Finding Opportunities to Serve in Global Communities (Without Leaving Home)

Serving globally doesn’t always mean hopping on a plane or taking weeks off from your schedule. Many LWML members are discovering that you can make a meaningful impact on global communities right from home—or within a weekend of travel.

Whether you’re sewing quilts for families in crisis, assembling care kits, or raising funds for international ministry partners, your service matters.

Here are a few ways to say “yes” to global mission—no passport required.

LWR is known worldwide for its quilt ministry—handmade quilts that provide warmth, dignity, and love for people recovering from disaster or hardship. Many LWML groups already sew quilts together or create personal care kits, baby bundles, or school supplies packs. These kits are distributed through LWR’s trusted partners worldwide.

Your local group can support an LCMS missionary through prayer, encouragement, and financial support. Some LWML groups even “adopt” a missionary—exchanging letters, sending care packages, and sharing updates during group devotions.

From Days for Girls kits to medical supplies, your group can gather practical resources to support global health and hygiene efforts. These drives can be done year-round and involve your entire congregation.

🟣 Tip: Partner with a nearby church or school to double your impact.

Some organizations, including LCMS Short-Term Missions and MOST Ministries, offer 1–2 week service trips. These are accessible options for those with flexible schedules and a desire to serve directly—helping with vision clinics, VBS programs, or construction work.

🟣 Find upcoming opportunities:

Bring the global church to your local LWML meeting! Invite a returning missionary or LCMS representative to speak. Watch a video from a recent relief effort. Host a “Mission Marketplace” to raise funds for a specific international project.

Small steps like these bring hearts closer to the people and places LWML supports around the globe.

Some of LWML CNH’s mission grants directly support international projects or missionaries. Encourage your group to stay updated on where mite offerings are going—and celebrate when lives are changed through your giving.

You don’t need to cross an ocean to be part of global mission. By giving, praying, quilting, sewing, sponsoring, and encouraging, LWML women are making a worldwide impact every single day.

Start with one small act—and trust that God will multiply it.