LCMS Mid South District Missions

Katelynn update from South Africa

2011-09-22T15:15:00.001-05:00

Update from our Friend Katelyn Hiett pictured with

Namunde.

Serving her Deaconness internship in South Africa

Sabona! (Hello in Zulu)

Zulu is just one of the manyofficial languages here in South Africa. The country boasts 11 differentnational languages, including Zulu, Afrikaans (a muddy mixture of German andDutch) and English just to name a few. I, unfortunately, only know one of theeleven, and though I like to think I have good command of English, I am oftennot its master.

One might suspect that with so many different languages,progress and partnership may be a little inhibited. Those suspicions prove truewhen observing the complicated history of South Africa. Communication isessential to building relationships and especially building a country. That iswhy the major work of mission work is building relationships. Differentlanguage and different culture complicate this task greatly. Mission work isabout relationships and communication. I am learning the delicacies of buildingand maintaining partnerships across that vast cultural line that is often sohard to bridge.

The team I have joined in South Africa has done an excellentjob of bridging that gap. For two years Shara and Julia have been workingalongside Pastor Thwala of Shongweni, Lutheran Church building outreaches andprograms that the church sees as its own. Their method is one that I willsurely take with me back to Sudan.

Much of my work here in South Africa isfocused in Shongweni parish. My role is assisting Pastor Thwala with makingvisitations, teaching the youth when needed and especially ministering to womenin the community. South Africa has never really ever had the advantage of a“deaconess” so my job description is often made up on the fly and is uniquelyAfrican. It is my daily challenge to shed my western predispositions and tradethem—if momentarily—for African sensitivities.

But there is one thing that Ican be sure of and rest all of my confidence in. No matter our differences ofspeech and culture, we are united by the universal and eternal Word of God. Thelove of God spoken to us through the incarnation of Christ is a Word everyheart can understand. It would seem that the gospel needs no translation,except for when it is mistranslated through the imperfect actions of imperfectpeople.

Vigilant of my sin and shortcomings, I pray that as I share the Word—myhighest task as Christian and missionary—God will use the weakness of my wordsand the failure of my flesh to sow good seed into ready hearts

Think about how you can support KatelynK

For further information contact:

Bob Allen

rjallen@prodigy.net

615-672-0923

Christina's baptism...

2011-08-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

This area was not one we planned to visit. A group hadbeen near that area the previous year, but by Gods grace we were directed tothis location and were fortunate to meet Christina

Christina appeared to be in her 80's and blind. She waitedby her hut for the truck to take her to church. She had been invited by a neighbor who is a member of the congregation. Her husbandnamed Daudi was a Muslim. He came home a few weeks earlier and told her he had been baptized as a Christian, she cried because she wanted tobe baptized.

When she heard that a US team was in the area going tohomes and baptizing she was unable to walk to find us . Her neighbor knew wewere coming to the church service and asked for the van to come and pick upChristina. The church was so crowded we could hardly walk through the aisle butshe was led to the front and when the invitation for baptism, she was the firstin line to be baptized to join the family of believers and have her sins washedaway.

The average life expectancy in Tanzania is 49, God blessedus with this opportunity.

There are more Christina’s out there waiting for someone toshare the gospel message. Come join us on our trip in may 2012

Contact

Bob Allen

208 Peachtree St

White house,tn 37188

615-672-0923

rjallen@prodigy.net

Finding significance in service

2011-08-05T07:46:00.006-05:00

I attended a conference in 2010 andheard something that called my name. Bob Allen was making a presentation aboutthe need for teachers and other lay people to go to Tanzania to teach ESL(English as a Secondary Language) or other subjects such as Math, Science, HomeEconomics etc. Retired people are excellent candidates for this adventure to stay one week, one month, one year....oranytime in between. Age is no barrier.

As a commissioned LCMS lay minister and former ESL teacher in Japan, Slovakia and the UnitedStates, I retired to Arkansas and was widowed. Was this for me ? I found Bob to start the discussion leadingto one of the most meaningful volunteer activities of my life. I went to MwaduiLutheran Secondary School in Tanzania forone month in May of 2011. The students were polite and eager to learn. Theywere the liveliest during chapel. All classes are taught in English with theexception of Swahili. What more could a teacher ask? I thought I had died and gone to teacherheaven. Not only did I feel I did a lotof good during the month, I made many friends. My lodging was adequate and Iwas completely safe. At the end of my adventure, I joined the mission groupfrom the US for several days of village evangelizing and a safari adding to mymemories of a lifetime.

If you do this and do not come away feelingthat it was one of the most meaningful activities of your life, I will gladlybuy you dinner.

Bob Oetetel(third from right)

Interested in learning more. Contactus:

Bob Allen

615-672-7438
rjallen@prodigy.net

Deacon Robert Oettel
robertoettel@hotmail.com

Rev. Yohana Nzelu, Principal,
Mwadui Lutheran Secondary School
e-mail: yohananzelu@yahoo.com

Tanzania: 1000 baptized among the Sukuma

2011-08-04T17:19:00.003-05:00

Mwanza, Tanzania: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) is well established

in urban centers but in the arid landsaround Lake Victoria, many—if not most—of the Sukuma

people have yet to hear the name of Jesus Christ. The East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD) of the

ELCT is intentionally reaching out to this largepeople group and has invited friends and partners to walk

with them in this work.

In June the Trump Family traveled to Mwanzawhere we met up with a small team led by Bob Allen of the LCMS’s Mid- SouthDistrict. An excellent partner in mission, Bob was open to servinghowever the ELVD requested. When he firstcame some years ago, they asked him to do door-to-door evangelism among the Sukuma.

While Krista and Josiah remained in Mwanza Town,Shauen traveled with the team as they

broke into groups of two or three with localguides, translators, and evangelists

and set out into the villages. Shauen shared theGospel Story with small gatherings, visited with people who had never been tochurch or had fallen away, and prayed over an alcoholic in his home.

Shauen’s group even walk to the edge of thevillage to try and witness to the witchdoctor! The witchdoctor wasn’thome at the time (as is often the case when Christian Missionaries arearound) but

Shauen spoke to his household, emphasizing theformer clarity mankind had in speaking with God in the

Garden of Eden, how that was lost, how thedamage was repaired through one sacrifice for all time and all people, and howGod clearly speaks to us today through His Word. Those hearing the message were hesitant to act without their head of householdpresent but they requested an evangelist visit them again!

After door-to-door visits in the mornings, theafternoons often featured a gathering at the church to share the message onemore time. In one village, even after 150 people had been baptized in their homes, Shauen was asked to preachoutside the church and following the messagedozens more came forward seeking baptism!

In one week of door-to-door evangelism

and open-air preaching, over 1,000 Sukumapeople were called to Christ and regenerated in the

waters of baptism! Praise the Lord for Hiswork among the Sukuma!

Comejoin us in 2012

Tanzania 2011 mission trip

2011-07-07T13:24:00.001-05:00

We can only imagine the impact in Jerusalem of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

A team of people from the Mid-South District had a experience during the week of Pentecost of the Holy Spirit working through the Word to touch the lives of thousands in Tanzania .
This year’s team went into a remote area Southeast of Mwanza that has been impacted by a serious drought reducing the harvest crops of corn, sunflower, millet and garden produce by over 85%. One man told me that he had planted a acre of Maize (corn) and did not even get a bowl of grain during the harvest. The lack of rain has dried up most water holes that has resulted in much of the day being spent searching for water sources miles and miles from home.
In one village a man came to me and said “you must help us, we are starving”

The lack of water and food did not hinder the response to the Gospel.

We went into 7 villages in the Negezi/Kishapu district to share a gospel message. In each village, 4 teams of two members of the Mid-South Team went with an area pastor and village elders walking house to house sharing the message by using the EvangeCube of our Savior Jesus Christ and baptizing in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. In some cases, the message was translated from English to Swahili and to Sukuma.

After the morning and afternoon of evangelism each group would return to a designated location for a worship service and lunch with the people from the local village.

Results: 1056 men, women and children were baptized.

• We left hundreds of Bibles in Swahili for the Pastors to distribute
• He donated 4 bicycles to Evangelists who cover many villages
• We started a fund called the Negezi/Kishapu Famine Relief fund and presented money that can be used to purchase food for those most impacted by the drought.
• 21 evangelists were installed and commissioned for service in a church service after completing to two year training program to minister to the villages.

On Safari, two Lutheran women from Germany was amazed to hear what had happened in the villages. One exclaimed to us that the time for evangelism is past!
No, there are 1056 new lives in Christ that would dispute that comment.

The Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few

Matthew: 9:37

Good news from Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump in Kenya.

2011-05-24T13:54:00.000-05:00

Good news from Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump in Kenya.

"Twelve pastors look at Shauen expectantly. He remembered again that he's not in Uganda anymore. He's in Kenya now, filling a different role. As he idly thumbs his Bible and feels that special anxiety that comes when speaking before a group, he began, 'We don't have time today to cover the entire Gospel of Luke, or even just those parts emphasized in the Mission Training Center (MTC) book. But, I think we can learn a lot about Luke by looking closely at one chapter.'

"Theological Education is among the top priorities for LCMS partnerships across Africa. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK) has numerous partnership opportunities in this area. They have a four-year seminary issuing bachelor's degrees for pastors, a two-year Bible school issuing certificates for evangelists and the Mission Training Center program dispersed across the country, which trains laity as helpers in congregations that don't have a pastor or evangelist of their own. With almost 20 MTCs across Kenya, it's certainly beyond Shauen's capacity to teach at them all.

"The ELCK has a coordinator for the MTCs and each center is managed by the pastor overseeing the area. So Shauen is privileged to participate at this point in the training of the trainers. Four times per year, the MTC managers come together for two days of encouragement, fellowship and a review of the two books to be covered in months ahead. Managers' training is led by the MTC coordinator, along with those he calls on to assist him, generally one or more of the MTC managers, or for at least one day of this training, Shauen.

"Addressing the group of pastors, Shauen continued, 'So let's look at Jesus' parables of the lost things in Luke 15.' With the Scriptures open before them, as is normally the case, his nerves settle and as heads bow down to peer into the text, Shauen's anxieties are replaced by that special joy of gathering around God's Word. Soon, the group is deeply involved in discussion and debate that occupies them for most of this second day of training. As the afternoon turns to evening, the thoughts of these servants again turn toward their parishes and the five to 15 congregations they oversee. Pray for these shepherds of God's people in Kenya!"

Shauen, Krista, and Josiah Trump

Your Missionaries to East Africa

through LCMS World Mission

http://TheTrumps.org/

http://lcms.org?13521

Shauen.Trump@LCMS.org

Chattanooga Church partners with church in Gambosi, TZ....from center of witchcraft to thriving Christianity.

2011-04-21T12:15:00.001-05:00

Partners in Ministry – Tanzania

Nancy Allen

Cross of Christ in Chattanooga, TN has begun a partnership with the congregation in Gambosi, TZ(see April’s article about Roofs) to help them spread the Gospel. Two projects were chosen to aid them in their ministry. The first was to sew little dresses for the girls in the congregation and send them with the 2011 Mission team to Tanzania. With a goal of making 50 dresses, 2 workshops were held and several worked from home to complete more than 66 dresses.

Nancy Allen hands over several of the more than 66 Little Dresses to Susie Allen at Cross of Christ Lutheran, Chattanooga, TN

Little Dresses Workshop #1 – Cross of Christ Lutheran, Chattanooga, TN

The second project is to raise funds to Raise the Roof on the church in Gambosi. Our goal is $5000.00 and we are getting close to half way.

(Note from Bob and Susie: Nancy Allen has visited Tanzania several times and uses her creativity and talents to expand the gospel of Jesus.)

Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump in Tanzania.

2011-03-14T08:06:00.001-05:00

“Six days after we landed in Nairobi, Shauen was on the road again for a two-week trip into Tanzania. Over the initial days of the journey, short-term agricultural missionaries Delano and Linda Meyer stood in corn fields, looked at cattle in stables, asked questions about plants, fertilizers and land practices and learned everything they could about the farming techniques employed in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. All this was to establish the background for the program they brought to the people of the Lutheran Church of East Africa (LCEA), a small church body currently exploring opportunities for joint mission efforts with LCMS World Mission.

“This amazing team-teaching duo spent decades farming in the United States before ‘retiring’ to mission service in West Africa. There they continued to do what they knew best, infusing instruction on soil conservation, nitrogen fixation and small-business management with solid Law and Gospel proclamation through discussions on Christian stewardship, marital fidelity and the two kingdoms. Years of fine-tuning their two-day program has resulted in a polished presentation of information in an intuitive teaching style.

