TZCLC Hadzabe Gospel Outreach - NOV. 2022

I woke up early yesterday in anticipation of a long and exciting day. Last year when I visited Tanzania, I spent a few hours visiting with Pastor Nathan Lengutai the day before departing. Pastor Lengutai is an elderly Maasai Lutheran pastor with whom we've had the privilege of working for many years. He was fortunate to attend the Lutheran seminary here in the Arusha area many years ago. He was led by the Lord and his conscience to leave the Ev. Lutheran Church of Tanzania several years ago as that church body drifted further and further away from the truth of God's word. He is respected by everyone and known as a humble, wise, and kind student and preacher of God's saving word. I'm not sure how old he is, but he's getting up there. 

Pastors Jeremia Issangya (L) and Nathan Lengutai (R)

Pastor Lengutai always has so much wisdom to share, but he does it in such a humble way. As we were visiting last year, he asked if I had ever heard of the Hadzabe people living out in the forests. He explained that this tribe was one of the oldest in Tanzania and, perhaps, one of the first to live in this area of Africa. DNA evidence suggests that they are not related to any of the other tribes or people groups living in Africa. Amazing to think that the ancestors of these people may have been the first to settle here in the years following the flood and the Tower of Babel! He also went on to tell me that they really needed to hear the Gospel. Apparently, missionaries have tried many times to approach them with the Gospel, but unsuccessfully because they simply don't trust outsiders. Because the Maasai stick more to their traditional ways more so than others in Tanzania, the Hadzabe have traditionally been more trusting of the Maasai that cultivate crops and graze their herds in the areas where the Hadzabe have lived for thousands of years. Pastor Lengutai began to tell me that he had heard from some of his friends that the Hadzabe were becoming increasingly open to outsiders and that some Hadzabe clans were beginning to send their children to schools and trading in the cities and villages that surround the lands where they live. 

The Hadzabe are described as a "primitive" or "uncivilized" tribe, meaning they do not cultivate crops, raise animals, or live in houses. Traditionally, they gather and hunt for their food and have been doing so for centuries. Until recently, they have not built homes but instead, live in caves and under bushes and trees. According to what I have read, there are still about 1,200 Hadzabe and about 400 of them still live by these traditional ways and have very little contact with outsiders. The majority of the Hadzabe have begun interacting with the people and towns that surround the lands where they live for the past several years.

Their traditional religion is centered around the Sun, from which they believe all blessings and curses come. They also believe the Sun to be the place where the spirit goes at death. Interestingly, part of their oral tradition shares a story of a man named Indaya who returned from the dead to bestow gifts and customs on the Hadza people. It's not a much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that the story of Jesus made its way to the Hadzabe people many years ago, perhaps through Ethiopia and the migration of settlers who came from the north.

So, after last years conversation with Pastor Lengutai, I began to wonder if the Lord would open an opportunity to share the Gospel with these people. Unbenounced to me, one of the 2021 graduates of the seminary, a young Maasai pastor named Solomon Laizer has a close friend who works for the government office that overseas the welfare of the Hadzabe. This friend asked Pastor Solomon if he would like to visit the Hadzabe. Pastor Solomon mentioned it to Pastor Jeremia, who in turn asked me a couple of months ago if we could schedule a visit when I was in Tanzania. Of course, I said yes. That visit took place yesterday.

We traveled for eight hours (one way) waaaaay off the beaten path and into, what seems like, a wilderness area that is south and west of Arusha. We had one flat tire and had to stop at three different government offices to get permission to go into the area. We visited with the Senior Welfare Executive Officer for the region, who is the brother of the friend of Pastor Solomon. 

It takes a village to change a tire...or at least to watch :)

When we arrived, there were probably at least 100 people gathered under a large Baobab tree that apparently serves as a local gathering place. We were greeted by a group of ladies dancing in their traditional style. There was a little confusion at first about why we were there, but the government appointed guide found someone who could translate from Swahili to Hadza language. I didn't really notice it, but the Hadza language involves clicking and therefore is difficult to learn. The interpreter spoke with the government guide and explained that we were there to discuss the possibility of bringing pastors to their area to teach them the Bible. We were each given an opportunity to speak. I gave a simple Gospel message by explaining that the reason we had come is because we want them to know about the One True God who loves them and sent His Son Jesus to be our Savior. And because of God's love for us we also love them and want them to learn about the Bible and their Savior Jesus. I left them with a brief explanation of John 3:16 and the joy that God's love provides to all people. 

When we finished speaking, individuals from the clan were given the opportunity to speak. There was a man and woman who spoke. They both welcomed us and thanked us for coming. They both told us how they needed food, water, and schools for their children. Pastor Jermia explained to them that we hope to bring pastors to teach them about Jesus and that we would pray for all their needs and that the pastors who come will also help the children to learn their lessons.

