Sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo...FEB 2020

I'm just a few hours away from my departing flight that will take me from St. Louis to Chicago. After a long layover in Chicago, I will hop on a 16+ hour flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and then one last flight to Lubumbashi, DRC where I am scheduled to arrive around 2:00 pm on Tuesday. After a quick afternoon and night of rest I'll head north to the central part of DRC to Manono. According to Pastor Yumba this will require two days of travel in a Land Rover 4X4 because the roads we will be traveling require a four-wheel-drive vehicle. While in Manono, we'll have a pastoral training seminar for CCLC pastors, elders, and evangelists that live and work in this part of DRC. We'll also have a graduation and ordination service for seven men who have completed Theological training at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute.

We will also conduct a Christian marriage ceremony for these men and their wives. The DRC government requires a legal/government/secular marriage but doesn't recognize a Christian/church wedding. So, for many in the DRC, a Christian wedding ceremony is not even a thought that crosses their minds. The leaders of the CCLC want to encourage those souls that are entrusted to their care to begin thinking of the importance of having the Lord included in their wedding and in their marriage. So, as a way of setting an example, the leadership of the CCLC thought it important for these men and their wives to publically make their vows before God in a Christian worship service. This promises to be a joyful and exciting day that I am honored to be a part of.

The graduation and ordination service for these men will also be an exciting and God-honoring worship service. This first class of graduates is a long time coming. Since we first began working with Pastor Yumba and the CCLC we have been encouraging and helping them to establish a formal training program to prepare pastors and teachers and evangelists to faithfully proclaim the truths of God's saving word. Due to a variety of reasons this effort was slow in getting started. Finally, Pastor Yumba decided to just get started. They had no permanent meeting place and plans to build a facility were delayed and the instability of the former government made it extremely difficult for the CLC-USA to help. With nothing but the Bible and study materials provided by CLC missionaries in hand and seven men who were willing to leave their jobs and family and homes for months at a time to study, classes began. After some time the CLC Project Kinship began to sponsor the students to allow them to continue their training. Fast-forward about five years and here we are, ready to celebrate God's grace and mercy in providing seven faithful preachers and teachers of His word for the CCLC!

Following the seminar, wedding service, graduation/ordination service and two full days of visiting congregations and pastors in their home villages, I'll begin the long trip back to Lubumbashi where we'll basically do the same thing all over again (less the wedding service) with three pastors who live and work in this area. The seminar and graduation/ordination service will be held a the new CCLC headquarters and Bible Institute in Ntondo where I visited back in October and November. It will be great to see the progress that has been made over the past few months.

The reason I am heading back to DR Congo so soon is because I was issued a six-month, multi-entry visa last fall. That visa was difficult and expensive to get because it required a trip to Washington, DC to apply and be interviewed at the DRC Embassy. I had been denied a visa the last three times I had applied. Since we're not sure that I'll be able to get another visa and considering the expense, we figured it was wise to squeeze in another visit within the six-months that my visa is valid.

If all goes well and according to plans, I will be back home for about five days in mid-March before I head to Myanmar and Nepal.

Your prayers are requested and much appreciated!

February 2020 - CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List...

·         D.R. Congo – On February 23^rd and March 1^st graduation and ordination services will be held for the men who have completed theological training through the CCLC Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute. These men will serve as pastors and evangelists of the Congregation Confessionnelle Lutheranienne Du Congo (CCLC). Give thanks to the Lord for providing for the training these men have received through the support of CLC Project Kinship. Ask the Lord to continue to bless their labors that many may be led to repent of their sins and to rejoice with us in the salvation that Jesus won for all people on the cross. 

·         Nepal – The Himalayan CLC of Nepal has purchased a small piece of land in a rural area west of Kathmandu with the intention of constructing a multi-purpose building that will serve as a home, HCLCN office, Bible Institute, library, and worship facility. The CLC Board of Missions has approved funding assistance for this project through the Mission Development Fund. Pray that our Lord will bless this project so that this facility will serve His kingdom for years to come as a place where many will be trained to be faithful preachers and teachers of His saving word! Pray also that God will move the hearts of His children here in the U.S. and also in Nepal to support this project with offerings of time, talent, and treasure.

