…pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run
swiftly and be glorified...
2 Thessalonians
3:1
India
(South Asia) – A joint India Pastoral
Conference is scheduled for August 20-22 in Chennai, India. Pastors, leaders,
and delegates from the CLC-India and the BELC will be in attendance. The CLC
will also have one Pastor in attendance to represent the CLC. Thank the Lord
for this opportunity for Christian fellowship and study of His saving Word.
Pray that the Lord would bless all the travel and protect everyone in
attendance. Pray especially for the CLC representative that he will have no
trouble entering India.
Mexico
– Board of Missions member Jeff
Radichel and Missionary Ohlmann will visit Juarez August 23 to 26 to meet with
Pastor Olvera to discuss Gospel outreach efforts in Mexico. They will also meet
with three independent pastors who are interested in joining the CLC-affiliated
church body in Mexico. These men have been studying Lutheran doctrine with
Pastor Olvera for the past few months. Pray for safe travels and a productive,
God-pleasing visit.
Pakistan
– Pastor Tim Daub and Missionary
Ohlmann will be traveling to Faisalabad, Pakistan in October. This will be
their first face-to-face meeting with the group of believers that Pastor Daub
has been instructing through online classes for the past few years. Please pray
for the Lord's continued blessings on all the preparations that need to take
place over the next couple of months to make this visit possible. Also, ask the
Lord to continue to bless the teaching and learning of His word and give thanks
to our Savior for granting us this opportunity and the technology to spread the
truth of His word in such a manner.
Bangladesh (South Asia) – Pastor Monotosh, his family, and our
brothers and sisters in Christ have been sheltering in their homes as
Bangladesh has been embroiled in violent protests over economic policies and other issues. Nearly 100 people have been killed. The prime minister recently resigned and
left the country. Pastor Monotosh reports that Muslim jihadists have taken
advantage of the unrest to persecute minority Christians and Hindus through
beatings and destruction of church buildings and temples. The government has
shut down internet access to disrupt communication among the protestors. Pastor
Monotosh has found a way for limited email access through a VPN. Missionary
Ohlmann will continue to correspond with Pastor Monotosh for online theological
classes and to discuss and assess the situation to make plans for a visit when
advisable. Ask for the Lord’s protection of His children and give them
confidence and boldness in the love of our Savior. Pray that our Savior will
bring peace and justice to Bangladesh.
Myanmar (South Asia) – It's been over three years since the
military overthrew Myanmar's democratically elected government, plunging the
nation into a devastating civil war. Countless innocent people are suffering,
including farmers who can't grow crops, leading to food shortages and soaring
prices. Many members of the CLCM have been forced to flee their homes, seeking
safety for their families. To help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,
the CLC Board of Missions has approved Kinship funding for one year. This
funding will provide vital humanitarian aid, ensuring access to essentials like
food, shelter, and medical care for displaced CLCM members. Please continue to
keep our brothers and sisters in Christ in your thoughts and prayers, asking
for peace, justice, and relief for all affected by this conflict.
Liberia (West Africa) – Pastor Kwiwalazu is still engaged in
doctrinal discussions with a group of independent pastors who have separated
from the Methodist Church of Liberia. Pastor Joseph is making plans for a
proposed CLC Board of Missions visit in November. Pray for God’s blessings and
provision for the work of spreading the Gospel in Liberia and for the
developing opportunities in Guinea. Ask the Lord to bless the cancer treatments
that John Hein is receiving so he can resume his work in Liberia.
Tanzania
(East Africa) – Classes have resumed
at the Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary, with eight students enrolled.
Missionary Naumann reports that the main focus of these next few months will be
on the four students who are scheduled to graduate at the end of November. Thank
the Lord for the privilege of partnering with the TZCLC in training men to be
faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Ask for God’s continued
blessing, guidance, and provision for Wittenberg Seminary and the work of the
TZCLC.
Kenya/Uganda (East Africa) – Six CLC Mission Helpers spent
two-and-half weeks spreading the Gospel among the two Kinship supports Kenyan
schools, along with congregations and an orphanage in Uganda. The team was
privileged with the opportunity to teach nearly 1300 children at twelve
different schools, churches, and orphanages. Thank the Lord for this
opportunity and pray that our Savior will bless all those children who heard
the Good News with repentant and believing hearts.
Zambia
(Central Africa) – After the visit by
the CLC Mission Helpers in July, Pastor Ibrahim in Livingstone and Pastor
Mwanza in Kitwe have been busy following up with several independent schools
and preschools where nearly 1,800 children were taught the Good News of Jesus.
