2 Thessalonians
3:1
Bangladesh (South Asia) – Protests in Dhaka turned violent in December, resulting in the death of a popular opposition leader. With an upcoming national election scheduled for February 12th, the nation is on edge, prompting the current government to impose travel restrictions, curfews, and martial law in many areas. As a result, Missionary Ohlmann was advised by local church leaders to postpone his scheduled visit. Construction on the multipurpose building is progressing well. This building will serve God's Kingdom as a Bible Institute for training faithful church workers, a place for worship, and housing for teachers and students. Fourteen men are ready to begin pastoral training once the building is completed. Pray for peace and security, and for safe and honest elections. Pray that the Lord will provide for good government that will be a blessing to the citizens of Bangladesh and for the Gospel ministry of the BLCM. Please continue to pray for the success of this building project and that the Lord would move the hearts of His people to give generously for this important work, so the project can stay on schedule.
Pakistan (Asia) – Pastor Tim Daub has been conducting online
training and Bible studies with a group in Faisalabad for the past few years.
They have established a congregation that meets weekly for worship. Pastor Daub
and Missionary Ohlmann will make the first face-to-face visit January 20-28. Missionary
Ohlmann will spend an additional week visiting other contacts and leading
evening Bible studies. If all goes well with this visit, the CLC will begin the
formal colloquy process with Pastor Gil. Pray for safe and uneventful travels
and for the Lord’s promised blessings on the preaching and teaching of His saving
Word.
The
Philippines (Southeast Asia) – Joel
Krafft, CLC Board of Missions chairman, and Missionary Ohlmann are scheduled to
visit the Philippines in February. They will spend about a week visiting Lutheran
Autonomous Mission in the Philippines (LAMP) congregations and preaching
stations. Plans are to conduct outreach seminars in the big city of Baguio and at
a preaching station in Pastor Palangyos’ home village. Work also continues on a
donated worship and classroom space in Pastor Jordan’s home village. A small
MDF grant was sent to help purchase chairs, tables, and other furnishings. Please
pray for the LAMP outreach efforts so that more people may repent of their sins
and rejoice in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Thank the Lord for recent
growth and ask for His blessings on these new members. Pray that the Lord
provides everything necessary to complete the new worship and training
facility.
Nepal
(South Asia) – The Himalayan Bible
Institute will begin classes with a new cohort of 16 students on January 25th.
Following the Gen-Z protests last Fall, which led to the resignation of the
prime minister and several others and the collapse of the government, elections
are scheduled for January 24th and March 5th. Ask the Lord to bless the new HBI
students and the teachers. Pray that the Lord will provide a new, stable, and
good government that will be a blessing to the citizens of Nepal and to the
Gospel ministry of the HCLCN.
India
(South Asia) – Both the BELC and CLCI
conducted Christmas outreach in December. Classes continue at the BELC Bible
Institute with twenty-seven students and the CLCI seminary with fifty-one
students. Please pray that the Lord will protect, provide, strengthen, and give
hope to His children in India through the Gospel ministry of the BELC and CLCI.
Liberia (West Africa) – A regular schedule of Bible training
seminars continues for pastors and church leaders across several areas of
Liberia. Missionary Ohlmann visited for two weeks in November. He and Pastor
Kwiwalazu traveled to several areas of Liberia and conducted a Pastor Training
Seminar with 18 pastors and church leaders in Bopolu. Thank the Lord and ask
for His continued blessings for the ongoing Biblical training and outreach. Ask
the Lord to bless the training seminar and conference in Bopolu.
Nigeria
(West Africa) – With an MDF grant and
local offerings, the Nigeria-CLC (NCLC) is nearing completion of its
long-awaited building
project. The building will include new classrooms, a library/computer
room, and a faculty office. Missionary Ohlmann visited
in November. The NCLC is planning a 50th-anniversary celebration in
April. CLC President Mike Wilke and his wife, Gloria, CLC Board of Missions
Chairman Joel Krafft, and Missionary Ohlmann plan to travel together to Nigeria
to join the celebration. The new academic building will also be dedicated while
they are there. Ask the Lord to continue to bless the building project and
thank Him for providing funding through the NCLC and MDF offerings. Ask for the
Lord’s blessings on the travel plans for the CLC representatives. Thank the
Lord for the privilege of working together in this effort to train faithful
workers for His Nigerian harvest of souls! Ask the Lord to provide safe travel
for everyone attending the conference and building dedication.