“Each section begins with questions, ‘Tell me how…’ that are discussed in groups. Well-versed in some of the sweeping generalizations we can make about African culture, the Meyers divide discussion groups by sex and age and solicit responses in this order: young women, old women, young men and old men. Were the old men to speak first (which is the regional social custom), no one else would speak to contradict them. The Meyers know that their class may be the first time some women have ever been publicly asked their opinion and they lavish praise on them.

“After learning from those gathered before them, the Meyers begin pointing out opportunities for improvement. ‘If fast-moving water will carry away the soil, how can we slow it down?’ ‘How can we put more hummus into the soil so we need less fertilizer?’ ‘How can we take advantage of the yearly cycle in the price of maize—is it possible to sell later?’ Together, the class explores ways to improve the life of the soil, the yield of their crops and their quality of life.

“The Meyers masterfully present a compelling and interactive opportunity for these subsistence farmers to give their farms a boost while hearing the Gospel message. Shauen was privileged to travel with the Meyers and Rev. Claude Houge for this program, taking an opportunity to meet the leadership of the LCEA for the first time. He also participated in the program by leading a Bible study called ‘Honor God with Your Body.’ On Sundays, they worshiped with many of the participants attending the agricultural sessions. The first Sunday, Rev. Houge preached and they witnessed the church grow through Baptisms. The second Sunday, Shauen shared the message and witnessed the confirmation of three boys. Praise the Lord for His work in this part of Tanzania!”

2011 Mission Trip to Tanzania

2011-02-09T09:15:00.000-06:00

Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, he [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear

Act 2:33

We are making plans for our 2011 trip to Tanzania at the end of May. Come join us, and see this outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Paul talks about in this verse. What we do does not seem like much but it touches the life’s of the Tanzania pastors and evangelists we work with; it energizes the communities and impacts the lives of the children we reach through the stories we tell or through the Bibles or mosquito nets we give out.

Tanzania?

Here two comments I received today from pastors we have worked with “When are you going to visit us your presence gives us more power to continue working hard. And another, “we all remember your service (evangelism house to house in Mwamandi) now this church is growing at Mwamandi and the villages around there. We now have two churches close to Mwamandi, NYAMIDIDI AND MWANASE . These churches spread from the work started at Mwamandi . We thank GOD very much for you because you are the source of planting church in Mwamandi’s areas. GOD bless you and all the team that were together at Kahama and Mwamandi and everyone who was shared with us for everything. Mwamandi was over 35 miles from the nearest church and many people had never heard the name of Jesus. One teacher encouraged the Pastor Gacha to bring us and that day 285 people were baptized. Now two other churches have started in that area.

I saw a new book this weekend “The Calling, Live a life of Significance” This same Holy Spirit has been poured out on you also, Come with us, make a difference in the life of you someone if Africa. Come let your light shine.

Come join us this year. We want to finalize the team in February.

Bob Allen

Mid-South District LCMS

Mission Coordinator

rjallen@prodigy.net

615-672-0923

2011 Short Term Mission Trip Opportunities

2011-01-12T20:39:00.000-06:00

Come join us for the adventure of a life time. You may have an opportunity to :

Teach, witness, and share house to house in the villages in groups. Translators are with us and the people are very welcoming. It is a safe environment.
Visit the medical clinic, birthing center, and isolation hospital
Teach and share in the villages
Read and teach bible stories and songs to children
Visit Schools
Teach in Christian elementary or secondary school

Haiti

February 23-27 Visit Schools in the Port a Prince area

March 5 – 12, Northern districts of Haiti We plan to visit schools in Arcahaie, Gonaives and the Central Plateau.

March 19 – 26, Southern districts of Haiti We will definitely be going to the Jacmel district and then to either Les Cayes or Jeremie

March 5 – 12, Northern districts of Haiti, led by John Hall. We plan to visit schools in Arcahaie, Gonaives and the Central Plateau

Peru

May 7th to 15th 2011 - PERU - "English/Read" 7 missionaries from USA to Manchay, Peru to teach English and to set up a church library. 5 of the team are ready to go. Passion Peru

July 30th to August 7th - PERU - "Jungle Mission Peru" 5 youth from USA join 10 youth from Manchay, Peru and do a mission trip to the jungle of Peru. This will be exciting mission work for teenagers. Passion Peru

Fall 2011 (exact date to be determined)- PERU - "Come to the Corner" 7 missionaries from USA to work with 7 missionaries in Lima, Peru to go to Manchay, Peru and help them bring people into their new church. Passion Peru

Tanzania

May 21-June 3 (the exact dates to be determined) group of 6-11 missionaries/teachers from the Mid-South District will visit the Negezi district and the Mawudi school to outreach to the villages in the area. We will work with pastors and evangelist from the East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD)

Mid June Group will be visiting the Mwanza are with an intitial focus of repairing the home of “Mama Bomini” wife of deceased Bishop Bomani . Group also plants to outreach into the villages with Pastors from the ELVD.

Vietnam

A group from Northwest Arkansas will be leaving in Feb to tour the country and minister

If you are interested in any of these opportunities contact the following for more information.

Bob Allen or Peggy Krohn

Mission Coordinator

Mid-South District LCMS Mid-South District Office

615-672-0923 901-373-1343

rjallen@prodigy.net peggy@mid-southlcms.com

www.lcmsmidsouthdistrictmissions.blogspot.com

Sudan: Hands of Mercy...two cultures one God

2011-01-09T16:03:00.000-06:00

The hot equatorial sun was beating down on the both of us. It was nearly noon time, and I could hear the cook, 20 paces away, clinking cups and bowls and silverware together preparing for the midday meal. I was sitting in the dirt with Lazarus. The meal that day, as it was every day, was what the Zande people of South Sudan call, “bakinda.” Translated simply, it means food.

Lazarus and I were working on a project for Hands of Mercy, the training center for people with disabilities with which I was working. Lazarus is blind and a paraplegic from youth due to a past polio outbreak. I had brought over some vegetable seeds from America with the idea to introduce some variety into their food supply. Lazarus was helping me plant cantaloupe, egg plant and sunflowers into peat pots, which I also brought over from the states. Neither of us said much to each other. How could we? He could not speak English and I could not speak Zande. So, our time together was spent mostly in silence, quietly passing dirt and seeds and water when we gestured the need.

I remember the look of his worn hands, delicately pressing the small seeds into the soil. I remember the contrast of my white, western skin to his black, African skin; two cultures vastly different and two lives so completely separate. But there we were. I think it was in this moment that I understood with greater clarity the Psalm verse, “Be still and know that I am God.”

The still quiet with Lazarus in Yambio, South Sudan was a far cry from my hectic life back at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. Not a single word was spoken between us, but I feel more was said than a thousand words could have told. In the Lutheran church we speak of a ministry of “presence.” The same way that Christ came to us with his presence hidden in human from, I believe He comes to us still, hidden in the brokenness of humanity.

Sitting there with Lazarus, his clouded eyes and withered legs, I must have been sitting with Jesus. He is a poor man with hardly a place to lay his head at night, but still he smiles, still he serves, still He says to me, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” Yes, it must have been the presence of Christ dwelling richly in Lazarus that showed me how to be still. Because in the stillness, God speaks.

Bibi Marge: Bariadi Orphanage...from a dream to reality

2010-12-21T13:28:00.000-06:00

I have written in the past about Marge Beam. She is a retired schoolteacher from OH that is changing lives and making a significant difference . What a story! Age was no barrier for Marge. Retired from teaching, she is making the most out of life after retirement.

Marge has been the driving force and fund raiser for the project. The orphanage n Bariadi has been in operation for a year and a month. They have 12 children living in the facility... six boys and six girls, ages 5 and 6.

In November the Bariadi congregation had an event to celebrate this occasion. The women of the congregation cooked and the two church choirs sang and danced to celebrate the completion of two water tanks.The latest project will collect rain water during the rainy season that can be used throughout the year. This will eliminate the need to purchase water.

The orphanage will be dedicated in June of 2011.

Mission Training Centers in Tanzania

2010-12-01T07:26:00.000-06:00

Mike Rodewald Regional director of Missions LCMS Africa reported about his visit in November to the East of Lake Victoria diocese

In Tanzania, in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese, the church is growing there through Mission Training Centers (MTCs) supported by the LCMS Mid-South District and LCMS World Mission. Students come for classes from outlying villages two days a month for a two-year period to be taught by a pastor. At the end of this time, most graduate as evangelists. Each evangelist is provided a bicycle and is expected to go into an unreached area and begin a new congregation. Some go for further training and, depending upon the training, are ordained as deacons or certificate pastors. There are ten of these MTCs set up around the diocese with an average of ten students (depending upon the month) in each center.

When visiting another parish, Mike witnessed Bishop Andrew Gulle baptizing 44 adults and children who had been preparing for baptism! This particular congregation was established by one of the evangelist graduates of an MTC on August 1, 2008, and now has 625 members.

Another interesting thing he learned was how another church practiced stewardship. One Sunday of every month all bring their offerings to support all the church workers in the diocese. Those who don’t have money bring farm produce or other items to church. After service, everyone gathers outside the church and an auction is held. Those who have money pay above value for items but, in this way, everyone is able to support the church within their own capacity.

Mike & Cindy Rodewald

46 Farmers Folly

Lynnwood Pretoria 0081

South Africa

John Ndongo: He finished well

2010-11-09T20:14:00.000-06:00

When I think about the life of John Ndongo two thoughts come to mind.

The first is; one man can make a difference and the second is; we must use the time God has given us.

John Ndongo heard the name of Jesus for the first time and was baptized at Sunungu in 2007 and immediately began sharing the gospel with his family and friends. He was not what you would consider a likely evangelist, as he had a checkered past. He had been known to be a drunkard and people reported that he used to get drink and sleep in the road. Some reported that he was abusive to his wife and children.

Perhaps that is why his evangelism was impactful. The people saw the change and the church grew. Twelve months after his baptism there were over 200 baptized members in the little village in the Bariadi area and in 2010 there are well over 500 baptized members and the congregation has a church building. Many people came to know the Lord through his sharing.

People said "If John Ndongo has changed because of Jesus, this Jesus in good to believe in."

In 2009 John Ndongo died and leaving a widow and children.

John made a difference in Sunungu province and his witness lives on in the lives of the believers. Look what he did with the final two years of his life. He finished well.

Worship at Ukerewe Island in Tanzania

2010-09-26T21:10:00.000-05:00

Houge Mission News from East Africa August 2010

2010-08-28T08:06:00.001-05:00

Claude and Rhoda Houge are serving in East Africa with LCMS World Mission

Greetings from Nairobi! We returned on August 20 after several months in the states. We apologize for not getting out a July newsletter, but it was difficult to keep up with correspondence with all the traveling.

Our remaining activities in the states went very well. Our uplifting visit to Redeemer in Ft. Collins CO was followed by a few days with Claude’s sister Alice and her husband Harold in Canon City, where Harold is an LCMS pastor. We enjoyed the scenery and some fun times with our lovable great-nephew Jack!

It was great to spend a Sunday at dynamic Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Owatana MN in early August. Also, we were able to get one more visit scheduled in Omaha NE to meet with the leaders of churches and organizations working with Sudanese ministry in Nebraska and Iowa. Claude wanted to introduce Rev. Jacob Gillard (on home leave from Uganda) to these men since Jake will be working more closely with Sudan in the future.

Some of the people you may recognize include Rev. Ray and Lois Wilke (Orphan Grain Train), Rev. Rich Boring (NE District Mission Exec), Rev. John Deang (NE District Immigrant Ministry), Rev. Mark Gerken (IA West Mission Exec), Rev. Jake Gillard, Rev. Ken & Betty Greinke (former Africa Regional Director), Rev. Russ Sommerfeld (President, Nebraska District), Rev. Simon Yiech (President, Sudanese Lutheran Mission Society), plus the pastors and leaders of churches in the area working with Sudanese ministry in the area. (Claude took the picture, and I’m in the middle.)

Prayer Requests:
 Praise God for safe travels while in the US and back to Nairobi.
 Pray for us as we continue our work here. There is so much to do with projects, reports, and communication with partner churches, preparing for visitors, and many other activities that seem far from what we think of as “traditional” mission work. But all is part of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 We thank God for those of you who pray for us and support us. We don’t correspond directly as often as we would hope to, but we are grateful for your partnership with us in our mission work.

May God bless you richly!

Together in His mission,
Claude and Rhoda Houge

E-mail address: claude.houge@lcms.org

Mailing address:
Claude & Rhoda Houge
PO Box 22
Karen 00502, Kenya

Financial support:
LCMS World Mission – Mission Central
40718 Hwy. E16
Mapleton, IA 51034
(Designate: Houge missionary support)
Or
(NOTE: New Address)
LCMS World Mission
Missionary Support
PO Box 790089
St. Louis, MO 63179-0089
(Designate: Houge missionary support)

Peru Mission Trip in November.....Reaching Out in Manchay

2010-08-27T07:49:00.002-05:00

You are on my pray list as a possible missionary to Peru in November.

