Friends of Madagascar Mission is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We are a mission organization, incorporated as a non profit organization in December of 2009, and granted tax free status in March of 2010.
On the Front Lines of Mission:
Throughout the history of global mission work from churches within the United States, beginning in the 19th Century, we have seen the great mission outreach organized for the most part by Mission Societies. In the 20th Century the mission work was taken over by church denominations. It became institutionalized. As we enter the 21st Century, we are once again experiencing a return to Mission Societies claiming a greater role in Christian mission work around the globe.
It is in this climate of change, in how mission work is being done today, that the Friends of Madagascar Mission was begun. We believe we have a unique role in the future of mission, particularly in Madagascar at this time. In 2010 we began our fund raising activities and each year we continue to grow in giving from our generous donors. For this we give thanks to God!
Our prayer is that each year we will be able to increase our giving to the projects in Madagascar that we support. If you or your congregation is interested in supporting mission projects, please review the information on our web site and/or contact us and we will assist you with your wishes to support God’s global mission work in Madagascar.
Our Articles of Incorporation describe our unique role and purpose.
Our History
Friends of Madagascar Mission began as an idea of David P. Lerseth in 2009. He served as Director for Global Mission Support for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for 12 years. After leaving that position in the fall of 2007 he began to reflect upon the diminishing resources for global mission around the globe. He felt led to respond to this crisis need.
After much prayerful thought and reflection, he felt led to commit his expertise in raising funds for mission to the people of Madagascar. Why Madagascar? As a young child, he developed a love for the mission work and the missionaries who served in Madagascar. Missionaries would return to the United States for a yearlong furlough to visit with congregations and tell the story of mission. One of these missionaries was Lyla Sivesind. She was from his father’s home congregation, Roseni Lutheran Church, rural Beresford, South Dakota. She would often visit their home and stay for several days as she shared the story of mission work in Madagascar with his father’s congregations. As a young child he was touched by her stories and they left an indelible mark upon him about mission and the people of Madagascar.
Friends of Madagascar Mission is an organization with deep roots in the mission work of Madagascar. We are an exciting organization with some new approaches and commitments to how mission is accomplished in the 21st Century.
Our Guarantee
Evidence of being on the Front Lines of Mission
Friends of Madagascar Mission guarantees that 100% of a gift given to us will be spent on the mission project for which it is designated. Nothing will be taken out of a gift to pay for our administration costs, but we invite donors to also give gifts to our Administrative Account.
We operate with a very low administrative cost. We have no buildings, we do not ship items, and we do not have any paid staff. All time and space is donated! Our administrative costs are for our web site, stationery-envelopes-postage, financial wire transfers to Madagascar, annual audits/reviews, etc.
We have an Administrative Fund to which donors may give a gift to help pay for these costs, but nothing is taken out of a benevolence gift for a mission project without the donor’s permission!
We believe this is a unique gift to all donors to our organization as we seek to be “On the Front Lines of Mission”.
Management of Donor Information:
We will not give or sell any donor information to a third party. If a donor wishes their gift to be listed as anonymous, we will respect that request.
Please prayerfully consider making a donation at this time to the Friends of Madagascar Mission. Thank you.