·         Bangladesh and India Visitation – Pastor David Reim and Missionary Ohlmann have both returned home safely. Following a successful visit to Bangladesh, Missionary Ohlmann had his Indian visa revoked, was denied entry, and was deported at the airport in Chennai, India. Pastor Reim, who was traveling on a temporary visa, was allowed to enter India and spent three weeks attending the Joint Asia Pastoral Conference and working with the two church bodies that we are in fellowship with.  Thank the Lord for these opportunities to proclaim the Gospel. Pray for the political situation in India that is bringing hardship and persecution to Christians. Ask the Lord to protect His children in India and to give them strength and boldness to proclaim His word in the face of persecution. Petition the Lord, according to His will, to clear the way for Missionary Ohlmann to get a new visa that will allow him to begin visiting our brothers and sisters in India again. Pray for the many, many souls in India who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that they may hear and believe God’s saving word.

·         Tanzania – Pastor Godson Mshana was recently involved in a motorcycle accident. His leg was injured and will spend the next couple of months at his son’s house in Arusha while he goes through rehab. Pray that the Lord will grant quick and complete healing so that Pastor Mshana will be able to return to his teaching duties at the Wartburg Lutheran Seminary.

·         Tanzania – The second year of classes have begun at the Wartburg Lutheran Seminary of the CLC-Tanzania. Six students from three districts of the CLC-Tanzania are attending classes through CLC Project Kinship sponsors. Pray that the Lord will bless these men and their families with everything needed as they spend their time preparing to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Pray also for the teachers and staff that the Lord will continue to give them the wisdom, strength, and guidance needed for the work they have been given.

·         Missionary Travels – Missionary Ohlmann will be leaving for several weeks of travel on Sunday, February 16^th. He will spend three weeks in the D.R. Congo, two weeks in Myanmar, and two weeks in Nepal. Ask the Lord to grant safe and uneventful travels, good health, wisdom, patience, and love as he attends and preaches at two seminary graduation services, two ordination services, several churches, teaches and encourages several pastors and students, and conducts pastoral training and Gospel outreach seminars.

Change in Plans...

Unfortunately, upon arrival at the airport in Chennai a couple of days ago, my ten-year Visa was revoked and I was denied entrance to India. After several hours of being detained by India immigration I was deported on the first flight out at 3am and then spent several hours in Sri Lanka trying to locate my baggage and arranging flights home. I'm now safely in London waiting for a flight to Dallas and then home. If all goes as planned, I should be home late Thursday night. 

So briefly, here's what happened. When I handed my passport to the immigration officer at the airport in Chennai, he scanned it, looked at his computer screen, and immediately began jotting down notes. He didn't ask me any questions, he simply asked me to wait there as he took my passport and his notes and walked over to the main immigration office. A few minutes later he and another officer escorted me to the immigration office. They began to ask me questions, to which I gave the typical vague answers. They then called the head immigration office in New Delhi for more information about my visa. A seemingly higher-ranking officer then came over and began a much more specific and pointed line of questioning. From the more specific questions I was asked, it appears that a report must have been filed concerning my last visit to India. During that visit a Police Intelligence officer came to my hotel and questioned me and the pastor I was working with about our activities. The immigration officers in Chennai knew the name of the pastor, the city where I had been questioned, and the acronym of the church body I had been working with. The immigration officers made another phone call, conferenced a bit among themselves, and then informed me that my visa had been revoked, I was denied entrance in to India, and I was being deported immediately. They wouldn't give me any reasons or details. I asked for a photocopy of the documents they had printed out so I could take them to the embassy in the U.S. but they refused to answer any of my questions. They simply told me that I was being deported and I was not to return to India again unless the Indian embassy in the U.S. issued me a new visa. They refused to give me any other information. 

All in all, I'm no worse for the wear, just a bit tired and very frustrated and disappointed that I wasn't able to return to India to proclaim the Good News among my brothers and sisters in Christ and to those who are trapped in the darkness of unbelief in India. I'm also very sad and discouraged that I may never be able to return to India to see and work with my dear brothers and sisters in Christ again. I've been traveling to and working in India on an almost annual basis since 1997. I remember the first time I went to India thinking it was a once in a lifetime thing. And now, having lost count of how many visits I've made, it's hard to accept that I might never be able to set foot in India again. I do hope, and pray, and plan, that the Lord will provide a new visa that will allow me to return at some point. And thankfully, like all things in life, we'll leave this in the hands of our gracious Lord and Savior, knowing and trusting by faith, that His ways and thoughts and love and plans are, much higher than mine!

