Operation Rice Bowl 2012 Update

Greetings Rice Bowl coordinators!
We have just passed the midpoint of the Lenten season, making more room for God in our lives through our prayers, fasting and almsgiving.
Over 200 parish and school communities in the Archdiocese of Seattle are participating in CRS Operation Rice Bowl. Thank you for your assistance to sisters and brothers here and throughout the world!

El Salvador
Operation Rice Bowl has taken us this week to El Salvador. Through stories, video and weekly reflections, we learn how CRS bringing water to families and the difference this is making in their lives. Next week – to Zambia (microfinance project)! Speaking of microfinance…

Best Practices
Thanks to all of you have sent us best practices. We love to hear about new and creative ways you, parishes, schools and individuals are using the CRS Rice Bowl materials.
One of our contacts sent the following to us: The parish’s Catholic Kids Catechism Club were given CRS-style “microfinance loans” to start a “small business” and in their first weekend $712 was brought in by Operation Rice Bowl kids, selling pretzels, specialty coffee raffle tickets, and lemonade after Masses and at Soup Night. Following weeks will showcase other businesses. “Pretty darn cool!!”
If you have a best practice you’d like to share please email it to us at: missionsoffice@seattlearch.org

Need more materials?
Please contact us if you are in need of more Rice Bowls (we have loads of them!), placemats, CD-ROM/DVDs, donation envelopes or other materials.

And as always, Missions Office staff is available to assist you. Email us at missionsoffice@seattlearch.org or call (206) 382-4580 or 1 (800) 869-7028. Thank you for your collaboration in this important work.

Missions Office staff: J.L. Drouhard, Erin Getchman, Kelly Hickman

“Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works” – From Pope Benedict XVI’s message for Lent.