Hand in Hand Global Mission Support Blog Digest

Christine Eige is an ELCA missionary in Japan serving as a ESL teacher. To support Christine, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

Christine Eige

Recently someone, from the church I attend in Kumamoto, asked me to write a self-introduction for the church newsletter.  After I got over the shock of needing to write such a long paper in Japanese, I got to work.  A special thanks goes out to Fukuoka Sensei for helping me do all of the editing.  I am still learning Japanese, so forgive the very simplified vocabulary and sentence structures.  Now, after much effort and editing, I am proud to present you with a bilingual experience.  Enjoy!

(Here are the just the opening sentences of Christine’s self-introduction with the English translation.)

神水教会　Ｎｅｗｓｌｅｔｔｅｒ

みなさん、こんにちは。　クリスティ―ン・アイグ　と　申します(もう)。　私(わたし)は　Ｊ３

として　アメリカ　の　アイオワ　州(しゅう)　から　来ました(　き)。　私(わたし)の　家族(かぞく)は　五人(ごにん)　です。　私(わたし)の　両親(りょうしん)は　小学校(しょうがっこう)　の　教師(きょうし)　です。　　私(わたし)の　父(ちち)は　年(ねん)に　小学校(しょうがっこう)　を　退職(たいしょく)しました。現在(げんざい)、学校(がっこう)関係(かんけい)の仕事(しごと)をしています。　また、　父(ちち)は　教会(きょうかい)の　会長(かいちょう)も　しています。　私(わたし)の　母(はは)も　毎週(まいしゅう)　教会(きょうかい)で　オルガン　を　ひいています。　そして、兄(あに)　が　二人(ふたり)　います。　二人(ふたり)とも　結婚(けっこん)しています。　一番上(いちばんうえ)　の　兄(あに)には　娘(むすめ)　と　息子(むすこ)　が　一人(ひとり)　ずついます。　ニ番目(にばんめ)の兄(あに)には　息子(むすこ)　が　二人(ふたり)います。　私(わたし)は　家族(かぞく)　と

ともに　すごす　時間(じかん)　が　なに　よりも　大好き(だいす)です。

Hello, I’m Christine Eige.  I work as a J3.  I’m from the state of Iowa in America.  There are five people in my family.  My parents are elementary teachers.  My father retired, but he still works part time for the school district.  My father is also the church president.  My mom plays the organ at church each week.  I have two older brothers.  They are both married.  My oldest brother has a daughter and a son.  My other brother has two sons.  I love spending time with my family.

To read Chrstine’s entire introduction in Japanese, go to “Musings of a Dawn Trader.”

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The Rev. David and Alicia Brondos are ELCA missionaries in Mexico. David is a professor at the Theological Community of Mexico, an ecumenical consortium of seminaries in Mexico City, which includes Augsburg Lutheran Seminary.  His work involves training pastors and leaders for churches throughout Mexico.  Alicia teaches English in Mexico City. To support the Brondos, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

David Brondos and Angela Trejo

On August 20, at the meeting of the Board of Augsburg Lutheran Seminary where I serve as professor, the Rev. Angela Trejo was chosen to be the new coordinator for the seminary.  Angela succeeds her husband, the Rev. Dr. Moisés Pérez, who is now the dean (academic vice-rector) at the Theological Community of Mexico, the consortium of seminaries of which Augsburg Lutheran Seminary is a part. Angela is the first woman to lead  any of the seminaries that make up the Theological Community.

She was also one of the first three women ordained as pastors by the Mexican Lutheran Church in April of 2009. Following her ordination, she became co-pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Mexico City with her husband.

Among the things Angela hopes to promote as seminary coordinator is a greater participation of women in the programs and activities of the seminary and Theological Community. For example, Angela has been very active in the Mexican Lutheran Church Women’s organization and recently helped start an online magazine for Lutheran women called “Xaris” (from the Greek charis, “Grace”).

Besides continuing to do research on women in the ministry and helping teach and develop the seminary’s new online course program, Angela hopes to help the seminary become more involved in ecological issues from a theological and pastoral perspective.

Please keep Angela in your prayers as she begins her new responsibilities. I thank God for the many gifts she brings to the position and the passion she has displayed for the work of the church, especially promoting ministry by and among women.

David Brondos

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The profits from “Collectible Recipe Tins and Boxes” will help support the work of Nancy Stevenson.