Following is more information about this "Reaching Out in Manchay" mission trip.

I'm asking you to pray about going, then call me or email with: I will be praying for others on this trip, let me know more, here is a question, OR SIGN ME UP and send me step two, I want to serve my Lord.

The Lord has an agreement with the airlines....
the sooner we book the airline tickets, the lower the fee will be.

LES has

MORE Passion for

PERU

Missionaries to Kenya and TZ: Shauen and Krista (Krenzke) Trump

2010-08-18T20:24:00.001-05:00

Shauen and Krista (Krenzke) Trump serve the Lord as LCMS missionaries in Kenya and Tanzania, where Shauen works with Lutheran church bodies across both countries. Much of Shauen’s work as a mission facilitator involves serving alongside the varied churches in this area by teaching, discipling, and walking alongside each partner according to their needs. He also stands as the primary contact in this area for churches seeking new relationships with the LCMS. Krista currently enjoys her time with Josiah and plans to seek nursing work in Nairobi with opportunities for Christian outreach.

Shauen was born in Eureka, Calif., and his home congregation is Resurrection Lutheran Church in Cary, N.C. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Seattle Pacific University and his Master of Divinity at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Shauen enjoys being a father, camping, traveling, jogging, working in other languages (including software languages), and reading. Krista grew up in Liberia, where her family served as missionaries with Lutheran Bible Translators. She received a bachelor’s degree in Christian outreach from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn., and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. Louis University. Krista previously served through LCMS World Mission as a long-term missionary in Slovakia from 2003 to 2005. She enjoys camping, traveling, entertaining, and cooking. Shauen and Krista were married in June 2007.

In 2009, while completing vicarage in Uganda, their son Josiah was born in Kampala.

Please pray for the Trumps as they serve the Lord in Kenya and Tanzania. Pray that the Lord would use them as His instruments to encourage and build up God’s church in East Africa. Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen them and give them wisdom as they study Kiswahili and learn to live in a variety of cultures. Give thanks to the Lord that Shauen and Krista have answered His call to serve Him and the people He loves in East Africa. Read more about the Trumps at www.TheTrumps.orghttp://thetrumps.org/.

• Birthdays: Shauen - April 10, Krista - Jan. 29, Josiah - Dec. 19

• Wedding Anniversary: June 9

Home District: Southeastern & Nebraska

Shauen just finished his cross cultural vicarage in Uganda and after Swahili studies will return to the states for his furlough and ordination, and then return to East Africa to take up residence in Nairobi, Kenya.

Wells for Tanzania

2010-08-18T20:21:00.001-05:00

Bishop Andrew Gulle, he leader of the East of Lake Victoria dedicating a well in Mwadui Tanzania in June 2010. As the result of this well, clean water is readily available.

This well was made possible through the generosity of the Hearts of Jesus program of the Mid-South District LCMS. Wells were dug in two other locations in the East of Lake Victoria diocese. The well in Mwadui is located next to the church and in the middle of the village. So convenient.

We take water for granted here in the United states with clean fresh water is ready available just by turning a tap. In Tanzania, getting water is a major daily task for a family. In villages without wells , the women /or children will often walk miles to get the daily supply of water for the family. This water often not clean, so these wells are a blessing to the villages

Thank you.

2010 Short Term Mission Trip Update

2010-08-18T15:12:00.001-05:00

We often read about mission trips taken by others to exotic locations around the world, but this year a group from the Mid –south District got an opportunity to experience something pretty life changing. In May, our group boarded planes from Memphis and Nashville with a final destination of Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. After a short flight to Mwanza, located on the shores of Lake Victoria, and the offices of the East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD) of the Lutheran church of Tanzania. After a warm welcome by the officials of the diocese, we loaded the vehicles with Bibles and headed out on our mission adventure. We split the group with some going to the Mwadui area and the other group traveling to the town of Kahama. We were led by a pastor from the ELVD and interpreters.

A typical day started around 7AM at the church where we picked up pastors and evangelists to go with us to the designated village. Most of the villages we visited were located about an hour drive from our base and most of the roads we traveled on were either gravel or dirt but sometimes we followed a path through the bush.

When we reached a village there was always a group to greet us and show us the typical Sukuma hospitality usually with welcoming songs and refreshments. After a short time to visit with the evangelists and elders of the congregation, we started out on foot to the area to evangelize. The team was split into small groups with a pastor to lead us to the individual homes. When we arrived, we announced our arrival by calling out the word " Hodi” and instantly we were welcomed with calls of Karibu. You would see the woman of the home scurrying around to find a place for us to sit under a shade tree in the boma which is the yard around 3-5 homes. The family members would gather around to socialize. They loved to hear our voices and where we came from. We would tell them the gospel message using our flip chart or evangacube through the interpreter. We invited them to join us for the evening service and baptisms. In a few cases some wanted to be baptized immediately.

The afternoon service usually started around 4 or 5 pm with sometimes hundreds of people walking into the area where the worship was to be held, either in a church or under a shade tree. After the service and baptisms. At dark the cinema van would show an outdoor movie of the life of Jesus followed by more baptisms.

In some areas there were no churches within 30 to 40 miles of where we met. Witchcraft and traditional ancestor worship still is practiced. We met people had never heard the name of Jesus.

It was also a blessing to see how people responded to a gospel message and the name of Jesus. On our last trip 804 people were baptized by the two mission teams in a week. The partnership of the ELVD and the Mid South District is bearing much fruit. We are making plans for our trip next year. Pray about joining us.

Bob Allen Peggy Krohn

Mission coordinator Mid-south District office

rjallen@prodigy.net peggy@mid-southlcms.org

615-672-0923

Tanzanian Prayer Needs

2010-08-08T21:31:00.008-05:00

Changed from Glory into Glory
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from
the Lord, who is the Spirit
2 Corinthians 3:18

The people we meet in Tanzania have been a blessing to us. Weekly I received an email from someone we met in the ELVD. This week I received one from Christina. Christina was someone who cooked for us every day in Kahama. She took time from her work to cook two meals a day for a group of about 20 people for the entire time we were on our mission. Now, I want you to know that cooking is not on electric stoves but often over a fire in the back yard. She was a joy to be around, always a smile. She truly reflected the glory of God.
People tell me I would like to go on a Mission trip but I can’t do anything. “No special skills required”, we can use the talents God gave you. Can you hold a baby?, can you read a story to a third grade? Can you hold a hammer? Think about joining us on the trip in 2011.There you will met some the people of the Sukuma Tribe. There are still people living in this area who have not heard the name Jesus or have heard of His love for them. PRAYER:

Thank you Father, for individuals like Christina who share the talents and gifts you gave them . Thank you the chance we have to outreach with the ELVD in sharing the gospel to the people living in the diocese in Tanzania. Thank you for the thousand who have come you know your name and become part of your family. It is so easy to see Your hand and grace in this ministry to the tribes living in the area. We thank you for the partnership the Mid-South District (LCMS) has with the (ELVD) and the blessings that have resulted in this marriage.

We ask for prayers for:

o Funds to support the seminary education for the 10 men requesting to attend
o Continuing support of the partnership and expanded outreach to the Sukuma people
o For the Church Plant Ministry (CPM)
o For those congregation worshiping in churches with no roofs
o That you will allow God to use your gifts to share the Gospel
o For our plans for 2011 mission trip to Tanzania

More precious than gold or diamonds report

2010-06-28T11:50:00.001-05:00

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. Ps 19:10

We started this year’s mission trip to Tanzania in the town of Mwadui, in the distance you could see huge piles of dirt and tailings from a nearby diamond mine. There a well, next to the church, was dedicated by Bishop Gulle. This was one of three wells paid for from the offerings of hundreds of children from Schools and congregations from the Mid-South District. The trip ended at the last service at Mwendakulima in a small school room. After the service we drove to the foundation for their new church building to ask a blessing on the congregation and their new venture. This backdrop was a mile or two from piles of dirt from the new Gold Mine in Kahama.

We did not return to the USA with any Diamonds or Gold but with a sweet taste in our mouth as we recalled the many new friends we met in the small villages. We have so many pleasant memories of the hundreds of people who joined us in baptisms. Over 800 men women and children were baptized during our short stay.

A perfect testimony to David’s words in Psalms 19....... The law of the Lord is perfect restoring the soul The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple.

The needs are many but we see the obvious needs for more Pastors and evangelist. We continue to support the Mission Training Centers where the lay evangelist are trained but we also need to find a way to support those men who want to attend the seminary.
Pray for:

A Mentor for the new Christians so they can continue to grow in the Lord
Pray for the Church Plant Ministry (CPM)
Pray for the outreach of the evangelist, pastors lay members as they share the gospel
Pray that God uses your gifts to share the Gospel
Pray for continuing educational support for pastors and evangelist in the ELVD

Gift leads to consecration of Bishop for Tanzania.....

2010-06-15T08:48:00.003-05:00

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me".

Matthew 25:40

Sometimes we will not know this side of heaven what impact our words or actions will have for eternity. Even the smallest things may have long term consequences.

How many church members are active in church today because as children someone, maybe a Sunday School teacher, pastor or a neighbor ,noticed them and encouraged their faith.

Here is a true and heartwarming story. A young boy living in South Western Tanzania, a member of the Sukuma tribe, was raised with traditional beliefs which included worshipping their deceased ancestors.

One day a man transferred into their village with his work. He performed his normal daily activities but he also volunteered one hour each Friday in the public school to share his faith and beliefs to the fifth grade class students. Schools had a one hour class each week for students to have religious instruction. They had Muslim, Catholic and Protestant teachers and the students could go to whatever group they chose. The man teaching the Protestant group noticed that one student took a special interest in what he was hearing so he invited him to church to attend confirmation classes he was also teaching.

The family did not approve, but he came to church and was eventually baptized and confirmed. When the time came for this man to move away from the village he announced in church that he wanted to give a farewell gift to the church. That gift would be that he would pay for one person to go to Bible College and this young man would be the recipient of this generous gift. This education would have never been a possibly without this support.

After successfully completing Bible College this young student went on to Seminary and was ordained a Lutheran pastor. He pastored a number of places in Sukuma land. In 2009 at the age of 45, this young pastor was consecrated as Bishop of the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. This diocese is one of the fastest growing Lutheran districts in the world. Bishop Andrew Gulle shared this story of his life with us and said that he invited this man to his consecration ceremony and reported that the man cried with happiness at the event. Sometimes God allows us to see the fruits of our labor to encourage us. And even better ending to this true story is that Bishop Gulle reports that his family are now baptized believers.

The partnership of the Mid-South District and the East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD) may not seem like much by the worlds standard but it is the only pure mission outreach help the diocese receives. The number one request from the ELVD is for help to train new pastors and evangelist to spread the word to the people in the district who have not heard the gospel message. One components of Fan into Flame is funding to support Church planting ministry training help for the ELVD.

Many people feel they do not fell called to go on an actual mission trip to Tanzania but we can use our gifts and talents to support this ministry thru Fan into Flame. Our part is to be willing to offer them.

The Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda

2010-05-25T09:12:00.000-05:00

The Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda (LCMU) is about 15 years old and they've never before had as many pastors as they have right now. As we were preparing to go to Uganda for the first time, the church had only one ordained pastor. By the time we arrived in Uganda a year and a half ago, the church was served by two ordained pastors and three brand-new vicars. Today, the LCMU has five ordained Ugandan pastors and five vicars. And next month, five additional vicars will be returning from Seminary. It's a great time for the ministerial staff from across the country to start meeting together for mutual encouragement, to raise and address opportunities and challenges in the church, and to advise the LCMU Board of Directors on issues of ministry and theology.

"So, on April 9, with great joy, the LCMU convened its first ever Ministerial Conference. In attendance were four of the five ordained pastors, four of the five current vicars, and the two missionaries-Rev. Jacob Gillard and Shauen. Rev. Gillard hosted the conference at his home in Kampala. The conversation over the course of the two-day conference ranged from the assignments of the new vicars arriving next month to the strengthening of church records collected from each region, to the care and support of pastors who work in the remote parts of Uganda and are able to come together in fellowship with other pastors only a few times a year.

"Praise the Lord for the workers He has brought up in this land-and for their first ever Ministerial Conference. May this mark the beginning of a new era in the Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda."

