INDIA
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF AND THRIVENT BUILDS WORLDWIDE

October 10–25, 2008

Combining hands-on service, visits to LWR partners, and sightseeing, the 2008 LWR Study Tour to India offered eleven people a unique perspective on development work with marginalized communities. Participants began their journey by building houses through Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. The trip continued with visits to LWR partners who work with women’s self-help groups.

Study Tour participants visited such sites as the Taj Mahal, Agra's Red Fort, and Buddhist temples. In the above picture, the group poses in front of the Taj Mahal.	LWR Study Tour participant Marissa hands freshly wetted bricks to the mason during her five days of Thrivent Builds service for the community of Bhawana, India.
Wally passes cement for the foundations of a home in Bhawana, India. During his LWR Study Tour, his group built the foundations for three new homes in Bhawana.	Dan and a local laborer work together to mix mortar for the brick walls.
Learning at DISHA (Developing Initiatives for Social Human Interaction), an LWR partner	The group poses for a photo with LWR field staff at DISHA.
These women have participated in Self-Help Groups through LWR’s project with DISHA. They are welcoming the LWR visitors by singing a song they wrote about how their empowerment through the project has changed their lives.	LWR Study Tour participants (right to left) Leonard, Ray and Marissa stand with LWR’s Emily Sollie (left) at the Amar Singh Gate to Agra’s famous Red Fort. An UNESCO World Heritage site, the fort was home to many rulers throughout India’s history, including the Mughal dynasty — the builders of the Taj Mahal.

Below is an overview of the Study Tour.

INDIA

LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF AND
THRIVENT BUILDS WORLDWIDE

October 10–25, 2008
Approximate Cost - $3880

Thrivent Builds Worldwide trips are part of the Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity alliance, a four-year, $125 million commitment between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity International to help increase the non-profit housing ministry’s home building production. This LWR-Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip combines the Thrivent Builds Worldwide experience with an opportunity to learn more about LWR’s life-changing work with marginalized communities in India.

This LWR-Thrivent Builds Worldwide team will travel to India October 10-25, 2008.

• October 10: Depart from Dulles International Airport.
• October 12-17: Participate in a four-day build project in Chhatrapur.
• October 18- 24: Travel to Kolkata and Bodhgaya to visit LWR grassroots partners. Participants will travel into the rural areas of northeastern India to visit communities participating in LWR-supported sustainable agricultural projects, irrigation improvements, health services, women’s development courses and micro-credit programs.
• October 25: Depart from Delhi.

Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseeable events.

The estimated cost for this trip is $4,380, which includes roundtrip airfare from Dulles International Airport and other transportation costs in India (airfare, train and van travel), lodging, meals, insurance and a $500 donation to Habitat for Humanity. This does not include travel to and from Dulles International and personal spending money.

Through a $10,000 contribution to the Habitat host affiliate, Thrivent Financial covers the $500 donation to Habitat for Humanity for each of its members, reducing the overall trip cost to $3,880 for Thrivent Financial members (at least 50 percent of trip participants must be Thrivent members). This contribution is a unique benefit to the Thrivent Builds Worldwide program and is not available through other Habitat trips.