I'm not sure how I feel about all of this. It was certainly a great opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus. And I hope and pray that this will be the first of many opportunities for TZCLC pastors and evangelists to come and teach the Bible. But, at the same time it was heart-breaking to see these people so dependent on others. I was told that the clans that have refused to come near to society and have stuck with their traditional ways of hunting and gathering are actually better off because, while they are poor (by most standards), they make their own way and they have not been reduced to essentially begging for food. On the one hand, you can see the wisdom of "protecting" the more traditional clans from the rest of society and letting them live as they choose. But, on the other hand, if they are denied the opportunity to learn of their Savior Jesus, they are not better off. There needs to be a way to bring them the Gospel and at the same time, not corrupt them with the allure of free stuff. This is certainly something to bring to the Lord's throne of grace as the TZCLC has a seemingly open door to evangelize among the Hadzabe. Praise the Lord for the opportunity share the Gospel and plead for the Lord's wisdom to do so in a way that truly serves His kingdom and the Hadzabe people.

Three Hadzabe Clans in Western Tanzania Await Our Arrival

Pastor Nolting...Wrapping things up in Tanzania

The LORD has continued to bless the work here in Tanzania. On Monday, Tuesday, and half of Wednesday, I continued the overview of the Gospel of John with the students of Wittenberg Lutheran Seminary here in Arusha. [Arusha is the third largest city in Tanzania, with a population of about 900,000 if you include the city itself and its suburbs.] On both Monday and Tuesday we spent the last hour of the class from 3:00-4:00 p.m. discussing a sermon text and then putting together a sermon outline. It was delightful to see the students examining the text and identifying its key points, and then come up with their own themes and parts. 

On Wednesday afternoon, we traveled 70 kilometers (about 45 miles) east to the city of Moshi, which lies at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro--the tallest mountain in Africa. There is snow at its top throughout the year. We held the conference at the Moshi YMCA. The building was erected in 1959 and certainly shows its age, but the dormitory-style rooms were adequate, and the meeting room airy and pleasant. They had an outdoor pool, of which I was sadly unaware. Otherwise, I could have done some lap swimming. Temperatures here are in the mid-sixties at night and mid-seventies during the day. 

I found out Wednesday night that my presentation on baptism was the entire agenda for Thursday, with the exception of Missionary Ohlmann's slide presentation on CLC World Missions set for late in the afternoon. It turned out that we spent approximately five and one-half hours on the presentation. There were many questions and much discussion, with Pastor Michael Gondwe, one of the teachers at Wittenberg Seminary, providing all the translating from English to Swahili and from Swahili to English for the entire day! He was quite the trooper! 

Friday morning was spent on various reports from the district heads of the Tanzania CLC (TZCLC), as well as discussions with four pastors formerly affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT). They left for doctrinal reasons and have begun discussions with the TZCLC. They were favorably impressed by the conference, and arrangements are being made for further meetings. Apparently, there are another thirteen independent pastors and congregations that they were representing. The Lord truly seems to be opening a door for the TZCLC at this time.

Tomorrow I will be preaching at the Graduation Church Service at the seminary church. Missionary Ohlmann will join Pastor Jeremiah in distributing the ten diplomas. Five of the students will be going back to their home congregations as evangelists and serving in the role of assistants to the pastors. The remaining five will begin a three-year seminary program in January to become ordained pastors.

What was so interesting and encouraging to see was the fact that three of the young pastors who graduated last year (Robert, Israel, and Solomon) were all at the pastoral conference and contributing to the discussion in significant ways. You could see that the ten current students all knew and respected these young pastors. That all bodes well for the future of our sister church body.

Paul Nolting--feeling quite privileged to serve the LORD here in Tanzania!

TZCLC Outreach Among the Maasai...Nov. 2022

I arrived in Tanzania on November 7th. It's been a busy, fast-paced, and encouraging ten days. I've had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with the Wittenburg Lutheran Seminary students when I first arrived. Since then, I've hit the road almost every day to visit a TZCLC congregation or preaching station. It's been especially encouraging to visit the preaching stations that have been started in the past year by 2021 graduates of the seminary. Three of the 2021 graduates are of Maasai descent and continue to live according to many of the traditions and customs of their tribe. 

The Maasai are historically a nomadic and pastoral tribe that roam in search of grasslands and water for their cattle. Oral histories and recent DNA studies tell us that this tribe migrated to the Great Rift Valley of East Africa from the middle east. They are known to be honest, incredibly brave, and hard-working. It is among this tribe that much of the TZCLC Gospel outreach is being done. And the Lord is blessing these efforts. 

The Maasai are spread throughout Kenya and much of Tanzania. The TZCLC has opened five preaching stations over the past year. Most of these Maasai preaching stations are located well off the beaten paths. A lot of Gospel outreach is being done in Ruvu and Arusha districts of the TZCLC. The Ruvu district is in the Same' region that is found to the south and east of Arusha. Much of the north and central regions of Tanzania have been in drought conditions for the past several years. Some of the villages we drove through and visited seemed almost deserted because many of those who live there were roaming far from home with their cattle, sheep, and goats in search of grazing land and water. At one village we visited, Gunge, we were told that they considered themselves fortunate that the nearest water source was only about five kilometers away. What that means in practical terms is that they must carry all the water they need for cooking, cleaning, drinking, and watering their animals more than three miles. Most of these villages had several donkeys that are used to carry the water for the village. We passed several donkey trains, with each donkey carrying four plastic containers filled with 10 liters of water each. 

