Youth from Faith UMC in Downers Grove help sort donations and fill the Midwest Mission Distribution Center truck.

The mission trailer was filled to capacity at Annual Conference! Every district met or exceeded their goals when cash donations to UMCOR and the Midwest Mission Distribution Center were included.  The total weight of all items donated was 5,081 pounds!

A special thanks to all the volunteers who helped check-in, sort and load the trailer from Baker UMC, Downers Grove Faith UMC's youth group, and Redeemer of Calvary UMC. 

The NIC Board of Global Ministries wants to give special recognition to two districts for going well beyond their original goals. In addition to meeting their goals, the Chicago Southern District brought 30 complete cleaning kits and made a cash donation of almost $600 for the Mission Challenge. 

This year's District winner for five years in a row is ... DeKalb which exceeded all expectations by 50% for one goal, 100% for a second goal and 200% for a third goal as well as cash contributions. For the curious, these are the DeKalb District's final numbers - 900 air fresheners, 4,300 sponges, and 25,250 clothespins!

Congregations donated more than 5,000 pounds of items for much-needed cleaning kits for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center.

"It's been amazing," said mission challenge coordinator Larry Dunlap-Berg. "These are cleaning kits going to locations like Puerto Rico. The Midwest Mission Distribution Center has cleaned out the supply after last year's hurricane season, so this will be replenishing the supply for the next time someone needs it."

Special shout out to two small churches, Harmon and Tampico, which for the second consecutive year donated 25% of the district's original goal, even though one of the churches only has eight members. That's mission in action!