Church at Nyangokolwa....Tanzania

2010-05-19T10:32:00.003-05:00

Nyangokolwa is located about 15 miles from Bariadi. We drove to this little village after the church service in Bariadi, some of the villager people were waiting for us under some large shade trees. The church adult choir sang and danced for us, the choir director led the group my making clicking noises to get the group in rhythm later the youth choir sang and dance. (Maybe Jodie should consider a little dance number for the Holy Trinity choir)

We all introduced ourselves and share our testimony with Pastor Mkaro preaching to this group of 100 members which seemed to grow and grow as the service went on.

After the service we divided into 3 groups- children, youth and adults. We shared Bible stories and they asked questions about America and how we live here. They were fascinated to learn how we cooked our food They told us about the church they were building, they had poured the foundation and made bricks for the walls but needed to make more. The congregation did all this work cleaning the spot, breaking rocks for the foundation, making bricks by hand. No power tools or equipment only strong backs and hoes. They told us that they did not have enough money for wood for the roof trusses or steel sheets for the roof. I gave them $200 of the to be used for the roof.. This will not be enough to finish the job but will get them started. (They will probably need $300 to $500 more)

They also asked if we could help them get Bibles as very few people have Bibles or Hymnals.

We had previously purchased bibles with part of your money and gave them to the Pastor Mkaro when we first arrived. He gave them to the confirmands. The thought this was a good way to get them into the hands of all the family groups.

They also asked if we could help with their Medical care problems. There are 200,000 people living in 5 area villages area who have no medical care within 15 miles of here homes. If someone is ill they have to walk or ride their bike the 15 miles into Bariadi to he hospital.

We also gave some money to the LWML group of the village. They needed money for a large iron grill to cook for their fund raisers, they needed some dishes and pots to keep food warm

I also gave part of the Holy Trinity offering to the area evangelist to buy a bike. Emmanuel Mboje, the Church Planting Coordinator, walks from area to area sharing the gospel story. He often walks 10 to 30 miles a day. I thought the bike would be helpful.

Later in the evening we showed them the story of Jesus from gospel of Luke. We had rented a projector, DVD player and generator because the Diocese video van is no longer working. The truck is old, they use an old 16 mm projector that broke constantly and it is hard to find 16mm movies.

The People in the Village loved the movie; it is so easy for them to relate to the life of Jesus because the way of life show in the movies is so similar to their lives. After the movie over 100 people made a profession of faith.

This movie ministry is so effective we much find a way to keep this ministry.

I will attach a few pictures. Please keep the congregation of Nyangokolwa in your prayers. (pronounced ny an go col wa)

We made plans with the Diocese officials to have another mid-south district mission trip next year on an island in Lake Victoria. The island is ukerewe

Is about 25 miles north of Mwanza in lake Victoria. It is approximately 300 sq miles.

We are planning an outreach to the various congregations on the island

We will conduct a children’s program (vacation bible school)

And we are looking for people who are handy with a hammer to help us put sheet metal on some churches roofs.

A month in Tanzania....a report from Cliff Herd

2010-05-15T08:02:00.001-05:00

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Here am I
Isaiah 6:8

Cliff and Nancy Herd, members at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chattanooga, have returned from a 4 week mission trip to the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Lutheran church of Tanzania in Mwanza, Tanzania. Cliff is a retired pastor (pastor emeritus) in the Mid-South District taught two courses (New Testament & Church History) to 34 men who were preparing to serve as deacons. This diocese is experiencing tremendous growth and there are only about 80 pastors to serve over 70,000 members.

Lay evangelists received 3 months of training and were commissioned as deacons to serve in Word & Sacrament ministry. Many of them have 4-5 congregations with one serving 8 congregations. Nancy and Cliff were honored to participate in the Palm Sunday service commissioning the deacons. It was a 5 ½ hour long service as the Bishop commissioned each deacon personally. It was most inspiring with 5 different choirs from area churches. Cliff had previously returned to the USA in November, 2009 from Indonesia. There he taught a 4 week intensive course on the Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord) to 8 pastors who were chosen for their leadership skills and training as future leaders in their church body, Batok Lutheran Church of Indonesia.

Your God given gifts can also be used in Tanzania

Nancy Herd...report from her month in Tanzania....

2010-05-13T08:15:00.002-05:00

Open my eyes Lord...I want to see Jesus....

Nancy Herd, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chattanooga, recently accompanied her husband Cliff, on a month long trip to Tanzania. While he was teaching a deacon class she worked at Nakato Clinic run by International Health Partners of TZ a partner of the East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD) .

Nancy was given the task of sorting over 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses that had arrived in many boxes via a large shipping container. She classified them according to male/female designs and by lens strength. She used discarded cardboard boxes and arranged them so they could be easily dispensed.

She tested the vision of all the deacons and their wives and also saw another 200 people that came to the health center from the village. Nancy brought a set of 5 “flippers” for vision testing and trained a nurse who works full time at the health center to use the “flippers” and dispense the glasses.

“This was a most rewarding mission trip as we both felt we were serving our Lord and helping make more and better disciples for Jesus. What a blessing to serve in this area of East Africa and see how the Lord is growing His Church,” said Pastor Herd.

God can also use your gifts and talents in Tanzania. Contact the District office to find out how your talents could be used.

Tanzanian prayer needs and upcoming trip 2010

2010-05-02T19:16:00.008-05:00

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

Four weeks from today the Tanzania Mission Group will be leaving for our trip of a life time to Tanzania. We ask you prayers for us as we travel and as we reach out to the Sukuma People in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. We plan to reach out to the area of Mwadui and Kahama 3 to 6 hours south and east of Mwanza.

Africa is a huge continent that is almost 3 times larger than the USA.

Tanzania has a total area of 364,900 square miles, it is slightly larger than twice the size of California. Tanzania is located on central east side of the Continent.

We ask that you pray that God uses our word and actions to bless those we contact. We ask that you pray for the hearts of those hearing the words be touched and drawn to Christ our Savior. Consider making The ministry of the ELVD a priority in your giving outreach.

The mission group, from Memphis Mike, Cindy, Cathleen and Cassie Jurgensen, Kirk Neugebauer, Steve Owens, From Arkansas, Laurie Gent, from Middle Tennessee, Tom and Naomi Bolt, Bob And Susie Allen

Pray for the continuing work of the Pastor and evangelist in the ELVD
Pray for the Church Planting Ministry (CPM) in the ELVD
Pray for the district mission trip to Tanzania in June of 2010
Pray for hearts to be stirred

Check out our new missions blog. www.lcmsmidsouthdistrictmissions.blogspot.com

Bibi Marge report from Bariadi

2009-07-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

Marge Beam, John Janssen and Karol Rader from Jackson Center, OH visited Bariadi in May 2009. This was Karol ‘s first trip, and John’s second trip with Marge her 7th trip. We saw much progress since our trip in '07. The three of us stayed in the orphanage and it was very comfortable. We discussed the opening of the orphanage for the children and hopefully it will open in October of this year. There are a number of things which need to be purchased for the orphanage. Cupboards need to be built for children to store their belongings. They need dishes, pots and pans and cooking vessels for the kitchen.

When we arrived in Bariadi, what a surprise to see the lawn so green and slowers growing along the walk ways. It was beautiful. They had had quite a bit of rain to make this possible.

On Friday our second day there we went to Luguru to dedicate the church there. This church building was started several years ago and finally they had enough money to put on the roof. They will have worship there each week even though they still need floor and benches. The church was full of people for the dedication and will continue to grow.

On Saturday we went to 3 sub-parishes. The first was in a very small church building which they have built making their own bricks. It was full of people and still growing week by week. The children recited the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The evangelists in the sub-parishes are taught by Pastor Mkaro on how to work with the people and children. Pastor Mkaro goes to the sub-parishes periodically to baptize and give communion as it is not possible for Pastor Mkaro to go each week. He has 10 sub-parishes. Bishop Gulle was with us and gave Bibles and mosquito nets to the people in the sub-parishes. The Bibles and nets were provided by Bob Allen from Tennessee. The people in this parish insisted we eat before we leave. So we did, delicious chicken, rice and soda.

The seconc sub-parish was waiting for us at their unfinished church building. They have foundation and part of the walls up several feet. They still come there to worship each Sunday. The children sang and again recited the books of the Bible. Pastor Mkaro inttroducred a young boy about 9 or 10 who had been coming and singing in the choir. One Sunday he brought his mother to church and after attending the servicre decided she needed to join the church. Pastor Mkaro said this boy is and "evangelist". Bibles and nets were given to some of these people as well.

We arrived at the 3rd parish about 3 o'clock and they had been waiting for us since 10 o'clock. They have land for their church but do not have a buioding started yet. They meet under a tree. Pastor Mkaro introduced the council of the church as he had done in the other parishes. The same procedure here as in the other parishes. What a blessing to see so many people come to worship anytime during the day or week. They are a very happy people because they have the love of Jesus in their hearts.

On Sunday Pastor Mkaro was installed as District Pastor of Bariadi and the sub-parishes. This increases his load but does not increase his salary. Pray for him as he takes on the task of having thousands of people to shepherd.

For three days in Bariadi they had a Sunday School Seminar. Teachers came from sub-parishes as well as Bariadi to learn how to teach Sunday school. Karol from US taught them two songs in English. They loved it and wanted to sing the songs over and over. Marge gave a Bible story. She told them they had a very important service of teaching the children about Jesus.

The women of Bariadi church has organized a group call Pambazuko Women's Group to offer assistance to widows and orphans. At this time they have 40 orphans they work with giving them food, clothing and school supplies. Once a month they invite the children to Bariadi and provide a meal for them. They invited the children to Bariadi and provided a meal for them. The children were there while we were there. We gave them a cross necklace, pencils and beanie babies which came from someone in US who gave away their collection. The ladies also help young girl orphans to sew. They have two pedal sewing machines and the girls can make things to sell to make money for themselves.

One more story----- An older gentleman lost his wife through death in October. He was having a difficult time dealing with her death. The people of Bariadi Church came to his rescue. They helped during his mourning time. After a time he gave his heart to Jesus with the help of Pastor Mkaro and the Holy Spirit. Not only did he receive Christ but the rest of his family did also. Because of this a church as started and now since October they have 200 members and still growing.

Pray for all the work going on in Bariadi and May God continue to bless these people.

Casting Our Nets in Tanzania

2009-06-29T16:38:00.003-05:00

Luke 5:4 Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch
Casting our nets in Tanzania……… This year’s Mid-South District mission trip took us to Ukerewe Island.

Ukerewe is the largest island in Lake Victoria, it is approximately 25 miles long and 10 miles wide with an area of about 200 square miles locate just (25 nautical miles) north of Mwanza It is linked by two ferry boats that carry everything that goes to or comes from the island. Each day at 8 and 8:30 the ferry boats leave the harbor in Nansio and head south to Mwanza. The arrival and departure of the ferry’s is a big event in the Nansio, the main town on Ukerewe. The road to the boat dock is lined with people selling all sorts of items, trucks loaded with product to ship are loaded on the ferrys.
The shoreline of Ukerewe Island is carved into numerous bays and it is surrounded by at least a dozen smaller islands. Each morning and evenings the shoreline on these little bays are covered with people coming to get water and to bathe. Each night the island is surrounded by hundreds of fishing boats lit by a lantern.
Fishing is an important industry in Ukerewe District and a lot of fishing boats, as well as canoes and traditional dhows, can be seen plying the narrow waters between the many smaller islands and villages. Ukerewe Island is a rocky island with small hills. The landscape varies between flat land, cassava and rice fields, plantations, rocks, rocky and sandy shores, and beautiful lakeshore. Most of the 150,000 inhabitants are living in the many traditional villages scattered around the island.
Petro Nakembetwa is the district pastor and MTC coordinator for Ukerewe Island and is located in Nansio. He pastors the congregation in Nansio as well as preaching regularly at each of the 13 sub-congregations with a Deacon and Evangelist. Once a month the 13 evangelists come to Nansio for 2 or 3 days for the monthly training. The MTC students are Sospeter Mafuru, Rovocautus Mwinula, Leonard Deogratius, Elisha Kamiali, Joyce Lwabuti, Emmanuel Kamalamo, Tito Makaranga, Alex Mkyama, Osward Manyaski, Winlight Kirenga, Eliasi Mchele, James Daudi, Christopher Terguli,
Each day we left our little motel in Nansio early to head out to a small village and the new congregation. The main road out of Nansio was tar and gravel for about 5 miles then it turned into a dirt road. We arrived at the villages each day with a great greeting from the congregation. We usually had a meeting where we signed their guest book and introduced ourselves. We then divided into teams to go out to individual homes to talk and share the gospel message. We invited the family to the church service and the movie.
We went back to the meeting area to prepare for the service. The meeting area could be under a Mango tree or in a government building of some sort. In the late afternoon, we had a worship service of singing, preaching and baptisms.
We would then eat dinner and wait for darkness when we could show the movie, (The Life of Christ) and have more baptisms.
We left the island with many new friends after preaching to over 2000 and visiting the homes of over 70 families and 489 were baptized.

