The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane, South Africa, is a collaborative effort supported by the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA), the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Southern Africa (FELSiSA), Mission of Lutheran Churches (MLC) in Germany, and the LCMS. Currently, men from seven different countries are training to become pastors dedicated to teaching the truth, sharing Christ in their native languages, and trusting in God’s promises. We invite you to read their recent newsletter for the latest updates on activities at the LTS.

Story by Cynthia Awuor – Shared Ministries Admin. Assistant for the Africa region

Blasto Atuya’s story begins in Nyamira County, Kenya, where he was born and raised alongside his parents and siblings. Life was stable until tragedy struck with the passing of his father, leaving his family facing significant challenges. “After dad died, life was hard,” Blasto reminisces. “My mother does farm work and other small trades, but the income was never enough to enable her to take good care of us. I felt hopeless about achieving my dreams.” 

His mother’s low income and her inability to make ends meet easily made Blasto make a difficult decision to repeat a grade in school. This sacrifice aimed to ease the burden on his mother. “When I was in class seven, and my brother in class eight, I had to repeat that grade so as to lessen the school fee burden for my mother, who could not afford to pay high school fees, year after year, for two kids. I felt like I was easing my mother’s stress,” he recalls.

In 2018, a year after repeating a grade, a ray of hope entered his life in the form of the Project 24 Program. “My journey with Project 24 began after I repeated a grade,” Blasto shares. “Being an active member of my church and my family background might have played a role in my selection to join the program in Nyambiri. Suddenly, all my dreams seemed within reach! This encouraged me to continue being an active member of the church.”

Blasto says the program not only provided educational support but also instilled in him a sense of responsibility and faith. “Before joining the program, the idea of attending university felt like a distant dream,” he reflects. “But with its support and my determination, I excelled in high school, paving the way for a brighter future. P24 became my second home, a place where I found guidance, support, and a sense of belonging. Though I have moved on from the Site, whenever I can, I visit, eager to share my journey and offer encouragement to my brothers and sisters who are walking a similar path.”

During the recent Catechetical Club Competition, it was the first time the Pre-College Lutheran Academy (PLA) students joined the rest of the children to help manage and run activities. Blasto, currently attending the PLA program, felt grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with his Project 24 family. “I am happy to attend this competition. It helped us grow in Christ and serves as a platform to interact with one another. It is good to meet as one big family as this program gave me lots of brothers and sisters. I have met people from different parts of Kenya that I would never have interacted with if I was not part of the program,” he says.

He also mentioned how the PLA program has deepened his understanding of God and Christian life and enhanced his life skills. He says, “PLA has taught me a lot. There are life skills that I needed to know and learn. We have been taught skills that will help us cope and navigate life in higher learning institutions. It is also through PLA that I have learnt about the Lutheran faith deeper. We have also been taught farming as a life skill and money-generating activity. We have learned how to plant and take care of our nurseries; we each have farms that we oversee at Kapenguria Bible College.”

Blasto aspires to serve both as a teacher and a pastor. At the university, his passion for History and Christian Religious Education (CRE) fuels his ambition to do a degree in Education. His dreams extend beyond the classroom; he envisions himself answering a higher calling as a pastor once financial stability is achieved. Inspired by the exemplary life of a pastor from his local congregation, Pastor Ong’ondo, who seamlessly juggles the roles of a teacher and a pastor, he finds solace in the belief that his aspirations are within reach. 

“I want to teach History and Christian Religious Education (CRE). I have always loved CRE, and once I am done and stable enough financially, I will go study to be a pastor. My role model is Pastor Ong’ondo, who is a history and CRE teacher and, at the same time, a pastor. He encourages me that it is possible to achieve both of my dreams of being a teacher and a pastor. I see him as my mentor,” he says.

He acknowledges the program for deepening his faith and expanding his horizons. He is grateful for the doors it has opened for him and the lessons it has taught him.  He terms it as a community that uplifts and empowers its members.

“I often find myself reflecting on the journey that brought me here and tell myself that when I am done with school and get a job, the first people I will be giving back to will be the project that changed my life. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be. Perhaps I would have become another dropout lost in the cracks of society. But here I am, standing on the brink of a future filled with promise. My big brother is in university now, and it’s my mother who tirelessly works to support his studies. If it weren’t for the project, the weight of both our educations would have been too much for her to bear. So, I thank God every day for granting me this opportunity, and I pour my soul into my studies, determined not to squander it. But there’s more to my gratitude than words alone. I know that someday when I’m able to do so, I will pay it forward. I’ll sponsor a child or children in the program that changed my life because I believe that life is about giving back to those who helped shape our destinies.”