There are so many things that I see on these visits that leave me amazed, humbled, and thankful for so many "luxuries," like running water, that I too often take for granted.

Yesterday (11/16), we left the main road at about 9:30 AM and spent the next several hours driving through the rough, bumpy, and very dusty roads of the Ruvu district to visit three preaching stations. We didn't see another paved road until around 3:30 pm. That was six very long and grueling hours of travel, but so very much worth it to see God's hand at work in these fields so very ripe for harvest.

What a privilege to visit and encourage these brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Pastor Jeremiah (president of the TZCLC) has only good things to say about the Maasai. He especially appreciates their bravery, work ethic, honesty, loyalty, faithfulness, and independent spirit. He often laughs as he comments that you will never see a Maasai beggar because if a Maasai begs, he would be kicked out of the tribe. He also admires their approach to Scripture. He talks about how they do not argue; they simply want to know what the Bible teaches and if you teach them clearly and simply, they will follow the Scriptures. He says if you show them what the Bible says, they believe it. Praise the Lord!

After spending so much time over the past five years in prayer and discussions and preparation with the leaders of the TZCLC to get the Seminary organized and started and then able to continue functioning through the pandemic, it really has been a special gift from the Lord to be able to witness, first hand, the fruits of these labors! What a privilege to serve the One who is always faithful to His every promise!

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10–11

Enjoy a few videos and pictures from the past few days and pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ among the Maasai. 

Bwana Asifiwe

Praise the Lord!

Tanzania Pictures...

I haven't had a lot of time for writing the past few days and I'm heading south today with Pastor Jeremia to visit the Tanga and Ruvu districts. Over the past week I've had the privilege of visiting several congregations in Maasai areas. Here's a few pictures...

Nolting Update from Tanzania...Nov. 2022

A summary of the Mission Trip--I thank you all for allowing me to carry out this work in one of our foreign mission fields!

I flew out of North Platte to Denver Monday, November 7, at about noon. I then flew from Denver to London. I had a ten-hour layover there and so took the subway train into central London and visited the British Museum. I was able to see many of the artifacts I taught about years ago while serving at ILC--it was delightful! I flew overnight from London to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and from Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro International Airport in northern Tanzania arriving about noon on Wednesday. Because I was traveling east, I essentially lost a half day, which I will regain next week when returning home.

Missionary Ohlmann met me along with Pastor Jeremiah, who is the head of the Tanzanian Church of the Lutheran Confession (TZCLC), and Professor Michael, one of the seminary teachers. We traveled about an hour to Arusha where the seminary is located. 

Missionary Ohlmann and I are staying at Christina House. Christina is Pastor Jeremiah's cousin. It is a delightful small resort that caters to tourists coming to Tanzania to go on safaris and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is not the tourist season, so we are the only guests at this time. The rooms are very comfortable, with windows you can leave open twenty-four hours a day. It is about 65 degrees at night and about 75 degrees during the day. While there is mosquito netting around the beds, I have yet to see a mosquito and there are few other insects--no screens on the windows. The resort, which is surrounded by a wall, is a bit like a tropical paradise--lush trees and bushes with flowering plants everywhere. Our rooms are on the second floor along with two unoccupied rooms and a small veranda with chairs and couches. This morning I went out to the veranda about 6:00 a.m. and was able to quietly read my daily devotion while listening to the birds sing, a few roosters crow, and (sadly) the sound of traffic on the highway in front of the resort. We are provided breakfast each morning and supper each evening, both of which feature fresh fruits and lots of vegetables.
The seminary is about one mile up a bumpy road from the resort. I keep thinking it would be marvelous to purchase a small tractor with a blade to simply grade the road! I would make a lot of friends and do a fine public service! The seminary is built on land owned by Pastor Jeremiah, which he is transferring to the TZCLC. It has a wall around it. Inside the front entrance, there is a simple dirt courtyard with a wonderful shade tree right in the middle, which covers the entire area (probably 70' x 70'). The main church is there. It is a concrete structure, which looks like an octagon. It has a double entry door and windows around two-thirds of the building on the ground level. It is two stories high with a tall metal roof. There is no glass in the windows and there are open window areas on the second-story level in which they hope one day to place stained glass. The building is not finished, but each year they strive to push the project toward completion. Behind the church is a connected seminary classroom (probably about 15' x 20') in which all classes take place. There are five long tables at which two students sit per table. There are ten students enrolled, but only seven have been in attendance these last two days. I have been told that one young man is sick, but I do not know where the other two are--presumably at their homes. Behind the church and classroom, there is a courtyard (probably 20' x 40). In the center of the courtyard is a long table under a tent which is used for meals. On either side of the courtyard, there are long buildings with, I believe, seven dormitory rooms for the students--two to a room. At the end of the courtyard is a kitchen building. An older woman serves as a dorm mother for the young men, and she cooks their meals over an open fire using wood as her fuel. There is a double outhouse for taking care of those necessities. They have a rather ingenious hot water system. A tank of water is contained within a brick housing. Under the tank and within the housing is a place to burn wood. The hot water is transferred by gravity feed through a hose to two concrete sinks for washing bodies and clothes.