We left seized with amazement over the catch that had been taken. Luke 5:9

Bishop Gulle

2009-05-04T21:17:00.003-05:00

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Philippians 4:20

New Bishop in Tanzania
“Our Missionary in East Africa” Claude Houge and Africa Regional Director Dr. Mike Rodewald were able to be actively involved in the consecration of Bishop Andrew Gulle and Assistant Bishop Emmanuel Makala. Both men are our friends and previous leaders of the Mission Training Program in East of Lake Victoria Diocese, so we are happy to have leaders who are already good friends with LCMS World Mission.
We are leaving for Tanzania on May 17 to spent time with Bishop Gulle and Assistant Bishop Makala.

Trip to Viet Nam

2009-03-19T10:57:00.002-05:00

For the sixth time in more than 10 years, a group of members from Bella Vista Lutheran Church of Bella Vista, Ark. visited Vietnam from February 8-19, led by retired pastor Ron Pfluger.

In addition to such yearly activities as visiting LCMS World Mission project sites in Phu Tho province and universities in Hanoi and Phu Tho where LCMS volunteers teach English, the Bella Vista group brought with them four eyeglass kits as gifts for the elderly in two communes of Phu Tho province. These elderly people are no longer able to read, sew, and do precise work solely because they cannot afford to buy reading glasses.

The eyeglass kits are a project of a Humanitarian Initiative of Rotary District 6110. Each eyeglass kit contains the tools, parts and instructions to make 314 pairs of reading glasses. However, a question arose: how were these eyeglasses going to be tested, constructed, and sent to those in need?

As always, the Lord provided an answer!

The health officials in health stations built or upgraded with the support of LCMS World Mission at the designated communes will do the eye testing, note what strengths of glasses are needed, and send the “orders” on to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). Volunteers will then make the glasses to fill the orders. These volunteers are retired friends of the LCMS-NIN project manager. The manager visited several projects in Arkansas where work was being done by retired people and noticed that this volunteer work gave immeasurable purpose, meaning and fulfillment to these volunteers’ lives, but also those whom they serve.

As a result, not only will the recipients of the glasses be able to read again, but the retired volunteers will gain a sense of purpose as well as an opportunity to provide meaningful service for others.

“It was a thrill to see the smiles on the faces of those who received glasses at the two communes we visited in Phu Tho province. One elderly man with tears running down his cheek even gave me a hug. The people who didn’t receive glasses that day carried big smiles on their faces because they knew their glasses would be coming soon.” –Pastor Ron Pfluger

Will you come?

2009-03-07T11:20:00.000-06:00

WE ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS, AND SO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.
-- ACTS 5:32

Susie and I are anxious to again see the working of the Holy Spirit touch peoples lives in the ELVD. We are tentatively leaving the USA on may 17 for Tanzania. Three of us from this area will meet up with 3 more folks in Detroit.
I have heard from some of you who cannot go this year. If you are thinking about it and have not committed, give it some thought and get back to me this week.

Close your eyes and picture 10, 20 or 100 Sukuma people lined up to be baptized.

VERSE:
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
-- Acts 5:32

THOUGHT:
Of all the many gifts God gives, the gift of his presence in us through his Holy Spirit is among the most precious. The Spirit's presence makes us God's temple (1 Cor. 6:19). The Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God when we pray (Rom. 8:26-27).
The Spirit helps us overcome the pull of our flesh (Rom. 8:13-14).
The Spirit gives us strength in our inner being (Eph. 3:16). In other words, the Spirit is at work to transform us to the character of Christ. Let's thank God for his holy presence in us through the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER:
Father, thank you so much for your Holy Spirit who even now is interceding for me as I pray. Please strengthen me through your Spirit as I seek to live a holy life dedicated to you. Dear Father, it is my heart's desire for you to transform me by your Spirit to be more like your Son in character and compassion. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Mungu awabariki

2009-03-01T14:40:00.002-06:00

We visited the villages of Lyalu, Nyangokolwa, Ngulyati, Gambosi, and Sanungu. All of these are the sub-congregations of Pastor Mkaro and are ministered to mainly by resident evangelists that were trained by the Diocese. We baptized people in each village we visited.

With the combined team’s donations that we brought with us, we were able to purchase 113 Lutheran Hymnals, 180 Bibles, 167 mosquito nets, $200 each to 4 congregations to put towards roofs for the churches they are building, $200 to the women’s group of Nyangokolwa for various pots, dishes, and cooking rings for food preparation for large groups, $100 for a new tire for Pastor Mkaro’s motorbike, and $70 towards a new bike that was stolen from an evangelist while he was working with us.

I was able to share so many things (Bible stories, songs, crafts) with the many new friends I made and also learned many things (Sukuma & Masai culture, hospitality, and joy in the Lord). We are so much alike and at the same time so different.
Come and join us on this year’s trip. In May or June

Praise and thanksgiving to our God who has done marvelous things!!!!!!!!

Mungu awabariki(God bless you),

2009-02-25T15:12:00.002-06:00

Age is no barrier….

Martha Fetting, Hot Springs, Arkansas resident and member of, First Lutheran Church has a gift. She knits/crochets beautiful hats. She is 85 years young and has not forgotten the lessons learned living through the war. She is a very frugal person and instead of buying new balls of yarn prefers to use odds and ends of yarn left over from other projects to make hats. She has made over 1000 hats and they have found their way to hospitals, to the less fortunate, to California and Afghanistan. Now they will likely be Tanzania where they will be a “hot commodity” with the adults and children in the villages. The next mission trip will find members gladly making room in their luggage to carry these colorful hats to the Sukuma people. What a treat they will be! The people, in this country right under the equator, love to have anything western and will cherish the brightly colored hats
Mrs. Fetting is very modest but her talents lie not only with knitting. She speaks five languages having been born in Lithuania. She was often called to the local hospital to help with translation to non-English speaking patients. What an example of using her senior years to continue to bless others with her talent to benefit people around the world.

Nyakato

2009-02-23T07:52:00.002-06:00

Nyakato, Tanzania! Is a place of great hope in the Mwanza area and in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese? Denny and Paula Lofstron have done such a great job in creating interest in providing health services to the people in the Nykato area. They have been great in sharing their enthusiasm with Church in the United States. As a result congregations in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota and other states have raised funds, shipped building material, and built medical clinics, isolation hospitals, and birthing hospitals. What a great story!

The clinic continues to grow as they are seeing 60 - 100 patients a day. They see more when special teams come and it seems that there are always special teams from such locations as Germany, Norway, The United States and more. Their goal is to give quality efficient care and it means being involved with every part of the process of seeing patients from chairs, water, charts, labs etc. It is a complex process but its reputation is growing every day. People are starting to come from far away as well as our own neighborhood. And we still strive to provide this care at low cost. To see the doctor is the equivalent of about $1.30, and we help out those who cannot afford that.

They are looking forward to starting the maternal child health unit...seeing moms to be, new moms and babies. They will start out slowly but everyone tells them they will be flooded as soon as the Bogumil birthing center is finished.

This week will see the beginning of the building of the eye center. The crew is starting to finish the inside walls of the birthing center with the rough concrete. Plastering will come next, and then finishing when the team from One Community Spiritual Center (formerly Christ Church Unity) in Kansas City arrives in June. Consider being part of this ministry. Contact me if you have an interest in a trip in 2009.

Mwamanyuda

2009-02-19T08:10:00.002-06:00

Colossians 1:9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

Mwamanyuda

She loved him so much, daily she prayed for him to become a Christian so they could share their life together not only in this small village but also in eternity. Finally, after years of prayers, pleading and encouragement the Holy Spirit sparked a flame in his heart. He was baptized. He started a bible study with other local men and the prayers of this wife that he be filled with wisdom and understanding led to the church in Mwamanyuda.
The church was not finished, in fact, it was only 4 walls. The people had been working hard for the last year. The year before 200 were baptized and the congregation leveled the spot where the church would be. They hauled in stones for the foundation and began making bricks by hand. The bricks were baked on the building site and the walls were begun. We were meeting inside the walls to celebrate the church building.
The pastor preached to the people sitting in the hot sun and asked for those to be baptized to come forward. That day three lines of people came to be baptized and 280 new members were added to the congregation. It started with one woman praying.....the spark and then the flames......there is no apathy in Tanzania for the gospel.

The Proclaimer

2009-01-26T21:00:00.001-06:00

The Proclaimer is an audio player that allows people in countries all over the world to experience God’s Word in their own language. This remarkable creation contains a specially engineered speaker system, designed to let groups of up to 300 people listen to the audio Bible together. The digital quality creates a clear, audible sound without any distortion.
Nearly indestructible, the player is able to stand up to harsh climates and does not require any cassette tapes or CDs. Instead, the New Testament is recorded in the selected language, and then programmed on a microchip, which is embedded in the player. This microchip cannot be erased and will not wear out from frequent playing.
Many areas of the world have little or no access to electricity. The Proclaimer was created with solutions to this challenge. It can be charged from multiple power sources: solar, the dynamo hand-crank, or the AC/DC charger. It can also run on its rechargeable battery, which plays for 15 hours. The solar panel can be used to recharge the battery, creating opportunities for the entire New Testament to be played repeatedly. The compact size of the Proclaimer makes it possible to reach remote villages and secluded areas of the world with God’s Word. Its convenience and portability make it ideal for use in schools and churches.
(How does the Proclaimer work?)
An installed microchip contains Scriptures in the heart language; the chip will not erase or wear out from frequent playing. The battery will play for 15 hours and can be recharged enough times to play the entire New Testament more than 1,000 times. The Proclaimer has a built-in generator and solar panel to charge the battery. The solar panel, in addition to charging the battery, will run the Proclaimer even without battery power as long as there is sunlight.The sound is digital quality and loud enough to be heard clearly by groups as large as 300.
Quoting a well-known TV personality: “The Proclaimer is self-powered and can play the Bible in the jungle, desert or … even on the moon! ”

The Proclaimer sees to be the ideal tool for sharing the gospel messages in the villages of Tanzania. I envision an evangelist or pastor leaving the Proclaimer with a family group or small village for them to listen to and returning in a few days answer questions and share additional information. I you would like you purchase a proclaimer for the ELVD (east of lake Victoria diocese) send your check for $125 to the Mid-south district LCMS 1675 Wynne Rd Cordova, TN 38016 with the notation Proclaimer. We will see that Proclaimers are purchased and distributed.

New Bishop of Tanzania

2009-01-24T16:26:00.002-06:00

Bishop-elect Andrew Petro Gulle of East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) is among more than 200 scholars who graduated at a colourful ceremony held by the ELCT Tumaini University- Makumira University College (MUCo) on November 15, 2008.

Thousands of people turned up for the 12th Graduation ceremony in which the ELCT Presiding Bishop, the Chancellor of Tumaini University, conferred degrees. Two students obtained PhD; 36 were bestowed Bachelor of Divinity in Theology; 53 students got Bachelor of Education with specialization in Languages; 93 students were awarded Laws Degree; 20 students including Rev. Gulle were awarded a Master of Theology Degree.

Rev. Gulle (45) has been a pastor in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese from May 26, 1996 having studied theology from 1991 -1995 at the then Makumira Lutheran Theological College. He re-joined MUCo for a Bachelor of Divinity from 2000 to 2004.

He served the Diocese in various capacities in Mwanza and Shinyanga Regions including being Parish Pastor in Imalaseko (Mwanza), Kahama, Mwadui (Shinyanga) and Sengerema (Mwanza) Parishes. He had been Bible knowledge teacher at Mwadui Lutheran Secondary School as well as being a coordinator of mission and training centres in the diocese.

Before his new position Rev. Gulle was Parish Pastor of Sengerema in Mwanza Region between July 15 and September 27, this year.

During the 10th General Assembly of the Diocese held in Bariadi, Shinyanga Region on 27th September, this year he was elected to lead the East of Lake Victoria Diocese to replace the late Bishop Nehemia Bomani who died last year. At the General Assembly of the Rev. Emmanuel Makala was elected Assistant to the Bishop

Ethiopia from Claude and Rhonda Houge, missionaries

2008-12-13T21:33:00.002-06:00

From Claude and Rhoda Houge, on assignment in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) is made up of almost five million members. Their church is divided into synods, or districts. This was Claude’s first visit to the headquarters of the Central Ethiopian Synod, the largest one. He was also able to see classes in session at Hope of Life Training Center, where there is a two-year program for training evangelists for the church. Their buildings are overcrowded, which is a good problem since that means many people are being trained. But, it is also a challenge for this school.