Photography courtesy of Rev. Airton Schroeder, Vice-President for Social Action for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
Story by Jana Inglehart

Recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, the heart of Lutheranism in Brazil, have destroyed churches, schools and homes. The unprecedented torrential rains never seen in the history of the area have resulted in catastrophic loss of life and property destruction.

The death count for the wider area stands at 95, with daily increases. At least 130 people are missing, and over 150,000 are currently displaced. Access to basic necessities such as food and medicine is limited, as most roads and bridges are closed at the time of this writing. The local airport is underwater and will be closed until the end of May, further hampering relief efforts. More heavy rain is expected, and sadly, waters continue to rise, as do the numbers above.

On May 8, the Rev. Airton Schroeder, Vice-President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB), the oldest Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) partner church in Latin America, shared the current grim statistics for the Lutheran communities.

• 14 churches were damaged. Of those churches, four are total losses and must be completely rebuilt. Some may need to relocate and build on a different site. 
• 5 Lutheran schools were damaged. (One may be a total loss)
• 9 pastors experienced damage to their homes and personal property.
• 8 tragic deaths grieved by the Lutheran community (One was an IELB pastor’s daughter. The young lady was engaged in assisting flood victims when she perished) 

This latest major disaster arrived when the residents of Rio Grande do Sul were already weary following the catastrophic floods in September of 2023. At that time, the Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, traveled to the country to walk alongside the IELB to survey the damage and assist, demonstrate and teach how to best respond to the affected residents. The Brazilian Lutherans embraced the idea of establishing their own disaster response arm within the IELB to help meet the people’s immediate needs while encouraging those facing disaster with hope in the promises of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

We give thanks to God that in April of this year, days before the deluge, the Lord, in His great mercy, prepared the Brazilian Church for what was to come. Concordia Seminary in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, hosted the first disaster response conference for the church body. Some 250 were in attendance, including IELB pastors, seminarians, professors and laypeople, as well as visiting presenters from the LCMS and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina. Presentations focused on the theology of the cross and included topics such as “Disasters as an Opportunity for Mercy and the Gospel” and “Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT),” among others.  

In the wake of the disaster, the IELB has experienced an outpouring of monetary donations and gifts of food and clothing from her members and congregations. In addition, the faithful have spent countless hours assisting and sharing the Gospel with affected families while processing their own tragic losses.

The Rev. Ted Krey, regional director for the LCMS Latin America and Caribbean region, shared, “As one part of the body of Christ suffers, so we all feel for our Brazilian brothers and sisters in their suffering. We pray for them and rejoice that our mercy arm, Disaster Response, is actively communicating with them. We pray for the pastors, the members of churches and their families for relief from the current flooding and more, which is expected. May the Lord encourage the Brazilian church authorities who are actively organizing a response to support their people.”

The LCMS is currently coordinating response plans in conversation with IELB leadership. Due to the extent of the flooding, it will be several weeks before another in-person visit can be made. In July, Dr. Johnson will travel to see the affected area and discuss reconstruction needs. He will also participate in an aftercare conference planned and presented by Doxology, which offers spiritual and emotional care and counseling for pastors and wives exhausted by recent events. Initially planned for 12 participants, the conference capacity has expanded to 25 to include the new pastors and families affected by the current flood.

Thanks be to God that through the LCMS and her mercy arm, we walk together as stalwart partners with the IELB to show mercy and spread the Gospel during this extremely challenging time.

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

Romans 12: 4-5

This past Easter, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Valley of Peace, Belize, not only celebrated our Risen and Victorious Lord but also reaffirmed our place in the Body of Christ.

We asked our two northern congregations, in San Roman and Orange Walk, if they would be willing to travel down to Camp Concordia for a couple of nights over Easter weekend to join our congregation in Valley of Peace for Holy Week and Easter services. Nineteen people made the more than two-hour trek southwest to Camp Concordia.

Arriving roughly an hour before Good Friday evening service, our missionary team welcomed the travelers and helped them settle into their accommodations before heading to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Good Friday was celebrated using the Tenebrae Service, or Service of Darkness. Lit candles filled the sanctuary at the beginning of the service but were slowly extinguished as the story of Christ’s Passion neared its conclusion.

Saturday morning and afternoon were full of activities, including Easter Egg coloring, volleyball, and a walk to the Belize River.

We celebrated the Easter Vigil service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Saturday evening, just before sundown. This service has six parts: the Service of Light, the Service of Readings, the Service of Holy Baptism, the Service of Prayer, the Service of the Word, and the Service of the Sacrament. Easter Vigil celebrates our Lord’s passing over from death to life and ours with Him. This service is the bridge between the reflective season of Lent and the joyful season of Easter.

