2022 Overview
Dear Friends,
We were relieved that the Foundation staff was able to resume more normal travel for grant development in 2022, due to the global COVID pandemic subsiding. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February was a crisis that affected the world, and especially Europe. Millions of Ukrainian women and children became refugees almost overnight. Mustard Seed Foundation was able to respond quickly through relationships with churches in Western Europe. We contacted numerous churches and awarded nearly $100,000 in emergency grants to assist 11 churches in ministering to refugees fleeing the war.
Our operating budget in 2022 remained constant at $2.9 million, with just over $2 million given in grants and scholarships. The Foundation awarded 216 grants to churches and other Christian organizations in 51 countries.
Grass-roots granting in support of start-up ministry efforts of churches continues to comprise the vast majority of our giving as a Foundation. In this past year, among the 216 grants we awarded, we were blessed to be able to support an evangelistic pastry chef school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a prison outreach in Guatemala City, as well as a halfway house for men released from prison in Washington, DC. In Asia we helped establish an evangelistic beach ministry on the outskirts of metro Tokyo, Japan, three church plants in Brisbane, Australia and four ministry efforts among Pakistani refugees in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In the Middle East we continued to support a Russian-speaking church plant in Alanya, Turkey, a roof-top youth and family club in Cairo, Egypt, and four staff workers of a university outreach in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to the grants supporting Ukrainian refugees in Europe, we awarded four grants for youth ministry in Belfast, Northern Ireland and London, United Kingdom. Finally, in Africa we awarded twelve grants for loan funds to churches from Accra, Ghana to Maputo, Mozambique, and from Lagos, Nigeria to Cape Town, South Africa.
The Foundation supported 19 Christian graduate students through the Harvey Fellows Program, for total awards of $226,000. We are happy to report that the 28twelve Foundation, created by Harvey Fellows alumni to perpetuate the Harvey Fellows Program, selected their first nine graduate Fellows.
Our Theology of Work program was largely able to resume in-person courses in 2022. The courses were attended by 7,720 students in 13 countries, with support grants for the courses totaling $285,000. In October a gathering of TOW teachers and leaders convened in Nairobi, Kenya for a conference to plan the continuation of Theology of Work courses in colleges, universities, seminaries and ministries globally beyond the Foundation.
In 2022 the members of our Board and staff suffered the loss of our brother and Board member, Ray Bakke. The eldest of the four Tollef Bakke offspring, Ray was a founding MSF Board member who was instrumental in shaping the Foundation's priorities and values. Ray gave each of us a broader, more authentic view of the world and God's kingdom. We miss his wise voice and perspectives.
Looking ahead, in 2023 we will celebrate 40 years of God's faithfulness to his global church through the Mustard Seed Foundation. More than a decade ago, we determined that we would sunset the Foundation at our 40th anniversary. From the Foundation's inception, we purposed to give away funds on an annual basis, rather than to build an endowment to perpetuate Mustard Seed's work. It was our desire to give as much as possible wisely in our lifetimes, instead of creating a permanent institution. Therefore, our final grants and scholarships will be awarded in December 2023.
Our prayer is that the principles of stewardship, empowerment, faith, and small beginnings will endure and spread through the Harvey and Bakke families, as well as through the many churches and grantees we have worked with over these four decades. Mustard Seed Foundation's mission ultimately has been to honor God and to foster the work of His body, the Church. We are confident the Lord will continue to multiply and grow the mustard seeds we have helped to plant.
With great gratitude,
Eileen Harvey Bakke
Dennis W. Bakke