My first two days of classes have gone well. We begin at 9:00 a.m. and end shortly after 4:00 p.m. with an hour break for lunch. I eat lunch with the students and my translator. The first lunch was a large bowl of brown rice with small portions of beef to give it flavor together with either coffee or tea. Tanzanian tea which, by the way, is very mild and while the young men used sugar, I drank it without--very nice! The second day was an even larger bowl of cooked corn with carrots mixed in for color.

For my classes I am presenting material on the Gospel of John. I am using the materials we used at both Grace and St. Paul's but in an expanded form. At this point we have covered all the introductory materials and have begun looking at specific sections of John. Each afternoon we take a specific text and work through it together as if preparing for a sermon. We come up with a theme and parts and discuss how to take the facts and impress them on people's hearts so that their individual lives will be impacted--very enjoyable! We have also discussed numerous questions raised by the students, such as--how do you answer someone who denies the Trinity and why is it that Christians do not agree on infant baptism?

The young men are eager, intelligent, and well-versed in the Scriptures. As is typical, some are more willing to speak than others, but all have made contributions to our discussions. I shared with them a picture of my family that serves as my computer's home page. I am looking forward to sharing with my daughter, Laura, the fact that I was informed by one student that he intended to marry one of her daughters! That will have to wait a while, however, since she is only twelve!

Yesterday after classes Pastor Jeremiah and Missionary Ohlmann took me along to visit an orphanage. Pastor Jeremiah visits the orphanage regularly and hopes to have the seminary students assume the religious training of the children. There are twelve orphans at the facility, but the orphanage pays school tuition costs for about forty additional poor children in the area. After grade school, if children cannot pass the exams to get into high school, the orphanage trains the young ladies to sew and provides practical training in agriculture for the young men. I was privileged to share with the children and staff the story you will be hearing in church tomorrow--Zaccheaus.

Teaching the Children at the Adonai Home for Destitute Children 

Today after lunch Pastor Jeremiah, Missionary Ohlmann, and I headed southwest out of Arusha to visit a new church being built in a village, Mbuyuni, by a small congregation of Maasai. In a way, it is sad because their former pastor was led astray by the promise of a church body in Nigeria to support him monetarily. They lost their pastor and the church they had just built. But it is a testimony to their faithful resolve. The church walls are built half-way up and a tent has been pitched on the inside of the building in which the congregation will worship until they have the means to complete the building. Their pastor, Robert, is a recent graduate of the Wittenberg Seminary and currently returns to the seminary regularly to instruct the students in their English. He is an outstanding young man. He is married and has three really cute children--Angel, Innocence, and Onesimo. We sang hymns, were greeted formally by one of the church elders, addressed briefly by Missionary Ohlmann, and then I was asked to present a message. I talked primarily to the children and spoke of how Zacchaeus needed the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of God, and that he received it from Jesus. We concluded the service with another hymn and prayer by Robert. What a pleasure to enjoy the fellowship of these saints of God!

Pastor Robert Looskira at the TZCLC Mbuyuni Congregation

Teaching at Mbuyuni

The TZCLC Congregation at Mbuyuni

That is enough for now. May the LORD bless and keep you all!

Serving Christ together with confidence in His presence, power, and promises,
Pastor Nolting

D.R. Congo/Kinshasa - Oct. 2022

I've been in Tanzania for 2 1/2 busy days and I was planning to get this blog post written early this evening but ended up swapping travel stories with Pastor Paul Nolting until 10:00 pm. (more on Pastor Nolting's visit to Tanzania coming in a future blog post) So, I'm going to try to keep this brief.

I wanted to give a quick update on the visit to Kinshasa last week. This visit has been about five years in the making. But before I begin, I need to introduce you to Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu who serves the Eglise Lutherienne Confessionnelle Sainte Famille au Congo. Which translates from French to English as Confessional Lutheran Church of the Family of Saints of Congo. 

Pastor Lumiangu first became aware of the CLC through contacts on Facebook. He had been trained by visiting missionaries from France affiliated with the LC-MS. After successfully completing the required training seminars offered by the missionaries from France, he was ordained as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo. He soon began to notice a lack of consistency in doctrine and practice between the French Lutherans with whom he trained and the other Lutherans he had been corresponding with. Most of the questions and warnings he raised seemed to go unanswered. He was led to withdraw from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo. The congregation he was serving became an independent Lutheran congregation. It was also during this time that he began corresponding with CLC Pastor Tim Daub and eventually representatives from the CLC Board of Missions. Correspondence was difficult and slow going because of the language barrier. Because the DRC was once a Belgium colony, French is the official language. Pastor Lumiangu doesn't speak or read English and I don't read or speak French. It was sometime after these first couple of years of correspondence that our CLC Missionary to India, Peter Evensen, was denied entry back into India. The Bd of Missions decided to relocate Missionary Evensen to Togo (another French-speaking African nation) because of his familiarity with French and the need to assist Pastor Kossi with the development of the seminary in Togo. Missionary Evensen took over the correspondence with Pastor Lumiangu (along with a few other French-speaking contacts) and was able to make much better progress. In 2019, Missionary Evensen and I made an initial visit to Kinshasa to meet with Pastor Lumiangu and to discuss the necessary steps forward to establish a God-pleasing relationship of working together to spread the Gospel, a relationship built upon the firm foundation of unity in Biblical doctrine. With no idea that the Covid pandemic would prevent international travel for the next couple of years, plans were made for Missionary Evensen and Pastor Lumiangu to continue correspondence with a thorough review of doctrine. We anticipated that a colloquy visit would be scheduled in about a year. This, of course, did not happen in 2020 or 2021. Finally, with Covid under control, we could make plans for a visit. CLC President Mike Eichstadt appointed Missionary Evensen and me to represent the CLC for the colloquy and to make a recommendation following our visit. 