“Claude had not been to Gambella in western Ethiopia for some time, so he was glad for the opportunity to meet with church leaders there. There are many Sudanese in this area, because of refugee camps, but many are starting to move back to Sudan. Besides discussions with church leaders and EECMY synodical leadership in that area, Claude enjoyed Sunday morning worship with more than 1,000 people. He was also able to give the church 144 Nuer-language Bibles for distribution into areas of Sudan where the church is being planted.

“After returning to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, Claude went to Awassa, about five hours south, and visited the leadership at a Tabor congregation. These people are serious about outreach, and the LCMS has helped support Mission Training Centers in this area. They have planted more than 20 churches in an area that is heavily Muslim. Their main church is very large, and they are in the process of building a bigger building (without asking for financial help from our mission).”

2008-12-12T09:03:00.002-06:00

By Pastor John D Juhl

Lutherans for Life

Fully Human From Conception

Month 0

At the moment of conception a unique human being begins his or her earthly existence. Only one cell, yet fully human, with a unique set of DNA. This is how our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world.

While His conception was unique from all other humans, Jesus was fully human, beginning as one cell, just like each of us. He found His first earthly home in the safety of Mary’s womb for about nine months. See Matthew 1:18

Month 1

During this first amazing month of human life, Jesus grew to 10,000 times His size at conception. He was totally dependent on His mother just as every other human being at this stage of life. By week three, the Savior’s heart had begun to pump the blood which would one day be shed for the sins of the world.

Matthew 1:20b, 21

Months 2 and 3

Now a fetus (Latin for little one) the rapidly developing body of Jesus has teeth, fingers, toes and a functioning central nervous system. His ears, lips, and tongue can be clearly seen. By eight weeks all body systems are present.

John 1:14 and John 20:26b, 27

Month 4 and 5

Jesus’ brain has begun maturing-a process that will continue until He is about 14 years old. REMs (rapid eye movements) have begun-a sign of dreaming. Fine hair has begun to grow on His head along with eyebrows and eyelashes. Nutrients consumed by His mother, Mary, are passed on to nourish Jesus’ body within an hour or two. Three hundred quarts (75 gallons) of fluid a day are sent through His umbilical cord.

John 4:13, 14 and Luke 2:41, 42, 44

Month 6 and 7

Oil and sweat glands are functioning: these help regulate body temperature. Baby Jesus can now respond to sound. His lungs are fairly well developed. Babies born at this stage of development today are often able to survive.

Luke 1:35-37 and Luke1:46, 47, 50

Month 8

Baby Jesus is developing a layer of fat that will keep Him warm after He is born. In the ninth month He will shift to a head down position, preparing for birth. His lungs are now fully developed and capable of making the transition to breathing air. After birth, Jesus will continue the human growth process for many years to come.

Luke 2:4-5

Month 9

“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manager”

Luke 2:10-12

Piki Piki Preachers

2008-11-27T09:38:00.005-06:00

Motorbike Preachers

Pastor Amos Klimba a pastor with multiple congregations in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese is visiting the congregation of Nyamigamba in the Mwanza District of Tanzania . Piki Piki, the Swahili word for motorbike, is the main means of transportation for those pastors fortunate enough to have a Piki Piki.

It is hard for us in the United States to understand the difficulties of travel in other countries because we can easily drive anywhere at any time with one of our family vehicles. However, travel within the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELVD) can be tough at times and extremely tough during the rainy season. The ELVD is spread over a large area of Tanzania located primarily east and south of Lake Victoria. The land area of the diocese is similar in size as the area of the combined states of Tennessee and Arkansas. The size of the area is one travel issue but the other issue is the roads that must be traveled. The ELVD is reaching out to approximately 8 million Sukuma tribes’ people in this area with 40 ordained pastors assisted by a number of evangelists. Approximately 20 % of this population is non- Christian which means there is lots of work to do.

Many of these parish pastors have a home congregation and 8 to 13 sub parishes in the areas adjacent to their home congregations. Serving these sub parishes is very difficult and time consuming. The parish pastor in Barida has a congregation and 11 sub-congregation and the pastor in Sengrema has 10 sub-parishes. Some of the congregations are more than 40 miles away from their home church. It is difficult to serve each parish in normal times but in the rainy season it is almost impossible. An hour commute in the dry season can be a 3 hour trip on motorbike during the rainy season. Just imagine planning for an 8 am worship service in Bariadi and an 11 am service at a church at the other edge of the district. You might arrive at 11 or at 2.

The pastors may travel between these villages by walking, by bicycle or a motorbike. Often the evangelists walk between 20 to 25 miles a day to villages to share the message of Salvation. The travel between villages takes up much of their time.

The Mid-South District LCMS has help to support transportation issues during the last few years but we need to continue to help provide pastors and evangelist with transportation help so they can effectively serve those in their districts. This help includes motorbikes and bicycles and upkeep (money for tires and supplies) to they can keep them running. Think about how your congregation can support the transportation of the Pastors and Evangelists in the ELVD.

Bob Allen

Mid-South District

World Mission Coordinator

615-672-0923

rjallen@prodigy.net

I love to tell the story part two

2008-11-17T17:32:00.001-06:00

I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in Glory,

To tell the old, old, story of Jesus and His Love.

Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus Calms the Storm, and the Holy Spirit Descends Like a Dove

Gambosi

After a long, bumpy, dusty, one hour drive from Bariadi we entered Gambosi and were greeted by a group of about 50 children(and 1 very tall evangelist) running toward our vehicle waving tree branches and singing! I can’t remember EVER being greeted like that anywhere!! We got out of the truck and joined them as they led us to our meeting place under a tree on the edge of town. We were given the usual “places” of honor, chairs, and proceeded to introduce ourselves. Behind us there were several men from the village who were not as “happy” to see us as the children were. One man was drunk and they were making unkind remarks as we talked. Pastor Mkaro and the evangelist were a little concerned and tried to get the men to stop. We continued on.

My partner Francie, Mimii our interpreter, and myself gathered the children and we moved to a place apart from the adults to share our message with them. We must have told 5 Bible stories(they loved it) and sang and taught them several songs. It was a little tricky in the beginning because our English was translated into Swahili by Mimii then the Swahili translated into Sukuma by a village boy. You had to use short, simple sentences. Well, who do you think was sitting on a rock behind the group of children? The drunken man who was making lewd comments! Except this time, he was quiet, calm, and listening to the stories we told. Because Gambosi was in an area where much witchcraft was practiced, Pastor Mkaro did not want us to stay after dark for the showing of the Jesus movie. We were taken back to Baradi and Pastor Mkaro stayed with the evangelist.

The next morning at breakfast, Pastor Mkaro told us that the drunken man who caused so much trouble wanted to repent and be baptized. Praise the Lord!!

Mungu awabariki(God bless you)

Nancy Allen

“Let me tell you what he has done for me”

Psalm 66:16

I Love to tell the Story

2008-11-17T17:29:00.002-06:00

Let me tell you what He has done for me.” – Psalm 66:16

I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story; ‘tis pleasant to repeat

What seems each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet

I love to tell the story for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I bring you greetings from our host congregation of Bariadi Lutheran Church in Tanzania and their pastor, Rev. Harold Mikaro. It was a very busy week for our team and the Holy Spirit was present everywhere we went. I have many stories that I’ll be sharing with you in future articles but I wanted to use this month to give some stats about what was accomplished.

We visited the villages of Lyaul, Nyangokola, Ngulyati, Gambosi, and Sanugu. All of these are the sub-congregations of Pastor Mkaro and are ministered to mainly by resident evangelists that were trained by the Diocese.

With the combined team’s donations that we brought with us, we were able to purchase 113 Lutheran Hymnals, 180 Bibles, 167 mosquito nets, $200 each to 4 congregations to put towards roofs for the churches they are building, $200 to the women’s group of Nyangokoloa for various pots, dishes, and cooking rings for food preparation for large groups, $100 for a new tire for Pastor Mkaro’s motorbike, and $70 towards a new bike that was stolen from an evangelist while he was working with us. We baptized over 150 people (I’ll have to get the exact number to you later).

I was able to share so many things(Bible stories, songs, crafts)with the many new friends I made and also learned many things(Sukuma & Masai culture, hospitality, joy in the Lord). We are so much alike and at the same time so different.

Praise and thanksgiving to our God who has done marvelous things!!!!!!!!

Mungu awabariki(God bless you),

Nancy Allen

Pastor Brandt's Robes

2008-10-17T16:08:00.002-05:00

KUITWA NI KUTUWA is the Swahili phase that means To be Called is to be Sent. In June a group of eight members of congregations in the Mid-south district Lutheran Church Missouri Synod went on a 10 day mission trip to Tanzania. Only one in the group was a formally called, the rest of us were individuals who felt a desire to visit Tanzania and see how we could help in ministering to the Sukuma Tribe. The Mid-South District has worked in partnership with the East of lake Victoria diocese for the last 3 or 4 years and recently began a Church Plant ministry with a goal to reach 1 million Sukuma tribes people in the next 10 years.

The team was divided into two groups. A medical team that worked with the medical clinic in Mwanza and looked into the AIDS issue in Tanzania. The second group went into the villages and into the home of Sukuma people in the district of Sengerema. We accepted the warm hospitality offered and shared a simple gospel message with those individuals we met. During this short time in Sengerema we baptized 667 men, women and children. We have many stories to tell you about our visit, one of these is about Pastor Brandt’s robes.

Pastor Rudy Brandt served the Lord for sixty years in the ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Although he retired as a full time pastor at Holy Trinity in Bowling Green he continued to serve area congregations as a fill in pastor. He help start up congregations throughout the area, was successful in calling on the sick and shut-ins, and was a great Bible study leader. In fact, he continued to lead these classes until just a few months before he passed away when he became too weak to teach, but he still made sure we had the right material and gave us direction how to proceed without him.

The writer Os Guinness; says” we are called to be before we are called to do and our calling both to be and do is fulfilled only in being called to Christ.”
Although Pastor Brandt took his final call in 2006 to be with the Father his robes and stoles are still serving the Lord in Tanzania. Just before the mission trip left the US, Joyce Brandt, Pastors wife donated them to be used in Tanzania. In the attached photos , Pastor Yohana Nzelu, is shown wearing Pastor Brandt’s robe, Pastor Ernest Ambarang’u, and Ezrom Ng’weshemi are shown with two of the donated stoles. A number of other stoles were given to Bishop Bomani to be given to needy pastors in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese.

Pastor Yohana is a man cut from the same cloth as Pastor Brandt. He shepards the Church in Sengerema but also serves 14 other sub parishes. Each Sunday, he preaches at three churches that are reached via a two-and-a-halfhour motorbike ride over roads we would consider too rough for travel.The smiles on their faces tell the story as they proudly pose for pictures. Upon receiving the stoles,broke into a song of praise about “BaBa,” which means Father.
This gift is an example of a way that we in the Mid-South District can support the church in Tanzania. To accomplish our goal to reach out to 1 million Sukuma people in the next 10 years, we need support. Each gift, large or small, means salvation for a Tanzanian brother or sister.
We can report that there is no apathy in the church in Tanzania. During our time in these villages we saw people eager for the message,asking for Bibles as opposed to material things.Hunger for the Word is strong but it is difficult for
these people to purchase anything but essentials. The typical family income is $1 per day. Bibles in the Sukuma and Swahili language cost $6 each. Motorcycles are $3,000, plus another $1,500 for tires and fuel.
Please pray about what God would have you do to reach these people.

The Tale of Two Mission Trips

2008-10-13T13:05:00.004-05:00

By John Hall

First allow me to explain who we are. Our group is called Trinity/HOPE and our purpose is to raise funds and administer programs which provide a noon meal for the hungry and malnourished children who attend our schools in

Haiti

. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year we were providing a daily meal of beans, rice and a sauce to over 8000 children, teachers and cooks in 52 schools and are looking forward to being a blessing to these and others in the coming year. But this article is about two mission trips to Central Plateau which is one of the poorest areas of

Haiti

; the people there regularly buy and eat dirt cakes just to reduce the hunger pangs. (Picture—Caption—Dirt cakes being prepared for sale in the markets.)

We had attempted to start programs in this area before but for several reasons: funding, commitment of the local leadership, availability of the internet necessary for electronic fund transfers, email communications, etc. had all been factors in not being able to do so. In March of 2007 Alan Honea and I went to this area with one expressed purpose: To determine “once and for all” if we could start programs here, should continue to consider it as a viable area for the future or simply remove it from our list of areas to be considered.

When we arrived at the Lutheran School in Thomassique we found that internet service to the area had been established and the local leadership was now committed. But the real story was the children. We went from school room to school room and observed signs of malnutrition everywhere, children with vacant stares, thin emaciated bodies, rust colored hair and such a lack of energy and hunger that the children often slept or just silently cried. (Picture—Caption—Hungry and hurting children.)