On Easter Sunday, we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection in English and Spanish. Between the services, our English-speaking congregation and Spanish-speaking congregations had the chance to meet one another. It was an awesome visual to see the different languages and different cultures coming together as one Body of Christ!

After the Easter services, Jorge, the unofficial patriarch of the group from the northern congregations, gave Pastor Micah Wildauer sincere and extended thanks for making the weekend happen.

According to Pastor Micah, “Jorge doesn’t say much, but when he does, it carries weight.” He was grateful for the care put into transporting and housing everyone. He also said that many of them enjoyed seeing, ‘The other part of the Mission.” Above all, he was grateful for the services together with the people of Valley of Peace. Many others from the group expressed the same.

“It was also very good for the catechumen of Valley of Peace to see and worship with this group. They now know and see that Good Shepherd Lutheran is not just a localized building but rather a gathering of believers from various locations. It was a beautiful union of fellow believers.”

Pastor Rafael Flores is a church-planting pastor from the Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile, serving in the Dominican Republic with his wife, LCMS missionary deaconess, Jamielynn, and their baby girl, Elena.

Rev. Flores grew up in Venezuela and immigrated to Chile before enrolling at Concordia the Reformer Seminary in the Dominican Republic. There he met and married his wife, Jamielynn. The couple currently resides in the Dominican Republic with plans to return to Chile as soon as visa applications are finalized for the young family.

A 2023 graduate of Concordia the Reformer Seminary, Pastor Rafael was ordained and installed as Pastor of the congregation in Pueblo Nuevo, a suburb of Santiago. There he shepherds the growing congregation with Word and Sacrament ministry. He actively encourages and teaches and mentors the youth and looks for ways to reach out to the local community. He supports the work in the community of Cienfuegos, leading Bible classes and youth activities.

In addition, Rev. Flores assists with the VDMA Project. Since he is fluent in English, he is a wonderful asset to the translation team. He assists with editing daily devotions and translates documents for Spanish-speaking Lutherans worldwide.

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The Project 24 program is an initiative started between the LCMS Office of International Mission and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK). This initiative provides children’s boarding facilities in Kenya, allowing vulnerable children to complete primary and secondary school. The children live at one of the sites, a home away from home, while attending primary school. 

Each site is located next to an ELCK church and close to a primary school, providing a Christ-centered, loving, caring, and safe environment. Every student has daily opportunities for Scripture engagement, catechesis, and worship. The goal is for them to grow in faith and celebrate Christ’s claim on their life in joyful recognition of God’s forgiveness worked by grace through faith.

There are currently eight boarding facilities that provide adequate lodging, meals, school fees and related school expenses, medical care, an appropriate play area, adult oversight, academic tutoring, emotional support, and spiritual care to five hundred children. On January 31st, 2024, the groundbreaking ceremony of the ninth Project 24 site, Wamba, took place in Samburu. The bishop from ELCK Central Rift Valley and pastors from the surrounding areas were in attendance. Also present for this joyous event were the area member of parliament, area chief, pastors from other denominations, children officer, architect, contractor, community members, and other guests. 

The construction has begun on the new site. We look forward to the dedication of the new Wamba site upon its completion.

Redeemer Lutheran Church in Balboa, Panama, emerges from the shadows of adversity with its sanctuary fully restored—a testament to God’s faithfulness and the resilience of His people.

The journey of restoration was no ordinary one, marked by trials ranging from storms to a fallen tree and compounded by the intricate challenges posed by the global pandemic. Through it all, the congregation stood firm, anchored in the promises of the Lord. The sanctuary, once marred by storms and a collapsing roof, now stands as a symbol of hope and perseverance.

The joyous culmination of this restoration journey was experienced on Christmas Eve with the return of worship services in the newly restored sanctuary. The air was filled with the familiar strains of hymns, the warmth of fellowship, and the shared celebration of the birth of Christ. It was not merely a physical restoration but a spiritual homecoming, a fitting conclusion to the Advent Season after such a long wait and being displaced for several years.

Central to the success of this restoration was the generous support extended through LCMS Disaster Response efforts. Heartfelt gratitude is extended to the members of the LCMS who, through their generous gifts, made it possible for Redeemer Lutheran Church to receive a substantial disaster grant. This financial assistance served as a tangible expression of Christian love and solidarity, bringing hope not only to the congregation but also to the broader community.