They plan to offer teacher Bible training and provide weekly Bible studies for
the children. They are excited about these new opportunities. Much progress has
been made on the church registration process and is nearing completion. This is
important for the work of the church and for Pastor Ibrahim’s immigration
status. Pray for our Savior’s blessings on the new opportunities to reach out
with the Gospel and the ongoing efforts to register the Zambia-CLC.
The
Philippines (Southeast Asia) – Pastor
Palangyos has started outreach efforts among the large youth population in
Baguio City where he and his family live. There are several colleges and a
university in Baguio with Filipino youth coming from several different rural areas
to study. His wife Amabel holds a PhD in language and is a professor at the
university, which provides an “in” to this Filipino demographic. Outreach also
continues in the two rural congregations that Pastor Palangyos serves in the
mountains that surround the city. Pray for our Savior’s blessings on the
outreach efforts of the Lutheran Autonomous Mission in the Philippines (LAMP),
both in rural and urban areas.
Nepal
(South Asia) – Thirteen students
continue to attend theology classes for one week each month at the Himalayan Lutheran
Bible Institute in the Chitwan district. The new Kinship-supported Cheli
project has started efforts to assist at-risk girls in rural communities,
helping them to receive education and life skills along with the Good News of
Jesus Christ. Missionary Ohlmann is planning a visit to Nepal in December.
Praise the Lord for the thirteen men who have dedicated their time and lives to
training for the Gospel ministry. Thank the Lord and ask His blessings on the
efforts to assist at-risk girls through the Cheli project.
Nigeria
(West Africa) – The NCLC has been
hoping and planning for the construction of a multipurpose building for the seminary
for more than twenty-five years. The proposed building will have two large
classrooms, a library/computer room, and an office for the faculty. For the
past several years, they have been using two small dormitory rooms as
classrooms. With an increase in enrollment and in anticipation of an even
larger enrolment next year, this building is much needed. They are currently
raising the necessary funds to begin construction in September so that the
facility can be ready for use by the start of the new school year in January
2025. The CLC Board of Missions has approved an MDF grant to assist with
construction costs. Ask the Lord to bless this project and to provide necessary
funding through the offerings of NCLC members and MDF offerings of CLC members.
Thank the Lord for the privilege of working together in this effort to train
faithful workers in His Nigerian harvest of souls!
Missionary
Peter Evensen (Togo, West Africa) –
Missionary Evensen is currently undergoing rehabilitation and recovery in
Spokane, WA, after undergoing knee surgery in late June. Additionally, he
experienced some heart irregularities during his hospital stay. His return to
Togo is postponed until he regains his health and is fit for travel. Pray for a
swift and full recovery for his knee, and for his medical team to have wisdom
as they assess and determine the best course of treatment for his heart issues.
Missionary
Bruce Naumann (Tanzania-East Africa) –
After a short furlough in the U.S., Missionary Bruce and Paula Naumann returned
to Tanzania in early July. They had the privilege and joy of hosting the CLC
Mission Helper Team shortly after their return. They are now back to their
normal routine at the seminary, outreach visits, and weekly Sunday School.
Thank the Lord for their safe and uneventful travels back to Tanzania, and ask
for the Lord's continued blessing on their work among our brothers and sisters
in Christ of the TCLC. You can follow Missionary Naumann’s blog at clc-tz.blogspot.com.
Missionary
Todd Ohlmann – Missionary Ohlmann
recently returned home from leading the CLC Missions Helper Team to Zambia.
Thank the Lord for safe travels and a productive trip. His upcoming schedule
includes visits to Mexico, Pakistan, Liberia, and Nepal, as well as a few guest
preaching opportunities in CLC congregations. Ask the Lord to bless and provide
for all the preparations that need to take place for these trips to take place.
Please continue to pray for his wife Beth as she cares for her elderly father,
who longs for his heavenly home, and for her mother, who was recently diagnosed
with a rare and incurable form of blood cancer. You can read reports and see
pictures here: missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com
Ongoing
Opportunities – Please continue to
pray for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, who,
by God's grace, are dedicated to proclaiming the truths of God's saving word
for the salvation of souls as they trust the promise of our Savior that His Word
will not return to Him void but will accomplish that for which He sent it.
This trip to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been a long time in the making. Pastor Tim Daub came into contact with a group of believers and began sharing God's word with them via online video meetings a few years ago. During the past 3+ years, he has conducted weekly online classes with the group, taking them through Luther's Small Catechism and other more in-depth studies of God's word. Several months ago, the group decided to form a congregation and begin meeting for worship every Sunday. They choose to call themselves the CLC Pakistan. They are led by Pastor G. (full name withheld for security reasons). A second group of believers also began meeting with Pastor Daub for online classes. The congregation currently has around forty members, and the second group numbers around ten. These are the folks we are going to meet.
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