God has wonderful ways of turning simple gifts into great blessings. The Lutheran Church of Australia’s Stamps for Mission project has raised nearly $464,000! All proceeds are donated to LCA International Mission programs and projects. This is possible due to the dedication of volunteers who collect, clean, package and sell the stamps.
Stamps for Mission was established in 1938 through the efforts of Pastor Ted Koch and Mr Ern Unger. Ern became the first stamp receiver and did this for the next 65 years, encouraging many others along the way. 2018 marks ten years since LCA International Mission (formally Board for Mission) took over the Stamps for Mission project from the Lutheran Youth of Australia. It is overwhelming to think how much money has been raised from those seemingly worthless used stamps. We thank God for His blessing through this project.
Preparing stamps
If you would like to join in God’s mission in this way, please post your used stamps to one of our wonderful volunteer stamp receivers (listed opposite). To make life easier for them, we’ve prepared some guidelines for you, as you prepare your stamps for them. Download the guidelines.
To print a poster which you can display at your stamp collection point download the poster here.
2021 Programs and Projects supported by Stamps for Mission
Sprau family, Papua New Guinea
The Sprau family is serving in Papua New Guinea to bring medical care to one of the most underserviced areas in the world. As members of Wycliffe Bible Translation and in partnership with the Lutheran Church of Australia, Patrick and Anke volunteer as a General Practitioner and as a physiotherapist in a clinic at Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands Province. Through your support, they give primary care to the local population as well as supporting Bible translators and mission workers. In light of the pandemic, the need for solid healthcare has become even more pressing.
BCCM Agape Centre, Malaysia
Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (BCCM) Agape Centre (Day Care Centre for intellectually handicapped children) is managed by a committee (under the BCCM, Sandakan congregation) and is grounded with a clear vision of showing Christ’s love in a practical manner. The main goal of BCCM Agape Centre is to educate and train intellectually disabled children in functional skills towards becoming socially independent and if possible, economically independent. Your support of BCCM Agape Centre enables intellectually handicapped children an opportunity to learn with the help of dedicated and devoted teachers, gives them the same amount of care and knowledge as other children so they can be accepted by the community and gives the public at large an opportunity to understand and have the right attitude towards intellectually disabled children.
Translation of Church Rites, Myanmar
Since the earliest days of Christianity the church has confessed lex orandi, lex credendi – a fancy way of saying that how we pray is intimately related to what we believe. With this in mind, the LCA has produced some wonderful resources that encourage faith in Jesus by providing faithful prayers for any number of occasions. One of these books, Church Rites, is widely recognised as one of the best in the Lutheran world, providing rites for baptism, confirmation, funerals, weddings and more. The relatively young churches of Myanmar have no such resource and have asked for help to translate and publish this book in both Burmese and the Mizo language. Your support will ensure that as our brothers and sisters in Myanmar pray at these important moments in their lives, they will be reminded of Jesus’ certain promises and strengthened in faith for this life and the next.
Ogelbeng seminary in Papua New Guinea
Ogelbeng seminary, located in the Papua New Guinea highlands, trains local pastors in the pidgin dialect. They then return to their local communities and proclaim the gospel. Many of these young pastors will not be paid a salary in their ministry and part of their responsibility at the seminary is to grow their own food crops as they live and study in community. Your support provides practical help to these families.
Saturday Club, Thailand
Bible stories are shared with children who are living in Northern Thailand and attend Saturday Club. The children also have the opportunity to grow vegetables, grill their own fish, play with Lego, make their own instruments, learn old stories and legends from their own tribes and therefore are taught about how important it is to belong to a tribe, learn about the importance of an education, learn to write in their local language and are encouraged to express themselves and gain knowledge of the importance of taking care of nature. Your support ensures that more than 100 children in five different villages are able to attend the Saturday clubs regularly, which are run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand Lutheran Diakonia department.
Biblical Reconciliation training, Cambodia
LCA International Mission has partnered with LCA Reconciliation Ministry to provide Biblical Reconciliation training for the Lutheran Church in Cambodia. This training is centred on the gospel and God’s ministry of reconciliation. The Cambodian’s will be taught that clarity of the Scriptures brings new understanding of their identity in Christ and of God’s gift of living in confession and forgiveness with others. Your support will ensure that the participants understand reconciling through God’s word, rather than conflict resolved by human strength, so that Christ’s forgiveness can bring peace and healing.
Download the programs/projects flyer or contact the LCA International Mission office to request hard copies.
Need more inspiration?
Read these stories about our stamp receivers and the difference Stamps for Mission is making in God’s mission.