Pastor David R. was able to get in and is safe as he is now busy carrying out the visiting, teaching, and preaching schedule we had planned. He'll need to scramble a bit to come up with more lessons to teach because he will now need to fill my teaching time slots. So he'll have double duty for the next few weeks. Of course, the Lord will provide! I'm confident that our Savior will keep him safe and bless the truths of His saving word that Pastor David will proclaim. Please pray for Pastor David and his work among the pastors and leaders in India and at the Joint Asia Pastoral Conferencenext week!

Please pray for all Christians in India and especially for all the unbelievers as the Pro-Hindu Nationalist majority (BJP) government continues to pass and further enforce laws intended to eliminate the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

It is so good to know by faith, that Jehovah, the one true God, is ultimately in charge of all of this and His love for us is great...great enough to lay down His life for all sinners, that we might have forgiveness, salvation, and an eternal home in Heaven!

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done...

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:31–32 

There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. Proverbs 19:21

Off the Beaten Path in Bangladesh...

Yesterday (20 JAN) was our last full day in Bangladesh. It's been a whirlwind of activity since our arrival six days ago. We had a full day of doctrinal discussions with Pastor Monotosh on the day after our arrival. That evening we were privileged to preach and teach at a local preaching station in Dhaka. Early the next morning we hit the road in a rented van to travel to south-western districts of Bangladesh where most of the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission Congregations are located. For the next few days, we were up early and on the road. The congregations are not that far apart from each other, but the roads and paths and trails here in the rural areas do not make for fast travel.

The first congregation and tutoring center that we visited yesterday was well off the beaten path. At least it was off of our definition of a well-beaten path. I suspect the folks that live there wouldn't agree with our assessment since to them this is just home. And what a beautiful place to call home. From the fields and fields of canola blooms to the wide variety of palm trees separated by brick laid paths built on top of levies dividing the low-land water-ways and farmland, there is endless beauty to take in. But the most thing to see in this land that is said to be 95% Muslim and 4% Hindu is the smiling faces of men, women, and children who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior who gather to hear learn more of the truths of God's saving word from the pastor, evangelists, and deacons of the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission. 

What a privilege to be one of the vessels that God has chosen to bring His word to these people on these particular days. It's a bit overwhelming at times.

In about an hour we'll head to the airport for the flights that will take us to India. We'll fly from Dhaka to Colombo, Sri Lanka and then to Chennai, India. We'll be in India for the next three weeks working with the CLCI and the BELC and attending and teaching at the Joint Asia Pastoral Conference in Vijaywada. 

Please enjoy just a few pictures of the time that Pastor Dave Reim and I have spent here in Bangladesh working with and among the sheep of God's BLCM flock.

Sent to Bangladesh & India

It's time to hit the road again. Tomorrow (14 JAN) late-afternoon I will meet Pastor David Reim at the airport in Chicago where we'll board the first of several flights over the next four weeks. We'll fly from Chicago to Istanbul and then to Dhaka, Bangladesh. After a week or so in Bangladesh, we'll fly to India where we'll have the opportunity to work with the pastors and leaders of the BELC, attend the Joint Asia Pastoral Conference, and then spend our last week in India working with the CLCI. 

While in Bangladesh we will spend time visiting with Pastor Monotosh Banarjee and a few of the congregations and preaching stations that he serves. But the main purpose of our visit is to conduct a colloquy with Pastor Banarjee and the BLCM. The word colloquy is defined as a "formal conversation." When used in the context of the church, it takes on a more specific meaning. It's basically a conversation to compare doctrine to see if we share the prerequisite unity of doctrine to establish a God-pleasing fellowship. Pastor Banarjee has been in contact with representatives of the CLC for nearly four years. In the beginning, several emails were exchanged to determine the nature of the contact and to discuss expectations and just to get to know each other's intentions. These first several emails revealed that Pastor Monotosh had a strong confessional Lutheran background. He had been trained by other conservative Lutherans but had become frustrated when the training suddenly stopped and no further instruction was given. When he contacted the CLC he was eager to receive more Bible training. He had read through much of the materials from the CLC that he had found online and was convinced that the CLC was a true teaching church body that was committed to on-going pastoral training in many places around the world. It was at this time that I began Online Theological Studies with Pastor Banarjee. He has completed several courses. We began with a course titled "An Introduction to Lutheranism and the CLC" that is based on the CLC Statement of Faith and Purpose. This study revealed that Pastor Monotosh and the CLC already had much in common. After a couple more years of Online courses, a visit was conducted with myself and the Board of Missions chairman, Joel Krafft. That visit took place last year. You can read the blog post from that visit here: http://missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com/2019/03/finished-in-bangladeshheading-home.html

