in El Salvador are living in poverty. 2.3 million people are unable to meet their basic needs like food and shelter. An astounding 60,000 people survive on less than $1.90 daily.

According to our partner Food For The Poor, there  are a few factors that have led to this level of poverty — political instability , natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, and food insecurity caused by high unemployment rates and low wages. 

For several years, Midwest Mission has been sending needed items to El Salvador, to support disaster relief, health, education, and micro business efforts. They request items that will help transform communities, through the power of hope and empowerment.

On Tuesday, April 8, we sent our first El Salvador shipment of the year. This will be going to San Salvador, El Salvador. Like most of our shipments, the container was packed FULL! 

It included:

• 7,200 Rice and Soy Blessing Bags

• 280 Personal Dignity Kits

• 100 Feminine Hygiene Kits

• 156 Layette Kits

• 63 Sleeping Mats

• 4 Treadle Sewing Machines

• 34 Electric Sewing Machines

• 15 Bikes 

• 70 Cover Them With Love Quilts

• Handmade Outfits

• Medical Supplies and Equipment

Value: $112,958.55

We look forward to hearing how these requested items will bring hope and empowerment to communities in need!

PCS News

Midwest Mission has been blessed with volunteers across the Midwest who give of their time, energy, and resources to assist us in carrying out God’s mission to help those in need.  

Some of these volunteers use the facilities God has blessed them with to provide a donation collection point for needed supplies. These are our Permanent Collection Sites!  

You can find their contact information at www.midwestmission.org/permanent-collection-sites.

What’s Happening @ Permanent Collection Sites?

CORRECTION – In last month’s newsletter,  the below information was accidentally attributed to Forest Hill UMC, Peoria, IL (Deb Nuske) instead of Gay Street UMC, Mt Vernon, OH (Beth Prince).

Gay Street UMC, Mt. Vernon, OH – Beth Prince shared that a local Mennonite School (Christian Star Academy) has asked her church to teach their students how to weave sleeping mats on the loom  (they are planning to make 2 mats each month) and how to make the one handle school bags. The school needs ongoing projects for their students and we need volunteers. Win-Win!  Thank you so much, Beth for all the work you have done to share God’s love to the world.

Asbury UMC, Sioux Falls, SD – Lloyd Petersen has made a couple of trips to our Jefferson, Iowa location bringing Personal Dignity Kits and other supplies packed by his congregation and their youth. He was excited to see the new Sewing Machine Shop and Bicycle Shop in our facility. Lloyd was very pleased with the sleeping accommodations provided by Jefferson First United Methodist Church.

Nebraska City FUMC, Nebraska City, NE – Dean Thomson shared how his congregation is in a bit of a sticky situation. Having received five gallon buckets and lids from a local honey distributor, they are now tasked with the job of cleaning the sticky residue out of each bucket before it can be donated to Midwest Mission. We are very appreciative of this sweet gift 😊  

University United Methodist Church, East Lansing, MI – Scott McRee and his congregation have been collecting and preparing Personal Dignity Kits.  Scott will be delivering them to Pawnee, Illinois next month.

Medical Mission, Rochester, MN – Tanya Oberg will be donating 10 boxes of Personal Dignity Kits from the Medical Mission.  We always receive much needed items from the Mission.  Thank you for all the hard work you do to provide for others.

If your congregation is interested in becoming a New Permanent Collection Site, please contact Teresa@midwestmission.org for more information.

Online Store

This year, we are using a new online storefront that works with our local printer. This helps keep pricing down, ensures great quality items, and supports local businesses! 

The store will be open for presale quarterly. After the presale time has closed, the orders will be fulfilled. They are able to ship anywhere in the US! 

The store is now open, and will be open until June 8, 2025. Once the store has closed, the items will be fulfilled. The estimated fulfillment date will be June 25, 2025.

If you have any questions, please respond to this newsletter.

Happy shopping!