Notebooks, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, crayons, colored pencils, ruler, and scissors — typical school supplies you’d find in most students’ backpacks or desks during the school year in the United States. 

But for many families in Honduras, they don’t have the financial means to purchase these educational tools. Honduras is very impoverished, “with the highest level of income inequality in all of Latin America” (Food For the Poor). Over 65 percent of the population lives in poverty, with circumstances worsening for those in rural areas and indigenous people. 

The country itself is vulnerable to devastating natural disasters, and Hondurans are vulnerable to other disasters: crime, malnutrition, and unemployment. 

Sometimes, in the face of all the disasters, it is easy to lose hope. That’s why we send the things we do — so that people can have what they need to thrive and gain back some of the hope and independence that was lost through their crisis. 

Midwest Mission was recently able to bless Honduras with two shipments, including many needed Student Kits that contain the typical school supplies listed above. Midwest Mission, Food For The Poor, and their in-country partners all understand the necessity of education, and how fundamental it is in a country’s development.

We received feedback from two different communities in Honduras. 

The first community distributed 280 Student Kits to children at the local school. 

“The Student Kits were most popular among the children since they look forward to getting new school supplies for the new school year,” Heydy Bu, Food For The Poor’s in-country partner representative said. “With the items contained in the kits, I can tell you that their wish list was fulfilled. Thank you for these wonderful kits for our students!”

The second community was a rural area called La Esperanza Intibucá.

“When we receive donations that contain school supplies, we try to reach children from families with limited financial resources, especially those who live in remote, rural areas,” Heydy said.

“La Esperanza Intibucá is one such area. It is comprised of twin cities, and it is home to the indigenous Lenca community. Many people living there have makeshift homes with dirt floors and roofs made of sheet metal.”

They provided Student Kits to 50 children in this community. 

Thank YOU to everyone who made this happen. Your prayers, volunteer hours, and donations (both monetary and in-kind) allow children in Honduras to have the proper tools needed to excel in school. 

Mother’s Day is a wonderful day to celebrate all of the mother figures in our lives. Mothers around the world work hard to provide for their children, and love them endlessly. 

We know how hard it can be to be a mother. That’s why Midwest Mission has two kits that are gifted to expecting mothers to make this new season of their life easier. 

The Birthing Kit includes items to assist in a healthy birth for mom and baby.

The Layette Kit includes a sweater, sleepers, onesies, infant washcloths, cloth diapers, diaper cream, diaper pins, and receiving blankets.

This Mother’s Day, you can make a donation in honor of your mother, that could give a new mother around the world hope for the life she is bringing into the world through needed resources she might not have had otherwise.

A $15 donation will give a Birthing Kit to an expecting mom, so she can safely have her baby.

A $45 donation will give a Layette Kit to a new mom, so she may have some of the items necessary to care for her new baby.

To make a donation in someone’s honor, go to midwestmission.org/donate. Be sure to click on “I would like to dedicate this donation” and fill out the fields. In the “My gift is for” field, click on “general support.” You can also send a check to 1001 Mission Drive, Pawnee, IL 62558. If you are dedicating your donation, please include their name within the envelope.

For all the mothers and the mothers-at-heart, thank you for your care and kindness.

Happy Mother's Day!

Midwest Mission Weekly Projects

Work of the Mission Volunteers

Projects completed

• 18 Desks built and polyurethaned
• 1680 Student Kits

Other work done

• Bike repair
• Cleaning
• Sewing machines repaired
• Counting into inventory



Disbursements

• Cultivators, Rantoul, IL: 312 UMCOR Hygiene Kits and 300 Student Kits Value: $8,856.00

Midwest Mission is able to do this work because of your generous donations and willingness to volunteer. Thank you!



Ready to Get Involved?

Volunteer at Midwest Mission

Dates are available in 2023, 2024, and 2025

Need a Saturday option for team volunteering

or assistance in booking?

Contact Pat Wright at pat@midwestmission.org

or 217-697-4063

Click below to check calendar openings and to reserve your spots.

Volunteer Reservation Calendar



2025 Volunteer Calendar is now open for dorm reservations!

Go to our Reservation Calendar, log in, reserve your rooms, and submit payment for your Non-refundable Reservation Fee via credit card or electronic check. We will email you the Access Code to reserve Volunteer Shifts for your team. You must complete this step for your team to volunteer at Midwest Mission.

For local teams and individuals: Volunteer Shifts will only be available 3 months ahead of time. Beginning October 1, 2023 you will be able to reserve Volunteer Shifts for January of 2024.

Thank you for your patience as we try to improve the reservation experience for both local teams and those staying in the dorm.

Sue Loeffler

Mercer, WI

Ron and Sharon Monroe

Fairbury, IL

University UMC

East Lansing, MI

Union Reunion

St. Louis, MO

Douglas Avenue UMC

Springfield, IL