That first visit went very well and correspondence continued. President Eichstadt asked that colloquy be scheduled. And so, Pastor Reim and I have been sent to Bangladesh. If all goes well with the "formal conversation about doctrine" we expect to make a recommendation to President Eichstadt to formally declare fellowship with Pastor Banarjee and the BLCM to the 2020 CLC Convention in June. 

From Bangladesh, we will travel to India. The biennial Joint Asia Pastoral Conference is scheduled for 28-30 January. This conference, sponsored by the CLC and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund takes place every-other-year with attendees coming from the CLCI and BELC in India, the HCLC-Nepal, the NLC-Myanmar, and the CLC-Myanmar. This year Pastor Banarjee from Bangladesh will also attend. We will hear encouraging essays from several pastors and reports on the work of each church body. We will also gather for worship and encouragement through the Gospel in word and sacrament. 

While we are in India we will also spend a week with the BELC before the JAPC and a week with the CLCI after the conference. During the time with the CLCI and BELC we will be teaching pastoral training seminars and preaching and teaching at several congregations and preaching stations. 

Please keep us in your prayers asking the Lord to bless us with safe and uneventful travels, that He will clear our way through immigration in both Bangladesh and India, and that He will grant us the wisdom, patience, love, and zeal for the work before us. Pray also for our wives and families back home. And pray for those we are going to work with and those we go to teach that they too will be blessed with all that is needed both as hearers and learners of God's saving word. 

Prayer List - January 2020

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Bangladesh – An official colloquy with Pastor Monotosh Banarjee and the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission (BLCM) is scheduled for mid-January. Pastor Monotosh has been in contact with the CLC for nearly four years and has successfully completed several Online Theological Courses. Missionary Ohlmann and Bd of Missions Chairman, Joel Krafft visited the BLCM in February of 2019. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Pastor Reim will accompany Missionary Ohlmann on a visit to Bangladesh for this purpose. They will be leaving for Bangladesh on January 13^th. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

2.    Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India from January 28-30. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend after visiting Bangladesh. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary tor such a conference to take place.

3.    D.R. Congo – Seven men have completed four years of theological training and are now ready to graduate and be ordained as pastors in the Congregation Confessionnelle Lutheranienne Du Congo (CCLC). Graduation and ordination services are planned for March. Give thanks to the Lord for providing for the training these men have received through the support of CLC Project Kinship. Ask the Lord to continue to bless their labors that many may be led to repent of their sins and to rejoice in the salvation that Jesus won for all people on the cross.  

4.    Nepal – There are sixteen men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann is making plans to be in Nepal to attend the service. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

5.    Tanzania – The second year of classes is set to begin again at the Wartburg Lutheran Seminary of the CLC-Tanzania in late January. There are six students enrolled and the CLC Project Kinship has arranged sponsorship for each student. Pray that the Lord will bless these men and their families with everything needed as they spend their time preparing to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Pray also for the teachers and staff that the Lord will continue to give them the wisdom, strength, and guidance needed for the work they have been given.

DEC. 2019 - CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Kenya – On Friday, December 6, Vincent Okerosi was shot and killed by Al Shabaab Islamic terrorists near a north-east Kenyan city near the Somali border. Vincent was a teacher at St. David’s Kinship School in Etago, Kenya. He was killed along with several other non-Somali’s who were taken off a bus and executed. Please pray for Vincent’s family along with the students and staff at St. David’s School in Etago.