Missionary Evensen and I made plans to meet in Kinshasa the last week of October. Peter flew in from Lomé, Togo, and I scheduled five days in Kinshasa as part of this eight-week visit to Africa. So, following the visit to Nigeria, Peter and I made our way to Kinshasa and were met at the airport by Pastor Lumiangu and several members of the congregation. The next day we spent the entire day reviewing a doctrinal questionnaire covering Lutheran/Biblical doctrine. Prior to our meeting, Peter and Jacques reviewed all 117 questions on the questionnaire through email. With me asking questions for further clarification and deeper understanding and Jacques doing the same, and  Peter serving as the translator, we spent several hours discussing and reviewing the truths of God's saving word and their application to our lives and ministry. It was a blessed and truly profitable day. Following the colloquy, with both Peter and me, along with Jacques, convinced by Scripture alone, that the Lord had brought about a God-pleasing unity of faith, Pastor Lumiangu requested fellowship with the CLC. We assured him that we would recommend a declaration of fellowship to President Eichstadt. It was a wonderful moment, blessed by the Lord! I closed the colloquy with a prayer of thanksgiving and with requests for our Savior's abundant blessings on Pastor Lumiangu and the Kingdom work he has been called to carry out in Kinshasa.

The next two days were spent teaching Bible lessons to members of the congregation who gathered both days for a special two-day seminar. On Saturday, Missionary Evensen spent about three hours teaching Bible lessons (focused on rightly dividing the Word of Truth) to three men who have been studying with Pastor Lumiangu to assist with the Gospel ministry and to serve future preaching stations. Peter and Jacques will continue to study God's word via correspondence and annual visits and Jacques will then use these lessons to continue to train these faithful men for the ministry. 

On Sunday, we were privileged to attend the worship service and encourage those in attendance with God's saving word and to pray for Pastor Lumiangu and the congregation that has placed itself under the spiritual care of the CLC.

Late Sunday afternoon I headed to the airport for a 1:00 AM flight that would take me from Kinshasa to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

It was a week blessed by the Lord! It was especially uplifting for me to witness God's hand at work as I sat and listened to Missionary Evensen use his God-given gift for languages to share, discuss, explain, and teach the truths of God's saving word in French!

   “And in that day you will say:

 “Praise the Lord, call upon His name; 

Declare His deeds among the peoples, 

Make mention that His name is exalted. 

Sing to the Lord, 

For He has done excellent things; 

This is known in all the earth. 

Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, 

For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”” Isaiah 12:4–6  

Enjoy the pictures...

Missionary Evensen and Pastor Lumiangu during the Colloquy

Missionary Evensen Teaching at the Bible Seminar for the Congregation

Missionary Evensen and Pastor Lumiangu Visiting after Lunch

Congregation Constitution, Statement of Faith, and Registration Certificate

Missionary Evensen Teaching the Theology Students

Pastor Lumiangu with congregational leaders

Pastor Lumaingu with his wife Isabelle and three children

The Children!!!

Nigeria - 2022 Visit

I'm a few days delayed in getting this posted. The visit to Nigeria was short and hectic and didn't allow for much time to write. Overall, things went well. The headquarters of the Nigeria-CLC are located in Akwa Ibom State. This is a rural area located a fair distance away from the bigger cities with international airports. So, that means either several hours traveling by car or flying on a local airline to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom. The past few times I have visited Nigeria, I have opted for the local airlines. I'm told that driving just isn't a safe option due to the frequency of roadside banditry (as the U.S. State Dept. calls it) and the potential for kidnapping that seems to be prevalent throughout the oil-rich states in the southern part of Nigeria. So, I flew into Lagos and was met at the international airport by Martin Essien, who serves as the chairman of the NCLC Board of Trustees. Martin had already arranged for a car and driver to take us from the international airport to the domestic airport so we could catch our flight from Lagos to Uyo. Unfortunately, the airline announced a flight schedule change, so we had several hours that changed our flight from an early afternoon flight to an evening flight. In the end, it all worked out. I was able to buy a sim card and get it loaded up with internet data for the week, and I was also able to take a much-needed nap. 