Mike Amstutz and his mother are both teachers and collectors. Some of their collections include over 500 nativities, 700 Madonnas, nearly 500 crosses, and a combined collection of 400 recipe boxes. Pieces from their recipe box collection date back to 1938 and come from around the world. As Mike approached retirement from teaching after 35 years, his wife proposed a project. She suggested that Mike and his mother put together a book showcasing their varied collection of recipe boxes, since there was no pictorial guide or price list anywhere.  Mike agreed. As a labor of love they published a brief history and guide to this “sleeper niche” of collectibles. The book includes over 200 pictures of boxes from their combined collections. Much like the people who have shared recipes and food from these boxes, they wanted to give the profits of their book to help others.

Nancy Stevenson is a missionary working in Tanzania, she also happens to be Mike’s cousin. It was decided that the profits from their book would go to Nancy and the work she has done at Makumira Theological Seminary for nearly 30 years. As Mike says, “We are truly a global community and this is just a small way in which we can reach out and share our blessings with others.”

If you are interested in purchasing the book “Collectible Recipe Tins and Boxes” for $20, please e-mail Mike at mamstutz2@roadrunner.com.

ELCA missionary Nancy Stevenson teaches communications skills and study methods to first-year theology, education and music students at Makumira University College, a school of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. To support Nancy, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

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The fall 2011 edition of the Global Mission Support quarterly newsletter, “Hand in Hand,” is now available to download.

It contains the inspiring story of Fatimata, a young woman in Linguere, Senegal. Fatimata is one of the Fulani people who traditionally identify with Islam.

Bulletin inserts make a handy congregational resource.

The fall newsletter is now available to download.

Through the witness of Senegalese Christians, she became interested in Christianity and attended services, Bible study and baptismal classes. Pastor Dirk Stadlander, an ELCA missionary working with the Lutheran Church of Senegal, eventually baptized Fatimata during Pentecost worship.

The newsletter includes information on the upcoming 500^th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. ELCA missionary Pastor Arden Haug,  directing the ELCA Wittenberg Center, will help to create a welcoming place for Lutherans from around the world in Wittenberg, Germany.  The Wittenberg Center assists visitors in renewing their faith through fellowship, study and worship.

Barbara Hinderlie also reflects on her service in Madagascar. She and her husband, Pastor  Andrew Hinderlie, have recently moved to Tanzania where they are ELCA regional representatives of Eastern Africa.

The individual stories are also available separately as bulletin inserts.

Go to www.elca.org/handinhand for more information, to read the complete stories and to download your copies of the newsletter and bulletin inserts. For printed copies of the newsletter, contact globalmissionsupport@elca.org.

To support any of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

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Philip Knutson is the regional program assistant for southern Africa for the ELCA’s Global Mission unit. He works with companion churches, companion synods and mission personnel throughout southern Africa. To support Philip, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

Philip Knutson joins a worship service in Zambia.

 Dear Friends,

 As regional program assistant for ELCA Global Mission I have the privilege of regularly visiting and learning from many different people and contexts across southern Africa.  In August I represented the ELCA at the annual council meeting of the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA), which is the sub-regional expression of the Lutheran World Federation comprising 16 Lutheran churches in 10 different countries across southern Africa.

The conference was held in the town of Livingstone, Zambia, just a few miles from the Mosi-oa-Tunya Falls (“the smoke that thunders”), also known as Victoria Falls. The conference received and discussed reports from the member churches and the various programs of LUCSA focusing on HIV and aids, malaria, diakonia, communications, gender justice and theological education. On the Sunday all the delegates worshiped with a local Lutheran congregation, which meets in a small classroom in a public school nearby.

Despite ongoing financial constraints and other challenges, the LUCSA programs are playing a positive facilitative role in the member churches and related communities in the region.    

Most recently I spent some days in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, meeting with twelve young adults who have just arrived for orientation as participants in the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program. We had lively conversations sharing perspectives on church and society in the U.S.  and South Africa.  We talked about an understanding of mission as accompaniment, as “mutual conversion” and learning to walk together with others in God’s mission in a post-apartheid South Africa and a world where the gap between rich and poor is growing. 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the ELCA missionary sponsorship program and for your participation in God’s mission locally and globally.

Yours faithfully,
Philip Knutson

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Bette McCrandall first went to Liberia in 1973 and later began service as an ELCA missionary in 1984. She was employed as the secretary to the bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia and later served as supervisor of schools of the church. She was responsible for up to 46 schools. Bette was in Liberia during the civil war in 1990. At one point, 600 people, who had taken refuge in St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Monrovia, were killed by the armed forces. During this difficult time, Bette endured the same hardships as the Liberian people and supported them through it. Bette retired from mission service in 2011.

To support any of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

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