But we also found these poor, improvised children had great faith. They had been told that the schools in the area were being considered for possible feeding programs. If they were to get one in the future that the parents and community would be expected to furnish the kettles, bowls for cooking and serving the food and water and wood for the food’s preparation. We were amazed to see that these children were coming to school carrying sticks of wood.

Alan and I looked at each other and we both thought of Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” We knew these children were going to be fed. We came home and Trinity/HOPE started raising the additional $40,000 needed to feed the four Lutheran Schools in the area. By the time school started, we had raised $21,000, trusted God for the remainder and started feeding the children. God not only blessed us with the funds needed; He provided enough so a fifth school could be added during the school year.

In March of 2008 Frankie Coleman and I returned. What a difference. All signs of malnutrition were gone. In fact the four schools had been a part of a Body Mass Index study by Bunny Pozehl, Ph.D. on our board of directors with some amazing results. At the beginning of the school year 40% of the children 4-6 year old were in the “at risk” percentile. After ten months of school and the daily meal provided by our feeding programs, the number of “at risk” children as determined by BMI had been reduced to approximately 10%. This is an awesome physical impact. (Picture—Caption—Healthy children enjoying their noon meal.)

The spiritual impact is fully as impressive. Our churches and their schools are doing an incredible job of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to their communities in Haiti. And while only 35% of the population in Haiti is Christian, about 90 to 95% of the children in our schools believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and they tell us that now 60 to 70% of their parents do as well.

This is not only a tale of two trips; it is a story of changed lives. We thank those of you who are already supporters of our work to feed and FEED the children and invite those who are not yet a part to become involved. 100% of all funds we receive go to feed the children. Trinity/HOPE, 2366 Cairo Bend Road, Lebanon, TN.

Tanzania Mission Trip 2008

2008-09-09T17:35:00.001-05:00

Nine people from the Mid-South District LCMS begin our journey to Tanzania on May 28^th arriving as the sun was setting the next night in Arusha. The next day took a short air flight to Mwanza where we were greeted by representatives from the East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD). We began our drive to Bariadi on the far eastern side of the diocese arriving at the church long after dark to be greeted by the congregation and choir singing to us. We were directed to a school room to have our first sample of the authentic African food. The women’s ministry prepared our meals over cook fires in the Pastors front yard. It was good and no one went hungry.

Something we were exposed to first hand was the value of the Mission Training Centers (MTC) and the Church Planting Ministry (CPM). The Mid-South Districts helps support 8 current MTC centers and 3 more are on the planning board. Pastor Mkaro conducts MTC training at the Bariadi district for four days once a month for the evangelists working in his area. One such man is Emmanuel Mbjoe and his day is spent walking to the villages to introduce them to the gospel. Most days he walks 15 to 30 miles. He is also the coordinator for CPM in the area. He goes into the villages to find a “Man of Peace’ who is willing to share the Word with family members and do Bible storying. Many of the Sukuma live in family groupings of 3 to 5 homes in close vicinity. The gospel message is then spread to the immediate family members living a little further away until the whole clan hears the gospel message. The effectiveness of the CPM can be readily seen in the village of Sunungu where last year the first person was baptized and this year the church has over 400 members. The “Men of Peace” often become leaders or evangelists and may continue to receive training to become pastors.

Each day Pastor Mkaro took us to another of his 11 sub-parishes where we heard the choir sing and dance. We were able to share the gospel with church members and curious onlookers. In the evenings we were able to sit under the stars with them and watch an outdoor movie. Mobile movies are such an effective tool to sharing the gospel outside the local congregation. Few people we visited have electricity or any of the conveniences we enjoy and few have any transportation at all, including bicycles. This does not seem to hinder the Sukuma, once they hear the gospel they are eager to share with their extended family.

The needs of the congregations include Bibles and hymnals, building supplies, medical care as the nearest hospital is 15 to 20 miles away, bicycles and motorbikes for evangelists. They need generators, DVD players, projector and current DVDs for the movies.

We are planning next year’s mission trip to an island in Lake Victoria, called Ukerewe in early June. This island, the largest in Lake Victoria, about 25 miles north of Mwanza and is 300 square miles in size. Projects include putting roofs on churches and conducting a mini vacation bible schools. Why not join us?

Bob Allen, Director of World Missions, Mid-South District LCMS, 615-672-0923 rjallen@prodigy.net

Notes from Francie's journal-first trip to Africa

2008-09-01T07:53:00.002-05:00

6/1/08, Sunday: Wow ~ where do I begin? Today has been a Hugh Experience! Full of amazing worship and Great Hospitality and Enormous Love! I began my day be waking up at 6:15 after sleeping a few hours. We arrived just in time for church that started real close to 7:15 and the service … although I couldn’t believe it … ended around 9:40 am. It was filled with Beautiful music and good preaching. During the service there was a special ceremony to rededicate a lady and her family. She had become a Christian a while ago … but sometime before March began hearing voices telling her she was useless and had no purpose for living so in March she was finally at the point of trying to commit suicide. The pastor began counseling with her and reassured her that God did have a purpose for her being her. If I understood they felt she was actually possessed by an evil spirit and they prayed for it to leave. Today she along with her husband and four children stood before the church and claimed God’s as truth to live in them!

The next part of worship was the time of offering. Let me tell you it was vastly different. First it is at the end of the service and they receive 3 different offerings. The first is an offering of Thanksgiving and the other two are designated offerings for specific ministries. The other difference is that they (the congregation) actually bring their offering to the front. The plate or in this case wooden box isn’t passed through the congregation. They have a special stand that holds the offering boxes … and they place one at a time in and the congregation then line up and file past the box to leave their offering … (not just money – some left fresh eggs, fruit and this Sunday the family that was rededicated to God brought up a goat one of the elders of the church took her up and tied her to the alter rail up front.)

The services end differently here too. Or at least this is how we ended this particular Sunday. After the church service was over the Pastor led the congregation out and there was an auction for all the items that were given during the offering that was not cash. The goat (the big ticket item) was sold along with a bag of oranges to the highest bidder for 45,000 shillings as a gift to the American guest. So we will either have fresh goat meat for supper or maybe will give it to someone in need … just kidding. Seriously if it were a male goat we might have had goat but it was a female and they are too valuable because they produce milk and more offspring’s.

Following the service, auction and fellowship time we had breakfast ~ another good one, by the way. Oh by the way anyone curious Pastor Harold was kind enough to share with the entire congregation that I was single ~ no offers yet but possible interest?!

Something else I forgot while in the 1^st service we were part of the service, Pastor Don Schmidt did the preaching and Bob Allen helped also. I was asked to teach the congregation the song “Hallalu”. So with the help of the mission team we did just that.

Soon after breakfast we loaded up the truck and headed out of town to Nyangokolowa to join another congregation who had been patiently waiting on us for close to 3 hours. Amazingly enough they were still there and excited to see us. Just like it was at Lyalu the longer we were there the more people showed up.

Last week the Bariadi church had an attendance of 236 and this congregation at Nyangokolowa had 156. And mind you this congregation doesn’t have a building they meet in their service is simply under a tree in the middle of God’s Creation.

We were blessed to be a part of yet another wonderful service. It also contained beautiful music, proclamation of God’s word and the act of worship through an offering. The special treat today was the confirmation class singing and dancing for us 20 out of 56 in the class shared their gifts with us. Following the special 16 of that class were baptized and even some younger and older not in the class were baptized. We finally ended around 1:30 pm.

After church we were asked to go and see the location for the new church building. They had raised enough money to begin the foundation and start making their own bricks. Someone in the church had donated the land to build on and let me tell you the pictures I have of the view don’t even begin to show the beauty of the view from the new church. While we were there they had a special tree planting ceremony. The local church members were charged with the care of this newly planted tree. It is to be the symbol of our friendship with this congregation. Tom Bolt was given the honor as our oldest member “Babu” (grandfather) to actually place the tree into the ground.

After this short time seeing the progress of the new church building and planting the tree our group was invited to one of the Elders home for lunch. Let me just say IT WAS GREAT! I think this meal is the best we have had so far! (looking back I think it was the BEST all around). We had cooked cabbage with carrots, Chips (“Irish” (European) potatoes {like French fries ~ only better}, Rice cooked with carrots, bananas, some kind of meat (which I chose not to take), and a Cold Drink. Again it was really good!

Following lunch, taking some pictures, good conversation and making new friends we went back to the place we had the church service. There we divided into three groups, adult, children and youth. In each group we shared bible stories, talked about our lives and at least in the children’s group learned some songs. At last our time had come to an end at Nyangokolowa all of us except Bob and Don headed back to town to eat and rest. The others stayed to show another movie to those who gathered after dark. It was still fairly early in the afternoon, so Mimii, Nancy, Susie and I decided to take a walk around town. It wasn’t a large town so we walked through it with little trouble before the sun went down around 7pm. All of the ladies then gathered on the balcony back at the hotel to visit with each other. Finally around 9:30 / 9:45 we were picked up to go have supper with the others who had returned from the movie. We made plans for the next day and decided to start later giving Pastor Harold time to do some of his own church work before leaving with us.

The Story of Marge Beam

2008-08-19T11:49:00.006-05:00

Marge Beam, 77, is a retired school teacher in central Ohio. In her early years she wanted to be a missionary, and she did spend a few years teaching at a mission school in Hawaii. After that she returned to her home in Ohio and taught in the small Jackson Center Local School.

Seven years ago Ms. Beam went on her first trip to Tanzania, led by Pastor Jan Campbell. The church at Bariadi is a sister church to Marge's church. Their young pastor, Harold Mkaro, took special interest in this elderly visitor from America and called her "Bibi," grandmother. Marge was touched; she had never married, had no children of her own, and suddenly she was not only a missionary, but a grandmother!

Marge has returned to Bariadi each year since 2002. She sometimes stays the maximum 90 days allowed on a tourist visa and lives in the home of Pastor Mkaro, his wife, Jen, and their three-year-old son, GodBless.

The young church Pastor Mkaro serves has great needs. Many orphaned and abandoned children come to Pastor Mkaro for help. Jen never knows how many people are coming to supper; their home is often full of children. They dreamed of opening a nursery school for the community, and with fund-raising help from Ms. Beam, that school is now a reality. But there is a growing need to care for the orphans, whose numbers increase every month. Ms. Beam and the church at Bariadi had a vision, and that visions is slowly becoming reality. The children will be housed, fed, cared for, and educated. Their parents can die in peace, knowing that their children will not wander the streets begging. And isn't that just what our Lord Jesus Christ compels us to do?

Tanzania is located in eastern Africa on the Indian Ocean, and it covers an area roughly twice the size of California. It is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro (the highest point in Africa), Lake Victoria (the second largest lake in the world), and the Great Rift Valley. The city of Mwanza is located on the southern shore of Lake Victoria. The daily temperature in September is in the eighties and nineties with plenty of sun. The two official languages are Swahili and English. Tanzania is a peaceful nation in East Africa.

Note from Bob and Susie: Marge is an inspiration to all of us. Imagine taking your first mission trip at age 70 and returning (often flying there alone) every year and living with Pastor and family. When she said that she helped with fund raising she is being modest. As Bob says a boomer is turning 60 every 10 seconds. We will live longer, are healthier and have more disposable income than previous generations. While there is nothing wrong with retiring and spending your time playing golf.....what could be be better than what Bibi Marge is doing. We are to finish well. Imagine the difference this one retired lady makes in the lives of so many. She is a delight to be around and her enthusiasm is contagious. How lucky so many Tanzanian orphans are to have Bibi Marge. She calls her self an unclaimed blessing. She is a blessing alright and the Tanzania orphans have claimed her. To God be the Glory. Thank you for Bibi Marge.

Lyalu and Mr. Nkulukulu

2008-08-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

We went to a very poor area of the country and district named Bariadi. I was told that this district was slow in being evangelized because it was out of the way, dry and hot it was avoided by the evangelists. On our first day in the Bariadi district Pastor Harold Mkaro took us to one of his smaller parish Lyalu located about 10 miles from Bariadi. We drove to a small field off the road that was surrounded by a fence of sissel plants. People from the congregation were waiting for us. We found a spot in the shade to conduct our worship service. The choir from Bariadi came out with their generator and keyboard to sing for us. The Tanzanian people love singing and dancing and as people walked down the road stop by to hear the singing and stay for the worship service. Pastor Don Schmidt from Memphis and Pastor Mkaro preached to this small crowd that seemed to grow and grow as the service went along as people heard the music.

Pastor Mkaro pastors the church in Bariadi and has 11 other sub parishes that have started through the work of the church planting ministry and the area evangelist who go into the surrounding areas with Pastor Mkaro After the service we baptized 67 men women and children as well as confirmed the confirmation class.

