Bihar, India – Lutheran World Relief

Saint Andrew’s supports women and families in Bihar, India, through prayer. Learn more at  

Current News

November 2020 – Conclusion

Starting in 2017 Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church joined with nine other congregations in a collaborative mission through Lutheran World Relief (LWR) to support the families of Bihar, India. LWR met the challenges of providing for families through agricultural education, women led community banking groups, better nutrition, and other educational opportunities.
Saint Andrew’s commitment to the LWR/Bihar mission is now completed. During the four years our congregation has given the Bihar mission $91,016. Just in this year our congregation gave $18,138. This has enabled families’ farming success not only improving their livelihood but their health, diet and educational possibilities. It has improved the status and equality of the women and children in their villages and created a sharing of information and techniques with other villages. Thank you, Saint Andrew’s, for being a part of this ripple of giving that spreads farther than we can see.
Lisa Kipp of Lutheran World Relief sent in an email, “We are so grateful for your generosity. Your congregation has made an amazing difference in the lives of so many of our neighbors in Bihar. Thank you very much.”

September 2020

September 2020 is our last month of involvement and support for this global mission.  To date Saint Andrew’s has given $88,260 towards our commitment of $100,000. This effort has increased families’ farming success through crop and farming education, improved health with nutrition education, and empowered and strengthen communities through the women led self sufficiently banking groups.  Though COVID-19 has impacted the Bihar community LWR/PRADAN was able to continue the vital agriculture work of the project.

August 2020

Meet Mangita Devi (age 32) who has learned new farming techniques to increase her income and provide better nutrition to her family. Women like Mangita have been empowered and their livelihoods have been strengthened through Partnership Bihar.

June 9 – September 27, 2019 ~ Walk to Bihar!
October 6, 2019 | 9:45 am ~ Walk to Bihar Celebration!

Project Bihar / Lutheran World Relief

Being a part of Partnership Bihar has truly changed women’s lives and the lives of their communities. LWR thanks all who support of this project—it really is making an incredible impact in the lives of the people living in the 76 villages with whom LWR is partnering!

Meet some of the women Project Bihar is working with through these LWR short videos:

In January 2019, Saint Andrew’s member Becca Piel traveled to Bihar as part of a group led by Lutheran World Relief.

2018: Bookmarks
The Working Group has created Project Bihar Prayer Bookmarks to communicate and engage congregants about seven of the Project Bihar families.
To get a bookmark(s), come to the church office. Take them home and pray for the highlighted family and their community. The bookmarks can be used as an educational tool about different cultures and lifestyles. Use these to facilitate discussions on how families are the same and/or different.
Thank you for praying and blessing each of these Bihar, India families.

In November 2016, Saint Andrew’s committed to a multi-year mission partnership with Lutheran World Relief in Bihar, India. This is engaging us in significant outreach in Northeastern India, as part of a sponsored mission through LWR and in collaboration with other churches.

The goals of this mission are:

• agricultural improvements,
• year-round food security for the family,
• empowering women in the community, and
• increasing incomes for families

We are one of nine U.S. congregations involved in this adventure to understand the challenges of poverty and serve those who are working hard to provide for their families and communities. Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland (Whidbey Island) and The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Olympia are other congregations from our synod connected to this project.

Saint Andrew’s has formed a Project Bihar/LWR Working Group that has defined three major components in our mission: communication, engagement, and giving. The Project Bihar/LWR Working Group is actively planning next steps. If you would like to be involved or would like more information, contact Marlyn Thorpe through the church office.

We welcome donations (please note “Bihar-LWR” on contributions.)
Remember in prayer this continuing outreach ministry. The best source of updated information is at