The flight from Lagos to Uyo is only about an hour long, so we arrived around 8pm, collected our luggage, and met the driver who Martin had arranged. We then drove about an hour to a home that Martin owns in Ikot Ekpene and got settled in for the night. The electricity in the house wasn't working, so that meant some hot nights without even a fan to keep us cool. But we managed and even had a neighbor lady bring us hot water in the mornings for coffee. Ikot Ekpene is about a 45-minute drive from the village of Efa Anyam, where the NCLC headquarters and seminary are located. For the next few days, we either made the trip to Efa or church leaders came to meet with us at the house. It worked out well. I had several meetings with the various boards and leaders to discuss and advise on some of the recent challenges they are facing. I also had the opportunity to visit the seminary a meet with the current faculty a couple of times. The good news is that they currently have six students (one will graduate in December), and they are expecting at least three new students to begin in January. The challenges they are facing are a current shortage of teachers and classroom space.  Currently, they only have one instructor. The NCLC Board met while I was there, and they will be meeting again soon to call another instructor before the new school year begins in January. The classroom space issue has been ongoing for some time. The current seminary campus has just three buildings. The building they have been using for classrooms has three small rooms that were originally intended for dormitory rooms. The other two small buildings are instructor housing so that the instructors don't need to travel back and forth from their home villages every day to teach. Since the intended dormitory rooms are being used for classrooms, the students have either had to travel back to their home villages every day or, in most cases, have stayed in the teacher's housing. This has not been the best situation, with cramped quarters and, perhaps, a little too much togetherness! The NCLC Board is planning to appoint a "Works Committee" to oversee all facility repairs and improvements going forward to take this work from the plate of the faculty. Over the next few months, they will be putting together plans and estimates to construct a new building with two large classrooms along with a library, study room, office, and computer lab. They will also begin fundraising among the NCLC congregations and submit a proposal and request to the CLC Bd of Missions for assistance with this project. Please pray for the necessary planning and resources to continue this work.

NCLC Seminary Classroom Building (originally built as a dormitory)

Seminary Students with Instructor Pastor Godwin Akpan

I also had the opportunity to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Nya on Sunday morning. This is the first time I have been able to worship at this congregation. It was Reformation Sunday, so I also had the privilege of preaching a reformation-themed sermon as we were reminded of God's love in the three Solas of the Reformation...Sola Gratia-God's Love for Us, Sola Fides-God's Love In Us, and Sola Scriptura-God's Love To Us. It was such a blessing to be there gathered around God's saving word with brothers and sisters in Christ united in the truths of God's saving word!

Members of St. Stephen Church of the Lutheran Confession in Nya, Nigeria

On Monday, we visited the seminary again and ran a few errands around the area that Martin needed to attend to. In the afternoon, we flew back to Lagos, where I checked into a hotel near the airport for a morning flight that would take me to Kinshasa, D.R. Congo, where I am currently as I write this blog post.

The Lord continues to bless with health, safety, and the joy of being about our Heavenly Father's business! 

Sent to...Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia

It's crunch time...with, seemingly too many things to do, lists a mile long, and this always nagging feeling that I am going to forget something, I guess I'm almost ready to go. Two days from now (Monday, October 24th), I will set off on the longest trip I've taken to date. Thanks to the pandemic, I'm now trying to make up for lost time and visit as many places as I can before the end of the year. I'm heading to Africa, and if all goes as planned, I will return home just a few days before Christmas. I'll be gone for just under eight weeks!

Nigeria

My first stop will be Nigeria. I fly into Lagos and then hop on a flight on a regional airline to fly to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, where I'll have the privilege of meeting and working with the leaders and pastors of the Nigeria-CLC and the faculty of the seminary.

D.R. Congo

 I'll then fly to Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. My flight itinerary will take me through Lomé, Togo, where I will meet up with Missionary Evensen, and we will then travel together to Kinshasa, where we will spend about a week with Pastor Jacques Lumiangu with whom we have been corresponding since early 2017. Pastor Lumiangu has completed several Online Theological Studies with Missionary Evensen and, recently, the colloquy exam. President Eichstadt has appointed Missionary Evensen and me to complete the final face-to-face doctrinal review and make a recommendation concerning a requested declaration of fellowship. 

Tanzania

I will then fly to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, where I will be working with the pastors and leaders of the TZ-CLC. We will visit several districts of the TZ-CLC in Maasai lands, hold a three-day pastoral conference, meet with the seminary students, and attend the commencement service for the one-year pre-seminary students. I am also looking forward to working with Pastor Nolting for a couple of weeks while I am in Arusha. The Bd of Missions has asked Pastor Nolting to serve as a guest lecturer for two weeks each year. This will be his first (of hopefully many) visits, so I will have the privilege of introducing him to the seminary, faculty, some of my favorite places around Arusha, and the wonderful people of the CLC-TZ. 

Zambia

After three weeks in Tanzania, I will fly from Arusha to Lusaka, Zambia. I have a crazy flight itinerary to Zambia. It's only 1200 miles, but I will take four different flights. I will fly on a regional airline from Kilimanjaro to Dar Es Salam to Zanzibar to Harare to Lusaka. I will then spend one night at my favorite hostel in Lusaka. The next day Pastor Ibrahim and I will travel about 300 miles to the north by bus, where we will meet up with Pastor Yumba from the D.R. Congo. We will spend five days in Kitwe, Zambia, working with the Zambia-CLC pastors and leaders of the Copper Belt District. We'll have a two-day pastor training seminar and will spend time working on a Z-CLC constitution and church registration. 