Togo (West Africa) – Three students at Mount Horeb Lutheran
graduated
on December 6. Missionary Evensen and Missionary Ohlmann were in
attendance. Head Pastor Kossi Blewu will soon resume his Gospel outreach radio
program in Assahoun, a town about 30 minutes from the seminary. One of the
graduates will be called to start a congregation there, since people have been
calling to attend our services after hearing Pastor Blewu.
Myanmar
(South Asia) – Pastor Kham reported
that the military junta continues to conduct nightly raids on homes and soccer
fields to conscript young men into the army forcefully. They have also started
conscripting older men into the military. Previously, families could pay
ransoms for their release, but the junta no longer accepts bribes due to its
urgent need for soldiers. The orphan boys cared for by Pastor Kham and his wife
are in hiding, as military checkpoints are everywhere, even near schools.
Please pray for peace, justice, and relief for all affected by this conflict.
Tanzania (East Africa) — Six seminary students graduated on November 30. Twelve students are
enrolled for the new year. Pastor Emerita Paul Nolting spent two weeks in
Tanzania in January as a guest lecturer at the seminary. He will also attend
the TCLC pastoral conference. Ask the Lord to bless the seminary students as
they grow in grace and in the knowledge of Scripture, equipping them to be
effective ministers of the Gospel.
Kenya (East Africa) – Missionary Naumann
traveled to Kenya to attend the KCLC conference, where pastors and church
leaders gathered near Moi’s Bridge to continue organizational efforts and study
God’s word for growth and mutual encouragement in the Gospel ministry. Pray for
the KCLC's growth, unity, and effective spread of the Gospel as they establish
new congregations.
Uganda (East Africa) – A meeting of CCCRU pastors and church
leaders in January was postponed due to security concerns ahead of the January
15 national elections. Five
congregations are being served by five pastors and two evangelists. The Hope
Centre children's home in Iganga houses 34 children. The pastors and their
families struggle at times with medical issues and a lack of resources. Ask our
Lord to give them good health, daily bread, and zeal for spreading the true
Word of God. Ask our Lord to provide for the daily needs of pastors
as they struggle to serve the Lord and their families with little financial
support from the impoverished congregation members.
DR
Congo-CCLC (Central Africa) – Pastor
Yumba, who serves the CCLC, reports that the seminary students of Holy Trinity
Lutheran Seminary have completed their vicarages. Final exams, graduation, and
ordination are scheduled for April or May, when Missionaries Evensen and
Ohlmann are expected to visit. Thank the Lord for the diligent study and
faithful teaching of God's Word over the past several years at the Holy Trinity
Seminary. Ask for the Lord's continued blessings on the students as they finish
their vicarage assignments. Pray that the Lord will bring peace and an end to
the greed and violence that have been such a terrible part of the DR Congo’s
history.
DR
Congo-ECLSAFA (Central Africa) –
Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu in Kinshasa has scheduled several outreach
seminars in early 2026. The congregation is also facing challenges with renting
their church building and is unable to fully support Pastor Pondi Lumiangu, so
he is facing financial challenges as well. Missionaries Evensen and Ohlmann
plan to visit in April. Pray for the outreach work of the ECLSAFA Congo and
that God would abundantly provide for their needs.
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 sends it
Missionary
Peter Evensen (Togo, West Africa) – After
graduating from the seminary in early December, Missionary Evensen has been
working to edit and improve the French translations of the curriculum for the
next cohort of students. He will join Missionary Ohlmann on a visit to the DR Congo
in late April. Pray for his continued health as his right knee, which was
operated on over a year ago, has started to bother him again, and for the
Lord’s continued blessing on Missionary Evensen’s work to prepare faithful
preachers and teachers of God’s saving word.
Missionary
Todd Ohlmann – Over the next few
months, Missionary Ohlmann is scheduled to visit Pakistan, the Philippines,
Nigeria, DR Congo, and Zambia. Pray for God's blessing on the necessary
arrangements for these trips, and for his wife, Beth, as she continues to care
for her elderly father, who is on hospice care and is longing for his heavenly
home. You can read reports and see pictures here: missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com
