Year-End Bridges Funding Goes Toward Transformative International Mission Work
The North Georgia Conference is nearing the end of its 10-year Bridges Mission initiative. The work of the Bridges effort is a model for international mission with a focus on strengthening two-way partnerships and relationships through long-term commitment.
Generous gifts from North Georgia United Methodists have enabled year-end giving to four Bridges partners for transformative ministries.
The following funding plan was enthusiastically approved by the Conference Board of Advocacy and Discipleship and the Conference Cabinet.
Bahamas
$20,000
This funding will be disbursed immediately to Bahamas Methodist Habitat for hurricane response. Bahamas Methodist Habitat is a trusted partner and regularly hosts North Georgia Conference youth groups, campus ministries, church mission teams. Today they need our financial support for Hurricane Dorian response.
El Salvador
$10,000
Funding is designated to assist the El Salvador Methodist Church's community outreach as they expand their school by adding grades each year. Many North Georgia Conference teams have traveled to El Salvador over the past 8 years, particularly from the LaGrange District, and have built strong relationships.
Philippines
$10,000
The North Georgia Conference has been blessed by our relationship with United Methodists in the Philippines. This funding will go to mission initiatives that complement the strong ministry already underway in the region. A portion of the funding will go toward the KKFI mission at the Manila North Cemetery for youth who are not in school. KKFI, the social arm of The United Methodist Church in the Philippines, focuses on education as instrumental in helping empower marginalized sectors of Philippine society. Another portion of the funding will go to Mary Johnston Hospital for an innovative project called the Red Flame initiative. The Manila Episcopal Area will be engaging its local United Methodist churches to become blood donors with Mary Johnston Hospital which is poised to become a Blood Center (producing and maintaining blood and blood products) to be used by the members and the community.
ZOE 
$25,500 ($8,500 per year for 2019, 2020, 2021)
This funding will enable an empowerment group of 60-100 Kenyan children and teens, usually AIDS orphans with house and/or land but without income or skills, to launch into self-sufficiency by addressing challenges across eight areas of life, equipping them to overcome poverty with their own efforts—and for good. This empowerment group would be fully funded by the North Georgia Conference! We look forward to the stories, updates, and the opportunity to show the impact of connectional, empowerment-style community ministry. ZOE is the most effective life-transformation project Conference mission leaders have ever encountered. Learn more at https://zoeempowers.org/.