2.    Kenya – Following the recent, heavier than usual, rains in south-west Kenya, the student latrines at St. David’s Kinship School have collapsed and need to be repaired before the students return to classes in January. Pray that the Lord will provide for this need and that repairs can be completed in time.

3.    Nepal – Pastor Raju recently reported that sixty independent pastors in two different Nepali states attended two separate informational/pastoral training seminars that were offered by the HCLCN. Several of these men have expressed interest in attending classes at the Himalayan Bible Institute.

4.    Nepal – Following outreach efforts and Bible instruction, twenty individuals were baptized and became members of the HCLC congregation in a Himalayan foothill village west of Kathmandu where several CLC Mission Helper teams have visited.

5.    Nepal – There are ten men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann is making plans to be in Nepal to attend the service. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

6.    Bangladesh – As Pastor Monotosh continues Online Theological Studies with our missionary, plans are also being made for an official colloquy in early 2020. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Missionary Ohlmann will accompany Pastor Reim on this visit in mid-January. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

7.    Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India. The CLCI will host the conference in early February of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, and Myanmar will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary for such a conference to take place.

CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List - Nov. 2019

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Nigeria – The Martin Luther Bible Institute currently has three students in attendance. They are praying for and expecting at least two more students to begin classes at the beginning of the next semester. Give thanks to the Lord for those who are willing to commit themselves to study and prepare for the public ministry. Pray for the faculty as they teach classes five days a week and serve congregations with the Word and Sacrament each weekend.

2.    Nigeria – After the Nigerian Children’s Home in Akwa Ibom State was closed several months ago, the leadership of the NCLC has appointed a committee to develop a new set of guidelines and policies for the care of orphaned children with the hope and prayer of opening a new orphanage in the not-to-distant future. Pray that the Lord will bless this committee with wisdom and compassion as they seek a God-pleasing way to offer love and care to those in need.

3.    The Democratic Republic of the Congo – The Lord has blessed the efforts of Pastors Yumba, who has been training seven men for the public ministry in temporary classroom facilities. These seven students have attended classes five days a week from April-October for the past four years. They are currently serving their final five-month practicum in their home congregations. They are all scheduled to be ordained in March of 2020. These men have been supported through Project Kinship while they have been preparing to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Pray that the Lord will bless the practical experience they are currently receiving between now and March. Pray also that the Lord will continue to bless the efforts of the CCLC to prepare more men for the public ministry in the DRC.

4.    The Democratic Republic of Congo – Missionary Ohlmann and Missionary Evensen have been in the DRC for the past couple of weeks. They are accompanied by Pastor Kossi from Togo. They had an opportunity to conduct a seminar at the building site of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute. This building project has been in the works for the past few years and was partially funded through offerings to the CLC Mission Development Fund. Three rooms are completed to stage where they can be used as a classroom, sleeping room, and a kitchen. Toilet facilities have also been completed. There is still much work to be done. Eventually, there will be dormitory rooms for up to sixteen resident students along with a dedicated kitchen and dining area. There are also plans for farming projects that will allow the students to work for their education as the income from the farm will provide some of the necessary finances for the school.  This is an ambitious project that will hopefully serve the Kingdom of God in the DRC for many years to come. Offer prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord for His blessings and provision for this project. Pray also that the Lord will continue to bless the CCLC with all that is necessary to continue to train faithful preachers and teachers.

5.    The Democratic Republic of Congo –  Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu first contacted the CLC through Pastor Tim Daub after seeing one of his sermons on Facebook. Pastor Lumiangu has been in correspondence with the CLC for the past three years and has diligently and successfully completed several Online Theological Studies courses. Missionaries Evensen and Ohlmann spent four days visiting with Pastor Lumiangu and the elders of Eglise Confessional Lutherienne Sainte Famille Au Congo (Holy Family Confessional Lutheran Church of Congo) in Kinshasa. Please offer prayers of thanksgiving to our Savior for this successful visit and pray that the Lord will continue to bless the on-going Theological Studies correspondence.

6.    Nepal – Pray that the Lord will grant patience and guidance as our brothers and sisters of the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession of Nepal wait upon the Lord to provide the resources necessary to purchase a suitable and affordable piece of land to build or an existing building. They need a building that will serve as a worship facility, seminary classroom, library, dormitory, office, and faculty residence for the HCLCN Himalayan Bible Institute. The CLC Board of Missions is considering ways in which the CLC can assist with this effort through offerings to the Mission Development Fund. Pray that the Lord will provide the resources and wisdom necessary for this project.