After the service we divided into 3 groups- children, youth and adults. We shared bible stories and they asked questions about us and America such as do we all ride bikes, do we wash our clothes at the river. They told us that Mr. Nkulukulu had donated a field from his 5 acre farm.

They were proud to show us where they were going to build their new church. The members of the congregation were clearing a spot for the foundation, they had begun making bricks for the walls from the dirt removed from the foundation. The bricks are sun dried, then stacked up in a cube like a kiln and fired. The congregation will do all this work cleaning the spot, breaking rocks for the foundation, making bricks and building the walls. They told us that they did not have money to buy cement for foundation, or wood for the roof trusses or steel sheets for the roof. I gave them some seed money for the cost of the roofing material It will not be enough to finish the job but will get them started.

The field where the church will be located came from one of the parishioners ,Mr. Nkulukulu. He is a spry man 65 to 70 years old. He had a successful farm of approximately 5 acres of land and He was proud to show me all his property.

Over half of his land was plant in sweet potatoes plants which the family can store and eat and he can take some to market to sell for some cash. They also had a small field of corn, they call maize, a small patch of rice, some melons. Papayas. He also had some goats and chickens. He prepared all the ground without any equipment except a with a big hoe.

In the afternoon, they planted a tree near where the church will be built. They called this a planning tree and was planted in memory of our visit to their congregation and in memory donations from Trinity Lutheran church Peoria, Illinois

Later in the evening we used the power of our rented generator to show the DVD story of Jesus from Luke gospel. I think this was the first movie most people had seen and they loved it. These movies are such an effective evangelism tool.

Upcoming Missions Trips

2008-08-08T15:56:00.000-05:00

Opportunities for 2009

No Age Limit

TANZANIA (May-June 2009) approximately a 10 day trip exact dates to be determined

Evangelism outreach to the villages
Vacation Bible School programs for village children
Helping local congregations put up rafters and sheet-metal roofs on church buildings

JAMAICA

(summer 2009) exact dates and length to be determined

Construction help for a new worship facility of a new facility.
Help with a VBS program they have not had a VBS since 2006. They have not had enough people to support it. This would be a great event for high school or college kids and some teachers.
Help with small group ministry.

Haiti (exact dates and length of trip to be determined.

Project Trinity/Hope is 10 year old Christian Feeding Program that reaches out to close to 8000 Haitian Children.

Mission trips are scheduled for March 2009

Vietnam (February 3-19, 2009)

Visit LCMS World Mission projects in Cambodia, along with Angkor Wat.

worship in a Lutheran "house church" in Saigon

travel to the Hanoi area and visit with Ted Englebrecht, pastor in VN for over 12 years, J.P. Cima, vicar in his second year,

ESL volunteer teachers to take part in classes they teach.
We will also visit a number of project sites of LCMS World Mission in Phu Tho province and experience how God is revealing his love to people who don't know Him.

If interested contact Bob Allen Director of World Missions Mid-South District LCMS 615-672-0923 email rjallen@prodigy.net or Call Peggy Krohn at the district office 866-373-1343

Bwana Asifiwe or Praise the Lord

2008-08-06T09:31:00.000-05:00

“Can you help my baby? He cannot walk.” Wow! What a question. This was asked of my evangelism partner in a small village outside Sengerema, Tanzania. My immediate thoughts were, “What can we do? We’re not doctors! We’re just plain, simple, ordinary people.” Thank goodness these were only my thoughts and did not linger long. As my friend put his hands on the child’s head and prayed for healing and blessing, I realized that there was much I could do. The reason I was in this small village in Tanzania was to share the Gospel message with the Sukuma people. In another village, after we told The Story, after we baptized, and after we explained the need to grow in their new faith by attending church regularly, reading the Bible, and sharing the Good News with others, we were asked another question. “How do I get a Bible so I can read more about Jesus?” Wow, another tough question! This time I thought, “There is much WE can do for the Sukuma people.” The support of our District’s partnership with the East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania can provide answers to the above questions plus much more. We can share the hope that is found in the gospel of our Lord and Savior. We can reach out to our fellow Lutheran brothers and sisters and provide the means to obtain Bibles and Lutheran hymnals in Swahili, support parish pastors, support and train village evangelists, assist with church building materials, up-date the audio visual equipment used to share the Message in an outdoor, rural setting. All of the above are being used in the Diocese right now but on a very limited basis. Parishioners and the Tanzania government have given land to build churches, they are making bricks and laying stone floors, evangelists go through the villages preaching and encouraging new Christians in addition to holding full-time jobs, pastors sometimes ride over 2 hours on a bicycle to reach a congregation on a particular Sunday. These, our brothers and sisters in Christ, love their Lord and are not afraid to work and put their faith in action. They just need our prayers, our support, our encouragement, and our love.

Consider being part of this exciting ministry by praying for the un-reached Sukuma people and the East of Lake Victoria Diocese, supporting the District’s Church Planting Movement in Tanzania, or being part of the next mission team. If there are any churches or groups in the District who would like to hear more and see some faces and places, I would be happy to share them with you. I can be reached at: dname2tn@wmconnect.com

Tobias and family

2008-08-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

Acts 16: 26-33 And suddenly there came a great earthquake, so the foundations of the prison house were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice saying. Do yourself no harm for we are all here. And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. After he had brought them out he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household. And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and his entire household.

The thing I will carry with me from our trip to Tanzania is the faith of a man named Tobias. St. Paul tells us in Acts 16 about a Philippian jailer who, in the middle of the night, has Paul into his home and his entire family is baptized. Tobias is a very influential man in a remote area of the village of Buyago. He owns a great spread of farmland and has living in his household a total of 38 people. I went along with Pastor Ezeram and Pastor Earnest to his home to speak with him and his family about Jesus. Only he and a couple others in his house had ever heard the name of Jesus. Tobias was the first to be baptized, as the head of his house. His name before conversion was Ngoshen, and when asked what his Christian name was to be, he proudly stomped his feet, one at a time, and said with great authority, "Tobias!" After he was baptized, he brought his family to me, one at a time, and stood next to them, saying along with me (in Swahili, of course), "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and he would smile at them, and go get the next member of his family. As this went on, several other members of his household came back to the house, and he rushed to meet them, and brought them to the waters of Holy Baptism.

What great faith God has given this man. What excitement over the great gift of salvation God has given to his family. Tobias is a strong example of Godly character. You can bet that his family, come Sunday morning, will be in church. Not only because he will bring them, but also because he agreed to start a church in his home. I was humbled by his faith, and the grace that God poured out on the great harvest field that is Tanzania, and I will carry with me the story of Tobias and the grace that God has given to his family.

We visited 5 parishes during this mission trip, Buyago located in the southern end of the district is one of the 14 sub parishes in the Sengerema district we visited.. We did not get to visit the areas of 8 sub parishes. You have to wonder how many families are there in Sengerema or in Tanzania who have not heard the message because there is no pastor or evangelist or mission group from the mid-south district to tell the gospel message.

Buyago is an hour drive south and east of Sengerema. How can the word get out to this area without a pastor or evangelist. The East of Lake Victoria diocese (ELVD) needs your financial support to help place a pastor or evangelist in this area. Please consider supporting the ELVD ministry.

God's Blessings,
Josh Hatcher

Friends Forever

2008-08-06T07:24:00.001-05:00

This was my first mission trip to Tanzania with the 2008 Mid-South District's mission team. I am a registered nurse and volunteered at the Nyakato Health Centre in Nyakato, a poor suburb of Mwanza, with a pediatrician, Dr. Doug Campbell from Memphis, also on the team. (The Nyakato Heath Center is an outreach arm of the East of Lake Victoria Diocese ELVD)

But one memory I will always carry with me, not from Nyakato, but from the village of Nyangokolwa, where Doug and I joined the rest of the team 120 miles away for two days during the first weekend of our stay. After our church service ended under a large tree in the company of over 100 congregation members, the team was fed nearby with a wonderful meal cooked by six women. After our meal was over, the cooks wanted to have their pictures taken with the team. One woman chose me with whom to have her picture taken. She was full of excitement, and as she gripped my hand and grinned from ear to ear, she repeatedly exclaimed in Sukuma to our interpreter, Mimii, "Friends forever, we are friends forever!" She then led me, along with Mimii, to her neighborhood and absolutely insisted that I come in and see her home. Mimii told her the rest of the team was leaving and that sadly I could not take the time to visit, so she said, "Then let me give you a gift!" She ran inside with the boundless energy of a young child, and emerged gleefully with a large bag of peanuts, packaged in hand-sized bags. Mimii explained to me this was this woman's business, but she wanted me to "take all of the peanuts to America." I was so touched by this act of love, but knew I could not take away her livelihood. This was a large sack full! Mimii then told her this, but she was not dismayed - she then took out the small packages and stuffed as many in my hand as it could hold and told me to "at least take these back to America!" How could I refuse? I took them, and she gave me a bear hug I will never forget. She jumped up and down, held my hand, and happily chattered all the way back to the van. Sad thing was, I never asked her name. I don't know why. But almost every day I think of her, and if I return next year with Mid-South's team to Nyangokolwa for a visit, I will look her up and tell her just how wonderful her peanuts really were. She was such a blessing to me, and I will always remember her.

Laurie Gent is a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church Cabot, AR

Kafundekele

2008-08-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

How great is to know your sins are forgiven.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my soul relieved

How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed

The choir from the local congregation greeted us in song as we drove into the yard of the church elder. they had so much enthusiasm and were so colorful. In this home area were three homes a new home and two older mud huts. We were told that someone wanted to be baptized but they had apparently already went to the school for the service and Baptism. The choir sang to us as we departed. They began running down the road singing.

We drove off in another direction. We went to another little home that was located just off two little cross trails. Just before we began our service we could hear the choir singing. Soon they came into view. They had run the whole way from the last house.

People came from everywhere to this little mud hut. Soon we were complete surrounded by men women and children. (where do they all come from?) We had a baptism service while the choir sang. We baptized many.

The sun was just going down when we drove into the kafundekele school yard. People were everywhere. They had taken the desks out of the school and place them in a square. We introduced ourselves and talked. Pastor yohana asked for those wanting baptism to come forward. We were overwhelmed. There were so many. It was getting dark so we had to have someone with a flashlight, someone holding the bowl with the water and someone from the congregation writing the names of the individuals and someone baptizing.There we two Baptism teams we were completely surrounded people on every side. We could hardly move. One of the ladies who came forward to be baptized by Pastor Josh Hatcher was a tiny lady who was baptized as Rosalea. Roselea was 90 years old and came with some friends who were also quite old.

Water from Kentucky to Tanzania

2008-08-05T21:27:00.000-05:00

When we need a drink we just go to the tap. How convenient! What luxury! The water is clean and free of germs. Sometimes this is not good enough for us and we purchase expensive bottled water. We use water softeners and must have the right temperature for our showers.

This is not possible in Tanzania. In most villages the women and children walk for miles to find water for their family. They transport the water for cooking, washing, and drinking. Lack of sanitary water causes many diseases that wipe out families. Just imagine, worrying about your children drinking contaminated water and getting sick. When you see what women go through just to get water to wash their clothes; you are truly impressed with what they go through to show up for church on Sunday clean and in their “Sunday best.” They take great pride in their appearance.

The Sunday school classes at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Bowling Green have dedicated the Sunday school offering every 3^rd Sunday to a Tanzanian well project. This is a great project for all age groups to participate in. Not only does it meet a felt need but is a wonderful Christian witness to all Tanzanians. Something so simple for us, yet so critical to them.

Consider a Tanzanian mission project for your Sunday school. The East of Lake Diocese of the Lutheran Church of American has great needs such as, bikes or motorbikes for pastors to travel between congregations, radio and audio visual outreach, and help for educating pastors and evangelists.

With a little effort on our part, we can do much for our brothers and sisters in Tanzania. Please prayerfully consider what you can do for the kingdom in Tanzania.

Whoever drinks this water.......

2008-08-05T21:14:00.000-05:00

Whoever drinks of this water that I give shall never thirst, but the water I shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. The woman, said unto him. Sir give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty, or come all the way here to draw

John 4:14

Water remains so critical to Tanzanian families. Many village have no well or sources of clean potable water. A large percentage of the day is spent by women walking 3 to 5 miles to get water for family needs. Often this water is obtained from shallow wells which are easily contaminated. This leads to outbreaks of diarrhea, cholera and other diseases.
Mid-South District congregations partnering with Lutheran World Relief have been generous in raising money for wells for villages. The late Bishop Bomani shared a story that in one village a Muslim village leader attending the dedication of such a well was led to Christ because of the generosity from unknown Christians .