MINNEAPOLIS, December 12, 2018 — Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry’s (LPGM’s) Board of Directors this week unanimously approved new vision and mission statements that guide the future and work of the organization.  “We are thrilled to start a new year with a renewed sense of direction and purpose,” says Verne Winter, LPGM’s board chair. “LPGM’s new vision and mission are both faithful to the history and legacy of what this organization has been, and drive us into a future full of hope. I am thankful to the team of staff and board members who worked so hard to craft these statements.”

The new statements read as follows:

LPGM’s Vision

Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry envisions a world where relationships transform boundaries and where all people have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

LPGM’s Mission

Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry provides access to quality education for people at the margins–especially women and girls. We work together with global partners to listen, respond and bear witness to local needs and priorities.

What does this mean?

Throughout the last 23 years, LPGM has worked closely with partners around the world to make a positive change. This continues to be true. As the conditions in the countries where we work change, as our partnerships grow, and as we continue to evolve as an organization, we felt that this was an opportune time to revisit our vision and mission, which had last been updated in 2010 2008.

We Focus on Education

The revised mission of LPGM focuses more intentionally on education. It specifically focuses on two aspects: access and quality. With a strong history of supporting educational access and quality through programs like Project Education India, English+, and Community Cloud Forest Conservation, this shift in mission helps us home in on our strengths and give children one of the most effective means for escaping the cycle of poverty. 

Research has shown the power of education to transform lives:

• For every $1 invested in education, $10 is generated in earning and health benefits for people in low-income countries. [source]
• Each additional year of schooling can increase an individual’s earnings by up to 10% for boys, or up to 25% for girls. [source]
• The likelihood that a child will live past the age of five increases 50% if his or her mother can read. [source]

It is important to note that LPGM’s special focus on women and girls does not exclude men and boys. We will continue to provide access to quality education for boys (such as those at Saron Boarding Home in India). But we recognize the unique needs that women and girls face when it comes to education, and so we commit to especially providing education for them.

We Listen, Respond and Bear Witness

In Mark 8, Jesus took the time to listen to the blind man’s needs and then healed his eyesight a second time. Listening is at the center of our mission. Everything LPGM does begins with — and returns to — listening to the needs and priorities of our partners and the people we serve.  It is only after truly listening that we can respond with high-quality, impact-oriented programs.