7.    Nepal – Pastor Raju and his father, Pastor J.B., have been traveling to the various districts of Nepal over the past few weeks offering seminars to area pastors and believers with the goal of proclaiming the truth of God’s saving word. Several independent pastors have been in attendance and have expressed interest in studying God’s word with the HCLCN to be better prepared to serve in the public ministry. These are mostly men who have had little or no formal pastoral training. Pray that the Lord will use this effort to open more doors of opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in this predominately Hindu and Buddhist nation.

8.    Nepal – There are ten men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

9.    India – Classes with fifty-one students at the CLCI Seminary and twenty-five students at the Martin Luther Bible Institute of the BELC, along with BELC monthly pastoral training classes continue to be conducted among the 1,000+ pastors, students, and evangelists with whom we are in fellowship in India. Pray that the Lord will keep all of them and those they serve strong and safe as persecution continues to increase.

10.  Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India. The CLCI will host the conference in early February of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, and Myanmar will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary tor such a conference to take place.

11.  Bangladesh – As Pastor Monotosh continues Online Theological Studies with our missionary, plans are also being made for an official colloquy in early 2020. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Missionary Ohlmann will accompany Pastor Reim on this visit in mid-January. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

12.  Togo – Missionary Evensen is busy teaching the six pastoral students of the Mt. Horeb Bible Institute of the MELC. He also continues to train four ordained MELC pastors as they continue to grow in their understanding of God’s saving word. Pray that the Lord will bless Missionary Evensen’s developing abilities to communicate and teach in French as he assists Pastor Kossi in preparing men to be faithful preachers and teachers.

13.  Togo – With a resident missionary now in place, Pastor Kossi is excited as they begin planning and conducting five evangelism campaigns throughout Togo over the next year. A CLC-MDF grant was recently approved to provide funding for this effort to preach the truth of God’s saving word in Togo, Ghana, and Benin. Pray for the Lord’s blessing on this effort.

14.  Liberia - Pastor John Hein, who serves as the visiting missionary to Liberia has been in Liberia for the past few weeks. He has been meeting with pastors and leaders who wish to establish a confessional Lutheran church body in Liberia. Thank the Lord for a productive visit as Pastor Hein and Pastor Joseph worked together to spread the truth of God’s saving word in Monrovia and Bopolu. Pray for all those they worked with these past few weeks that their labors will bring forth much fruit for God’s kingdom.

15.  Tanzania – The four pastors who teach at the Wartburg Lutheran Theological Seminary are busy preparing for the third semester of classes that will begin in late January. The students are helping with the ministry at their home congregations for the next few months until classes begin again. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless this effort with all the resources necessary to train these men to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word.

16.  Missionary Evensen in Togo – Missionary Peter Evensen has recently received a “Stay Card” which will allow him to stay in Togo for longer periods of time and will also allow him to more easily travel throughout West Africa. This is a big deal and the Lord was clearly behind the scenes making this happen. He was granted a visa to visit the D. R. Congo with Missionary Ohlmann. Missionary Evensen also stays busy with translating and conducting Online Theological Studies in French with several contacts in French-speaking African nations. You can read his blog at http://evensen.lutheranmissions.org/

17.  Visiting Foreign Missionary – Missionary Ohlmann will soon be returning from a five-week trip to visit our sister church bodies in the West African countries of Togo, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He will be stateside until mid-January as he continues Online Theological Correspondence classes, makes travel plans, prepares lessons, and schedules visits to Tanzania, Zambia, the DRC, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh in the first few months of 2020. Please pray for safe and uneventful travel, successful meetings with our brothers, and zeal to proclaim the truths of God’s saving word. Pray also for his wife Beth and their family while he is away. You can read his blog and see pictures of some of the things mentioned above at www.romans10v14-17.org

18.  CLC Online Theological Studies – continue to pray for individuals in the following countries around the world who are studying God’s word through email correspondence courses as they continue to train to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word:

1.    Burundi, East Africa

2.    Senegal, West Africa

3.    D. R. Congo, Central Africa

4.    Liberia, West Africa

5.    Bangladesh, South East Asia

6.    Zimbabwe, Africa

7.    Myanmar, South East Asia

8.    Kenya, East Africa

9.    Uganda, East Africa

10.  Congo-Brazzaville, Central Africa

Sent...to the Democratic Republic of Congo

All checked in and patiently waiting for my first of three flights on my to the Democratic Republic of Congo...Lagos to Kigali to Johannesburg to Lumbumbashi.