The three of us (Pastors Yumba, Ibrahim, and me) will then travel about sixty miles to the north to cross the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo and then a couple more hours to the north to the city of Lubumbashi, where Yumba lives. This is also where the Congregation Confessionnelle Lutheranienne Du Congo (CCLC) has its headquarters.  I will spend a little over two weeks working with the pastors and leaders of the CCLC. Pastor Yumba speaks French and Congolese Swahili, and a little English. We communicate through a translator and with the help of Pastor Ibrahim, who speaks excellent English and Swahili. While in the D.R.C., We'll hold a four-day pastoral training seminar at the seminary in Tondo, which is located about an hour south of Lubumbashi. More than forty CCLC pastors and church leaders from the Lomami, Tanganika, and Katanga districts will join the fifteen seminary students at the seminary to attend a four-day Bible training seminar. We'll also travel several hours to the north to conduct an outreach seminar in Kolwezi. 

Pastor Ibrahim and I will then cross back over the border to Zambia, spend the night in Kitwe, and then ride the bus back to Lusaka for a two-day pastor training seminary with the pastors and leaders of the Z-CLC before I start the long trip home.

It's going to be a busy eight weeks with lots of air and bus travel along with a hectic schedule of meetings, evangelism, and pastoral training seminars. 

I'm excited to get back to see and work alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ in these places that I haven't been able to regularly visit for the past couple of years. 

Please pray for uneventful travels, safety, patience, and wisdom as I make my way through many airports, bus stands, cities, towns, and villages. Ask the Lord to provide me with the strength and stamina for the journey and the wisdom, patience, and love for the work He has prepared for me. Please also pray for my amazing wife and family while I am gone. 

October 2022 CLC World Missions Prayer List

"…pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified..." 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Liberia/Pastor John Hein - our part-time visiting missionary to Liberia, has been diagnosed with some very serious health issues. Pray that the Lord will provide complete healing through the medical treatments that he will undergo. Thank our Savior for His perfect love and the power of His Holy Word to strengthen, encourage, and comfort Pastor Hein, his wife Janelle, his children and friends, and all those he has been called to serve in the U.S. and Liberia. Ask the Lord, that during these uncertain times, He would send an extra measure of His Holy Spirit to encourage and comfort with the Good News of our Savior's cross and the empty tomb where He demonstrated His sure and certain love and plans for His children.

Kenya – The Kinship supported school in Etago recently lost a few teachers and their school headmaster, who had been serving in that capacity for twelve years. Ask the Lord to provide new and faithful teachers and leaders for the school and to grant wisdom and faithfulness to the leaders of the Kenya-CLC during these challenging times. The CLC Bd of Missions (BoM) recently approved MDF grants to do some much-needed classroom repairs and construction at both schools. Give thanks to the Lord for the privilege of assisting our brothers and sisters in Christ in training so many young souls through the two schools supported through Kinship. Pray for the Lord’s continued blessings upon the teachers, students, and staffs of St. David’s Kinship School and Emmaus Millimani School as they grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Zambia – The Zambia-CLC has recently faced some troubles with other ministries in the Livingstone area who are jealous of the ZCLC outreach efforts with the Mission Helpers this past July. False reports were filed with the government about the registration of the Z-CLC and Pastor Ibrahim’s immigration status. These issues are being worked through by Pastor Ibrahim and the leaders of the ZCLC. Pastor Ibrahim reports several new contacts and a few prospective students for the Martin Luther Bible School. Pray that the Lord would grant Pastor Ibrahim an extra measure of patience and wisdom as he continues to confront those who wish him and the ministry harm. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to be a part of these efforts to faithfully proclaim the Good News of Jesus in Zambia.

Nepal – The heavy rains have again caused damage to parts of Nepal where the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession is at work spreading the Gospel. No church buildings were destroyed, but road damage and infrastructure have made travel and outreach efforts difficult in recent weeks. Pastor Raju reports that things are being cleaned up and repaired and expects things to be back to normal soon. Thank the Lord for His many and continued blessings on the evangelism efforts of the HCLC-Nepal and the work of training more faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word to take the Gospel to the unreached areas of this predominantly Hindu/Buddhist nation.

Togo/Missionary Evensen – Missionary Evensen returned to Togo in late August. He continues teaching pastoral training classes at the Bible School along with translation (French) and editing courses and lessons for the Online Theological Studies website. He recently finished the colloquy correspondence with Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu in Kinshasa, DR Congo. He will meet Missionary Ohlmann in Kinshasa on November 1^st to finish this long-awaited colloquy. The main congregation in Lomé is facing some challenges with their land and church building and is being forced to relocate. The CLC BoM recently approved an MDF grant to purchase a small piece of land so they can build a church. This will allow the congregation and Bible School to have a permanent location rather than face the uncertainty of leasing land. Pray for the Lord’s continued blessings on Evensen’s labors to teach God’s word as he trains more faithful preachers, teachers, and church leaders in Togo and other French-speaking countries. Thank the Lord for His provision of suitable land to build and church and Bible School to teach and preach God’s saving word!

