Southeast District of the Missouri Conference, The United Methodist Church

Dear Friends:

It is once again time for Missouri's Festival of Sharing. The festival, held each year at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri, is an interfaith, statewide event designed to promote awareness of, and raise financial and material support for, hunger, poverty, and other crises throughout the United States and the world. Many of you reading this letter participate in the festival each year by putting together various kits for distribution to children overseas and in Missouri. Just before the yearly festival, the Southeast Missouri area holds a mini-festival to raise the same awareness and support. All the donations we collected are transported to the larger festival in Sedalia. The theme of this year's festival is "Sharing Hope." As individuals, most of us lack the skills and resources to do anything to "fix" even the tiniest portion of the world's maladies, but together we can make a difference. When we gather at the Festival of Sharing, we bring our gifts. And we bring hope.

When we gather for our mini-festival this year, we hope to focus our attention on world hunger. To that end, we would like to encourage your church to consider Heifer International for your offering donation during this year's Vacation Bible School. Heifer International provides global assistance to struggling countries and disaster stricken areas. After immediate need of food, shelter, fresh water, clothing and other necessities have been met; Heifer International works within communities to empower disaster survivors with the economic means, such as livestock, training and other resources, to rebuild their families, their neighborhoods and their hope for sustainable futures.

In hopes that you will consider this request, I offer you the following as resources for your group to look further into both the Festival of Sharing and Heifer International:

In the month of August, each church will receive another mailing from the mini-festival committee, in which you will find a donation envelope. You will be asked to check your donation choice on this envelope, enclose the envelope in your church's mailing envelope and send it to the mini-festival. Thank you for your consideration and we pray that you each have a wonderful Vacation Bible School.

In Christ's Service,

Lina Gibbs (Bloomfield) 573-568-2562
Mini-Festival of Sharing Committee