If all goes according to plan, I'll meet up with Missionary Peter and Pastor Kossi (flying from Lomé, Togo) in Johannesburg for the last leg of the journey.

We'll spend the next couple of weeks working with Pastor Yumba in Lumbumbashi and Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu in Kinshasa.

I've been denied a visa to vist the DRC three times over the past couple of years. I'm thankful to the Lord for clearing this obstacle and I'm very much looking forward to another visit with my brothers and sisters in Christ!

We'll be conducting a four day pastoral training seminar, visiting the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute building project, discussing seminary curriculum and future plans, and doing evangelism with Pastor Yumba in the southeast part of the DRC.

In Kinshasa, near the western border of the DRC, we'll be conducting the first face to face doctrinal discussions and visit with Pastor Lumiangu.

As always, prayers for safe and uneventful travel are requested and appreciated. Pray also that the Holy Spirit will bless and sanctify our every thought, word, and deed according to His will for the furtherance of His kingdom! 

Sent to West and Central Africa...

The Lord has provided good health, visas, the resources, and has called me into His service as a missionary, so...I'm heading back to West and Central Africa!

Specifically, I'll be visiting Togo, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I'll spend a little over a week in Togo working with Missionary Peter Evensen and the pastors and leaders of the Mission Evangelique Lutherienne de Confession du Togo (MELC-T). I'll arrive late on Saturday evening and then it's up bright and early on Sunday morning to preach and teach. While I'm there I'll have the opportunity to teach two different groups. I'll be teaching on-going pastoral training lessons to the pastors and then also to the students of the Mt. Horeb Lutheran Bible Institute. When not teaching I'll accompany Pastor Kossi and Missionary Evensen to the MELC land that is a few hours north of Lome'. This land was purchased with an MDF grant a few years ago. The land is currently being farmed as they raise funds to build a church and school.  

From Togo, I will fly to Lagos, Nigeria. With a population of 21 million and growing, Lagos is the largest city in all of Africa. Because of some sort of protest that was blocking traffic, the last time I was there it took me 1.5 hours to go 4 km to get from my hotel to the airport and I almost missed my flight home. I'll only be spending one night in Lagos and then I will fly to Akwa Ibom State to spend time with the pastors and leaders of the Nigeria-CLC at the headquarters and seminary in Efa. While I am there I will have meetings with the NCLC Board, the Seminary Faculty, the budget committee, the disciplinary committee, and the newly formed Children's Home committee. Because of the on-going security issues in Nigeria, I will be keeping a low profile while I'm there. I will be in Nigeria for a couple of weeks and will have the opportunity to preach in the two NCLC congregations and teach at the seminary. 

From Nigeria, I will fly from Lagos to Johannesburg, South Africa to Kigali, Rwanda, to Lubumbashi, The Democratic Republic of Congo where I will be met by Pastor Gaston Yumba Lumbala of the CCLC. This will be the first CLC visit to the CCLC since 2013. This will be my fourth visit to the DRC. Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have tried three times to visit but was denied a visa. No reason was given for the denial, but I have learned from others that they were denying all western visitors during the elections in late 2018. After twenty-one years of despotic rule, President Joseph Kabila agreed to open elections. Rumor has it that he did not want anyone from other countries to observe the election so that he could make sure the man of his choosing would replace him. Whatever the case may be, I was denied entry in 2017, 2018, and again in early 2019. With the advice of a few visa agencies, I made a trip to Washington, DC a few weeks ago and applied for a visa in person at the DRC embassy. The visa was granted in two days! So, the Lord has cleared the way for a long-awaited visit to our brothers and sisters of the CCLC.

Your prayers for safe and uneventful travel along with the blessings of the Holy Spirit on the preaching, teaching, and hearing of God's saving word are requested and very much appreciated. Please keep my wife and children in your prayers as well.