India – Leaders of the BELC and CLCI both continue to report many opportunities to proclaim the Gospel, even amid the ongoing threats and dangers of persecution in this Hindu-dominated nation. The Board of Missions continues to consider ways to schedule a visit. Pray that the Lord will continue to grant boldness, confidence, love, and wisdom to His faithful servants as they unashamedly preach Christ crucified in this predominantly Hindu nation. Pray also for the teachers and students of CLCI seminary and the BELC Bible Institute that many more men will be equipped to preach and teach God’s saving word.

Tanzania – The Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary students in Arusha are scheduled to complete their first-year pre-seminary course at the end of November. During this pre-seminary year of instruction, they have studied basic theology, Bible History, and English. The faculty will evaluate each student at the conclusion of this pre-seminary year of classes. Some students will receive an Evangelist certificate and be assigned to a congregation. Students who demonstrate the necessary gifts and commitment will move on to the three-year seminary program to prepare for ordination and a call into the pastoral ministry. In November, Pastor Paul Nolting is scheduled to spend a couple of weeks in Tanzania teaching in the seminary. Missionary Ohlmann will be spending three weeks in Tanzania in November. Ask for the Lord’s blessings on these students and those called to teach and train them. Pray that the Lord would grant safe and uneventful travel for Pastor Nolting and His blessings on the lessons he will teach.

Pakistan – Pastor Tim Daub continues to teach online video Bible lessons to a group of Christians who are eager to start a Lutheran church in Pakistan. The Board of Missions has authorized Missionary Ohlmann to accompany Pastor Daub on a visit to Pakistan when the time comes. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless the teaching and learning of His word. Thank our Savior for this opportunity and the technology to proclaim the truth of His word in such a way.

Nigeria – Classes continue with six students at Immanuel Lutheran Seminary in Efa, Nigeria. The CLC Board of Missions has recently approved and sent an MDF grant for repairs and improvements to the seminary classrooms, library, office, and dormitories. Missionary Ohlmann will be visiting Nigeria in October and bringing nearly fifty books for the seminary library to replace those damaged and destroyed by water damage due to roof damage. Ask the Lord to provide the necessary wisdom and resources for the proposed projects. Pray also for the Lord’s continued blessings on training pastors and preaching the Gospel in Nigeria.

Bangladesh –Pastor Monotosh continues to spread the Gospel in new areas of Bangladesh. He recently reported that several adults, children, and infants were baptized and received into membership of the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission (BLCM). The Board of Missions recently approved a grant from the Mission Development Fund to assist the BLCM in purchasing a piece of land where they would eventually construct a building that would be used for a church headquarters, worship facility, and Bible School for training pastors and church leaders. Over the past few years, they have had to move several times because of persecution. Ask the Lord to continue to bless both the preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the BLCM. Pray for the Lord’s wisdom and provision in their search and plans for a permanent building to conduct the work He has given to the BLCM.

Myanmar – Our brothers and sisters in Christ in Myanmar, especially in Chin State, continue to struggle under the harsh rule of the military Junta, which has brought much pain, suffering, economic hardship, and uncertainty. Recent reports indicate that more than two million people have been displaced since the military coup in February of 2021. Pray for justice and peace for all the people of Myanmar. Pray especially for our brothers and sisters in Christ that the Lord will grant them strength, courage, and boldness during these difficult times and that He will provide for their needs.

D.R. Congo – Due to the pandemic, it has been a couple of years since the pastors and leaders of the CCLC have gathered for their annual conference. They are planning a conference and pastoral training seminar during the three weeks when Missionary Ohlmann will visit in early December. The conference will be held at the recently built CCLC headquarters and seminary building in the southern part of the DRC. Forty pastors, evangelists, and leaders will attend this four-day conference. An MDF grant provides the finances for travel and meals for the conference. Ask for the Lord’s blessings on this conference and safe travels for all those who will travel long and difficult roads to attend.

The Philippines – Correspondence continues with an independent Lutheran pastor in the Philippines. This Pastor recently completed the first introductory Online Theological Study based on the CLC Statement of Faith and Purpose. Missionary Ohlmann and a Board of Missions member are planning an initial face-to-face visit. Pray that the Lord would continue to bless this correspondence and that it will lead to a God-pleasing unity of faith and teaching. Ask the Lord to provide all that is necessary for Pastor Jordan to continue proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Upcoming Missionary Visits – On Monday, October 24^th, Missionary Ohlmann will leave for an eight-week visitation trip to Africa. He will spend time in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. He will return a few days before Christmas. In early 2023 he is tentatively planning visits to Kenya, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and possibly Myanmar. Pray for the Lord’s blessings this last week of preparation and that the Lord will provide safe and uneventful travel. Ask for the Lord to be with, protect, and provide for Missionary Ohlmann’s family while he is away. Thank the Lord for His faithfulness in blessing the truths of His saving Word taught throughout the world!

Mexico – It has been a few years since a visit was made to our brothers and sisters in Mexico. Missionary Ohlmann is hoping to find a Spanish speaker to accompany him on a visit sometime in 2023. Ask the Lord to continue to bless Pastor Olvera’s efforts to proclaim the Gospel in Mexico and to train others to join him in this work.

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.

That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:2