Looking ahead, Redeemer Lutheran Church eagerly anticipates hosting the LCMS Latin America & Caribbean regional leadership team from January 30 to February 1, 2024, followed by the Panama FORO. The week will then crescendo in a collective expression of worship and gratitude as the congregation dedicates the sanctuary on Sunday, February 4. We are thankful to share this celebration with our LCMS family since your support and prayers have been instrumental in this journey.

The dedication service promises to be a momentous occasion, where not only a restored building is rededicated but also a renewed commitment to proclaiming the Gospel in the community of Balboa, Panama. The partnership with the LCMS has been a source of strength, and the congregation is eager to share this joyous milestone.

As we move forward in God’s mission, may His continued blessings and guidance be upon Redeemer Lutheran Church and all who contributed to this remarkable chapter of restoration, a testament to the enduring promises of our Lord.

The connection between the Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil – IELB and the Igreja Cristã da Concórdia em Moçambique – ICCM dates back to 2007. Over the years, this partnership has weathered challenging situations, including natural disasters, and has witnessed significant blessings in the form of opportunities for the growth and organization of missionary efforts in Mozambique. For the latest updates on the work in Mozambique, we invite you to peruse the newsletters.

Thanks to the partnership between GOOD NEWS and the VDMA Project, pastors and seminary students throughout the LAC region have been delighted to receive a new Spanish issue of GOOD NEWS magazine today. 

“Abiding in Christ” (GN issue #25) is centered on Jesus’ words in John 15:5, 4:   I am the vine; you are the branches. Abide in Me, and I in you. Focusing on this theme will help pastors and congregation members in their study of how God’s Word applies to their daily lives as they are branches attached to the vine – as they live as brothers and sisters in Christ – who, together, abide in Christ.

If you would like to support the VDMA Project, please click on the giving link below.

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On Sunday, September 10, Concordia the Reformer Seminary in the Dominican Republic celebrated the installation of her new director, Rev. Sergio Fritzler. Pastors from five countries participated in the special service, with seminarians, missionaries, deaconesses, Dominican Lutheran Church members, Concordia Lutheran school children and faculty joining in the festivities.

“We are grateful that the Lord of the harvest provides experienced and capable men to lead a seminary in preparing pastors and deaconesses at a time such as this. The impact of Concordia Seminary the Reformer continues to grow as her men are sent out to all corners of Latin America. Pastor Fritzler brings a wealth of experience and a clear dedication to the task of preparing confessional pastors as evangelists, shepherds and teachers who would preach the Gospel.”

Rev. Ted Krey, Regional Director for the Latin America and Caribbean Region

Rev. Fritzler is a missionary pastor from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a Bachelor of Theology from Concordia Seminary, Argentina, and a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from the Instituto Ecumênico de Pós-Graduação em Teologia in Brazil. Before arriving in the Dominican Republic with his family in 2017, he served in various capacities in Chile and Argentina as a pastor, professor and director of Concordia Seminary in Argentina.

Pastors participating in the service were Rev. Sergio Fritzler (Front center). All others from the left: Rev. Idjon Fritz, Rev. Ted Krey, Rev. Yban Navarro, Rev. Dr. Nathan Meador, Rev. Dr. Douglas Stowe, Rev. Justin Laughridge, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann, Rev. Dr. Ross Shaver, Rev. Rafael Flores, and Rev. Lucas Elberhardt

In the Dominican Republic, Fritzler also serves as a church planter at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Licey. There, his work involves supervising seminary field workers, making evangelistic visits, and planting new mission starts in nearby communities. In addition, he has served Concordia the Reformer Seminary as a professor and provost since 2017, overseeing residential students’ affairs as well as distance learners in partnership with Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Rev. Fritzler is an accomplished musician, using his musical talents on the keyboard, flute and accordion to enhance worship services. He played a substantial role on the hymnal committee that developed the new Lutheran hymnal in Spanish (Himnario Luterano), which was rolled out in the spring of 2022. Fritzler is married to Lilian, a nurse by profession. They have two sons, Enzo and Martín. When he manages to find some downtime, he enjoys grilling, playing musical instruments, and playing soccer with his sons.

The Rev. Ted Krey delivered the sermon on 1 Peter 1:25-26 and was the officiant for the installation with the permission of District President Stuckwisch.

Regional Director Rev. Ted Krey said, “We are grateful that the Lord of the harvest provides experienced and capable men to lead a seminary in preparing pastors and deaconesses at a time such as this. The impact of Concordia Seminary the Reformer continues to grow as her men are sent out to all corners of Latin America. Pastor Fritzler brings a wealth of experience and a clear dedication to the task of preparing confessional pastors as evangelists, shepherds and teachers who would preach the Gospel.”